Phoenix residents, commuters, and freight haulers are being called to the cafeteria this month as the Arizona Department of Transportation hosts a public meeting on Thursday, Feb. 12, to unveil design plans for the first buildable stretch of State Route 30. The evening starts with an open house at 5:30 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. presentation and a 6:30 p.m. question-and-answer session where people can walk through display boards and press project staff on the details.
The session will take place in the cafeteria at Western Valley Middle School, 6250 W. Durango St. Presentations will be offered in English and Spanish. Project staff plan to share 60 percent design plans for the 97th Avenue to Loop 202 segment, the initial 4.5-mile portion slated for construction, and will be available during the open house to field one-on-one questions. ADOT has posted information on how to request accommodations or participate if you cannot attend the school in person.
🗓 Mark your calendars! ADOT's holding a public meeting Thursday, Feb. 12 about the first State Route 30 segment scheduled to break ground next year. You can see the design plans and more. Get meeting details (and more) here: https://t.co/TrhBnm0P6c https://t.co/AiLOf0T4hZ
- Arizona Department of Transportation (@ArizonaDOT) February 1, 2026
What the Designs Show
The draft plans roll out a roughly 4.5-mile freeway between 97th Avenue and Loop 202 with three general-purpose lanes in each direction and a system-to-system interchange tying SR 30 into the South Mountain Freeway. According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, the project scope also calls for new traffic interchanges at 91st, 83rd and 67th avenues, bridge work at a number of crossings, upgraded drainage and lighting, a multi-use pathway and noise walls where the analysis shows they are warranted.
Timeline and Who Is Paying
Design work for the center section began in October 2024 and is expected to conclude by fall 2026. Construction is currently targeted to begin in summer 2027 and run for about three years. Funding for the center segment is coming in part from Maricopa County's Proposition 479, and the build is prioritized in regional transportation plans, according to the Maricopa Association of Governments. Regional coverage has noted that planners view the center stretch as offering the most immediate relief for chronically clogged I-10 through the West Valley; see Axios Phoenix for broader context.
Construction Impacts and Neighborhood Changes
As outlined by the Arizona Department of Transportation, early construction will focus on widening stretches of Loop 202 between Baseline and Buckeye roads to create room for new ramp connections, widening or replacing multiple bridges, and staging work near the 91st, 83rd, and 67th avenue crossings. The agency's materials show intermittent lane shifts, construction staging on local connector roads, and measures meant to keep people walking and biking safe while work is underway. ADOT also plans a multi-use pathway from 97th Avenue to Loop 202 and notes that the initial configuration is being sized so the freeway can be expanded in the future through 2050.
How to Weigh In
For anyone who cannot attend the in-person meeting, ADOT says display boards and other materials will be posted online afterward, and questions can be submitted through the project webpage or by calling the ADOT project information line at 855.712.8530. For reasonable accommodations, residents are asked to contact Madison Cole at 855.712.8530 or [email protected]. Written comments can also be mailed to ADOT Communications, 1655 W. Jackson St., MD 126F, Phoenix, AZ 85007.
