Queen Creek Commuters to Benefit as $11.3 Billion Arizona Highway Plan Approved

PHOENIX, Arizona — The Arizona State Transportation Board has approved a sweeping $11.3 billion five-year highway plan that includes a brand-new freeway for the West Valley, major widening projects across Maricopa County, and interchange upgrades that will reshape how drivers navigate the Phoenix metro area for years to come.

The centerpiece of the plan is State Route 30, a new freeway that will connect Loop 303 to Loop 202 South Mountain in the West Valley. Construction is scheduled to begin next summer, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. The project is expected to relieve congestion on Interstate 10 and provide a direct east-west corridor through one of the fastest-growing parts of the region.

In the heart of the metro area, the long-awaited Mini-Stack interchange improvements will bring widening and other upgrades to the junction of Interstate 10, Loop 202, and State Route 51 east of downtown Phoenix — one of the state's most heavily traveled and frequently congested interchanges.

Other Maricopa County projects include widening US 60 between Ellsworth Road and Meridian Road, addressing growing traffic in the East Valley. Across the state, the plan also funds widening of SR 260 east of Payson, US 93 between Wickenburg and Wikieup, and improvements to I-17 north of the metro area.

The $11.3 billion package draws from a mix of federal and state funding, with some transportation dollars coming from voter-approved propositions. Some projects will begin construction this year, ADOT said.

Queen Creek, with roughly 70,000 residents in the southeast Phoenix metro area along the Maricopa-Pinal County border, is one of the region's fastest-growing suburbs. Many Queen Creek residents commute to major employers including Intel's campus in Chandler and Boeing's facility in Mesa, making highway infrastructure a critical concern for the community.