Efforts to increase the safety and efficiency of Scottsdale Road hit a key development phase as the city prepares to overhaul a key stretch of the thoroughfare. According to the City of Scottsdale, come November, construction crews will set out to renovate a two-mile segment between Jomax Road and Dixileta Drive, focusing on safety improvements and drainage enhancements.
The central highlight in these improvements is the introduction of a new multilane roundabout at the meeting point of Scottsdale Road and Dynamite Boulevard, which has been shown to reduce collisions by lowering vehicle speeds and reducing vehicular conflict points, and they are more affordable than traffic signals because they need less maintenance. Also, replacing the continuous center turn lane with a raised center median is on the books, aiming to decrease vehicle conflicts furthermore, with the addition of new left turn lanes at key intersections to streamline traffic movement.
Much of Scottsdale Road's topography causing dips has led to unsafe accumulations of water during storms, something the new design intends to correct by eliminating these low points and installing several additional drainage culverts that will, hopefully, keep the roadway clear during downpours. The overall cost of the project stands at a steep $43.7 million, but thanks to a mix of federal grants amounting to about $31 million and the city's dedication to sales tax revenue for transportation, as per the City of Scottsdale.
