The Arizona Department of Transportation has begun an ambitious project to expand and upgrade a stretch of Interstate 10 in southeastern Tucson, a busy corridor that has long awaited such improvements. The plan involves not just the addition of lanes but also the reconfiguration of interchanges between Kino Parkway and Country Club Road. This construction, with a budget of $600 million, marks the largest highway project Southern Arizona has seen, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Highlights from the project, as detailed on Arizona Department of Transportation's announcement, include widening I-10 to three lanes in each direction from Kino Parkway to Alvernon Way and adding auxiliary lanes. The project is set to dramatically to reshape the driving experience by reconstructing the Kino Parkway interchange, constructing a new interchange at Country Club Road, removing the Palo Verde Road interchange, and adding a westbound on-ramp at Alvernon Way. Another notable feature is a planned undercrossing that will unite the divided North and South Kino Sports Complex.
Throughout the construction, which is slated to continue into 2028, Arizona Department of Transportation has committed to minimizing disruptions for travelers. Officials have stated they will maintain two lanes open in each direction during peak travel times and keep access to businesses unchanged. Short-term inconveniences include overnight lane restrictions on I-10 between Park Avenue and Palo Verde Road, with the work taking place between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
The need for this overhaul was highlighted in a 2020 study, which outlined steps to improve mobility along a 10-mile stretch of I-10. The same study identified an alignment for extending State Route 210 (Barraza Aviation Parkway) to connect I-10 with downtown Tucson. The current I-10 widening project is the first outcome resulting from those earlier recommendations, as per the Arizona Department of Transportation.
