Drivers on the northwest side now must weave through construction pylons in the area of Ina Road and Interstate 10 because construction workers have started a project to dismantle and rebuild the interchange.
Wednesday was the first day of the project that is scheduled to last 25 months. Drivers trying to drive west past Ina Rd. or merge onto the freeway there now must turn around and find another way. Many were seen making a U-turn and driving away from the now-dead end on Ina Rd. leading to I-10.
Drivers will have to use streets to the north and south to get on and off the freeway like Cortaro Farms or Orange Grove.
ADOT spokesman Tom Herrmann says engineers are monitoring to make sure there aren't long delays on those streets. “The important part here is that we're going to be watching, we're going to be paying attention to those intersections at Cortaro at Orange Grove to make sure the traffic is flowing properly there and if it’s not we'll adjust the signal times we'll do what little adjustments we can make to make traffic flow a little better,” Herrmann explained.
Throughout the construction business owners will fight to survive. While many have packed up and moved, Miss Saigon restaurant manager John Nguyen is doing all can to let customers know he's still open.
“We’ll try, we’ll try the best we can just stay alive,” said Nguyen whose restaurant is now one of a few businesses still open at the northeast corner of Ina Rd. and the Interstate.
When it’s done, the interchange will look similar to those at Twin Peaks or Prince Road.
Drivers hope the delays are worth it. Nguyen hopes he is just around to see it.
