TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The final step of the original Houghton Road Improvement Project is finally underway, with crews from Southwest Gas, Tucson Electric Power, and others beginning to move utilities out of the way.
"We're relocating and upgrading some underground distribution facilities. Those are basically lower voltage power lines that serve homes and businesses in the immediate area, so we are moving those to a different location," says Joseph Barrios, a spokesperson for TEP.
Barrios says the upgrades TEP is doing will also give them more flexibility to handle power outages, help TEP reroute power, and improve performance in the area.
"These are the lines that serve homes and businesses throughout that area. So our grid in that area will be better equipped to accommodate things like solar panels and EV chargers," says Barrios.
Construction is only just beginning, and in a highly traveled area, this could lead to more delays than normal. But Barrios says, their goal is for the work to be as smooth as possible.
"We know that can be inconvenient to motorists and residents in the area, and we do try to minimize that. But there are going to be occasions where there might be a lane closure, or there might be some other traffic controls in place," says Barrios.
A spokesperson for Tucson's Department of Transportation and Mobility says their goal is to begin roadwork by the Summer or Fall of 2026.
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Blake Phillips is a reporter for KGUN 9. Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Blake grew up in Sierra Vista. During his college tenure at the Missouri School of Journalism, Blake worked for the NBC affiliate KOMU-TV in Columbia. He is excited to return to a place he calls home and give back to the community in which he grew up. Share your story ideas and important issues with Blake by emailing blake.phillips@kgun9.com.
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