Drivers, be prepared for construction buzz as the expansion of the I-10 Wild Horse Pass Corridor kicks into high gear next week, as reported by the Arizona Department of Transportation via AZDOT. Specifically, this is about the second segment widening I-10 from a cramped two lanes to a more roomy three in each direction, easing the stretch between Phoenix and Casa Grande.
The whole shebang includes four separate segments over a 26-mile expanse starting from the Loop 202 Santan/South Mountain Freeway up to just shy of Casa Grande, where the action for the second segment begins January 12; and will cover a 10-mile sprint of I-10 in both directions, starting from Gas Line Road down to south of State Route 387, and FNF Construction, Inc. snagged the contract for this part. The third segment, slated for a summer 2026 start, will see construction along 11 miles from the Loop 202 to the I-10 Gila River bridges and will be steered by the Coffman-Fisher joint venture, culminating with segment four tackling the remaining three miles and set to roll out in late 2026.
The inaugural segment began back in May 2024 — it's grappling with the widening and replacing the east- and westbound I-10 bridges over the Gila River, featuring already partway finished new eastbound bridge and nearing completion new westbound deck, expected to wrap up late summer 2026, according to a statement obtained by AZDOT.
Improvements to this artery are not just about spreading out lanes; they're reconstructing several interchanges adding high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes from Loop 202 South Mountain/Santan Freeway to Riggs Road, throwing in a couple of new interchanges – one at Koli Road and another at Seed Farm Road, and decking out the freeway with a fleet of tech enhancements such as fiber optic cable, cameras, and overhead messaging boards designed to usher in smoother commutes through what was once a bottleneck region, this stretch of road promises to mark the end of the Phoenix and Tucson two-lane standstill by late 2029.
