Study says congestion to increase
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Three roadways in Safford are at capacity for handling traffic now, and two others are expected to be at capacity within five years, according to the Graham County Small Area Transportation Study.
Will Wright, Graham County planning and zoning director, said the purpose of the study was to examine road deficiencies and make recommendations for improvements.
Officials from the Arizona Department of Transportation and consultants from Parsons Brinkerhoff presented the results of the transportation study Thursday in the Graham County General Services Building.
County residents were also given a chance to look at maps and ask questions about the ADOT Alternative Route Study. The Courier will publish a story about that study in a future issue.
About two dozen area residents attended the open house meeting, which featured maps and traffic projections. Attendees could ask questions about the study and submit comments that will be considered when a regional plan is submitted to the state for approval.
Consultant Jennifer Love said the traffic projections were based on the existing networks of roads.
The roads that are at capacity are Eighth Street, Relation Street and Highway 70. In 2013, the traffic flow on Highway 70 will improve due to scheduled work; however, Eighth Avenue and First Avenue will be at capacity, according to the study.
Unless work is done to increase the traffic capacity on local streets and roads, several other thoroughfares will be over capacity by 2018, the study maps show. Those roads and streets include Swift Trail, Quail Trail, Cienega Lane and Stockton Road. The study also states that Lone Star Road will be at capacity by 2018.
The study identified traffic patterns, population areas, employment estimates and related issues, Wright said. The objective of the study is to aid in developing a guide to future planning for a variety of transportation modes.
Recommendations from the study will be incorporated into a regional funding plan.
According to statistics presented at the meeting, about 34,000 people live in the study area, and 10,000 of them are employed. Graham County’s biggest employers are Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, the Eastern Arizona College, the Mount Graham Regional Medical Center, the Safford School District and the Arizona State Prison-Safford.
