Study Description/Area
Study Area
The Study Area stretches along US 60 (Grand Avenue), between Loop 303 (Estrella) in the City of Surprise and I-10 in the City of Phoenix. US 60 (Grand Avenue) is a northwest-southeast oriented roadway traversing portions of the City of Surprise, City of El Mirage, Town of Youngtown, City of Peoria, City of Glendale, City of Phoenix, and unincorporated Maricopa County.
Background
Corridor Context and Demands: US 60 (Grand Avenue) serves a critical role as both a major regional U.S. highway and a localized arterial access route. This corridor generates competing travel demands that continue to intensify as rapid suburban and commercial development expand across the northwest Valley.
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) operates and maintains US 60 (Grand Avenue) from Loop 303 (Estrella) to Willetta Street; the City of Phoenix operates and maintains Grand Avenue from Willetta Street to the southeast.
The BNSF Railway runs parallel to US 60 (Grand Avenue). The railway tracks are located on the northern side between Loop 303 (Estrella) and Olive Avenue and on the southern side from Olive Avenue to McDowell Road. The corridor currently experiences severe operational and safety challenges, averaging more than 1,000 collisions per year with documented severe injury and fatal accident hot spots. These persistent issues are exacerbated by localized traffic bottlenecks, complex physical intersection geometry, high parcel driveway and access density, community constraints, and ongoing multimodal conflicts with the closely parallel BNSF Railway network.
To address these conditions, this study will re-evaluate and validate previous planning recommendations, including the 2015 MAG COMPASS Study, against current and forecasted travel patterns and growth constraints. Ultimately, this effort will guide the strategic application and sequencing of $1,740.89 million in programmed MAG FY 2027 Freeway Life Cycle Program (FLCP) funds for this corridor, which includes a dedicated allocation of $248.54 million specifically for corridor optimization improvements.
