Town of Oro Valley issued the following announcement on Jan. 12
The Town of Oro Valley announced today that as part of the La Cholla Boulevard Phase II Improvements project, the Town has authorized Hunter Contracting Co. to close La Cholla Boulevard to through traffic between Lambert Lane and W. Overton Road from Monday, January 27 to Wednesday, April 22. Local access to homes, churches and other facilities on La Cholla Boulevard will be maintained throughout the closure. La Cañada Drive has been designated as the detour route. (Click here for map)
“We understand this affects commuters who use La Cholla Boulevard, but the primary reason for this closure is safety in a specific area of the project,” said Paul Keesler, Public Works Director and Town Engineer. “The space needed to accommodate the contractor’s personnel and heavy equipment near a retaining wall constructed for the project leaves limited space for the traveling public. With a complete closure we can maintain the safety of the public and the contractor. And the upside is that it helps us finish the project almost a month and a half early.”
The La Cholla Boulevard Phase II Improvements are on schedule with substantial completion anticipated at the end of September, 2020. This closure accelerates substantial completion to mid-August, 2020.
“We looked into using flaggers and allowing intermittent one-way traffic around the work area, but that extended the length of time to finish this part of the project by a couple months. It also increased the cost, “Keesler added. “As we learned with the roundabout at Moore and La Cañada, it is more efficient, and safer, to just close the work area and get the job done.”
The closure will go into effect at 5 a.m. on Monday, January 27. The Oro Valley Police Department will have patrols set up to monitor traffic near the ends of the closure. Drivers are encouraged to use the detour route onto La Cañada Dr. and allow extra time for their commute. The Town has a stormwater project on the shoulder of Lambert Lane to the west of La Cholla Blvd. Please drive with caution and brake for construction workers in the area.
For safety purposes, pedestrians and bicyclists are asked to avoid the closed section of road and follow the detour routes.
The Town of Oro Valley is working with its partner, Pima County and the Regional Transportation Authority, to inform residents and the traveling public of this closure.
Click here for a video featuring Public Works Director Paul Keesler explaining this closure.
La Cholla Blvd. Phase II – Overton Road to Tangerine Road information
Construction of the Phase II La Cholla Boulevard improvements, from Overton Road to Tangerine Road, began in January 2019. Hunter Contracting Co. is the contractor. The northern 80% of the roadway is located in the Town of Oro Valley with the remaining 20% being located in unincorporated Pima County. The project improvements, managed by the Town of Oro Valley, will reduce congestion, improve safety and provide additional capacity for future traffic demands.
Improvements in this phase will include:
Widening to four lanes
A landscaped median
Turn lanes and traffic signals
Bicycle lanes, multi-use paths and ADA facilities
Drainage improvements
Wildlife crossings
Retaining walls
For more information, visit the project website at www.lachollaimprovements.info or contact:
Town of Oro Valley | Cheryl Huelle 520-229-4873 or Fernando Redo 520-940-0154
Hunter Contracting Co. | Noah Dayton 520-262-5824
Original source can be found here.
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