CATALINA FOOTHILLS, Ariz. (KGUN) — Road construction along the Esperero Wash has reached the halfway point, and neighbors are eager for the debris and dust to finally clear.
Tucson is no stranger to construction, and residents along the Esperero Wash construction site say they are growing tired of it and some say they're pleased with the progress. However, the wait is nearing a close.
Every day, cars pass through East Sunrise Drive to get to Sabino Canyon. Construction started in January, and drivers tell me it has been a bumpy ride.
"It's tedious sometimes and it tests your patience," Brian Sweeney said.
Sweeney lives in one of the neighborhoods near the construction site. He avoids driving through to Sabino Canyon to get around, not wanting to put any more wear and tear on his tires.
"You either go through Kolb or Sabino Canyon if you live right here since it's kind of your choice depending to where you're getting but right now it's all Kolb," Sweeney said.
"Pavement will be repaired between Kolb and Sabino Canyon Road. This will coincide with completing the box culvert and placing the final asphalt lifts, and re-opening Sunrise Drive."
Pima County is replacing aging pipes along the canyon. The infrastructure and land were impacted by the 2020 Bighorn Fire, which burned nearly 120,000 acres.
The county hopes this stops flooding during massive rain storms since the canyon's slope makes it prone to flooding.
"I feel like we needed this five years ago but we have it now so that's nice," Sweeney said.
Seth Pepper lives right in between the construction and deals with it every day. He is pleased with the progress but says inconsistent speed limits are a headache, changing from 15, to 25, then 35 miles per hour along the stretch.
"You would have different signs and at different directions and not knowing when exactly when we're supposed to break," Pepper said.
Construction is expected to finish this summer.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Marc Monroy joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist after moving from KGUN 9’s sister station, KXXV, in Waco, Texas. He graduated from California State University, Northridge, in 2024 with a degree in journalism. A native of Southern California and a bilingual reporter, Marc is excited to serve Southern Arizona and looks forward to connecting with neighbors in the community. Share your story ideas and important issues with Marc by emailing marc.monroy@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
