Drivers in Pima County should be prepared for delays as the Department of Transportation kicks off a major road preservation project starting in early June. According to the county's announcement, Southern Arizona Paving will be laying down some fresh surface treatment on several key roads from June 3 to June 15, between the early bird hour of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The scope of the work seems straight enough - traffic control set-up and then surface treatment - but commuters should expect to potentially be held up. Major thoroughfares like Swan Road, from Sunrise Drive to Rillito Creek, will be under construction. Thornydale Road and Orange Grove Road are also on the fix-it list, with the work to potentially restrict turning movements and cause delays. Flaggers are set to direct traffic, but motorists are advised to give themselves some extra time to navigate around the work zones.

This isn't just a patch job; it's part of a grand $20 million plan for road repair and preservation in the fiscal year 2023/2024, as indicated by the Pima County Board of Supervisors and Transportation Department. These surface treatments are just one item on the menu of road fixes slated to keep county roads from falling apart at the seams. Full details on the program are available for motorists looking to avoid future construction headaches on the county’s Road Pavement Repair & Preservation Program page.

Of course, construction schedules have a way of slipping if the machines break down or storm clouds roll in. Drivers should keep an ear to the ground for any rescheduling and, let's be real, plan for getting stuck in a bit of gridlock now and again while the improvements are made. Anyone needing more info or language assistance has been pointed to ring up Pima County at 520-724-6410, with services available in español upon request.