TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — By the middle of next year, drivers on the Southeast side are going to be using a brand new stretch of road on Valencia between Kolb and Houghton Roads.
"There's a lot of work that has to take place before the actual roadway work, because those cars are heavy, and so we want to make sure that that roadway is put in the right way," said Public Information Officer for Tucson Department of Transportation & Mobility, Erica Frazelle.
For the last six months, crews have been working on expanding the roadway from two to six lanes, while also paving the new shared-use path— all part of the Valencia improvement project.
Now, crews are gearing up to begin paving the north side of the road with the expectation that traffic will be flipped from the old stretch of Valencia to the new pavement by the middle of 2026.
"There's so much development out here," Frazelle said. "There's so much growth that's going to happen. You see a new community going in right now, so there hasn't been a lot of complaints.
"I think people are really excited for this opportunity."
The cost of the project sits just around $29 million, and when things are all said and done, the roadway will expand to six lanes, matching much of the rest of Valencia Road.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct completion date.
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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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