Change coming to exit in GV

The preferred plan to redo the northbound exit of Interstate 19 at Continental Road means the exit ramp and frontage road entrance there would swap places.

That is, the freeway exit onto Continental Road would be east of the entrance to the frontage road.

As it is now, some cars heading east on Continental Road accidently turn onto the exit, facing oncoming vehicles as they leave the freeway.

This changing is part of alternative No. 3 by the Pima County Department of Transportation to extend the east frontage road to the Canoa interchange.

The Green Valley Community Advisory Committee heard a presentation Thursday by Damon Ballesteros of the county’s transportation department, and Kevin Thornton of Psomas, a consulting company. Rick Ellis, head of the county department’s engineering design office, also participated.

Alternative No. 3 is the preferred alternate. It’s expected to cost about $15 million.

Alternative No. 6, the runner-up, would require the relocation of the post office, a costly and time-consuming change.

Cost for alternative No. 6 would be about $19 million.

Other drawbacks would be finding a new location for the post office and paying for construction and moving costs.

The committee also heard that eventually the frontage roads on either side of the freeway will be for one-lane traffic only, west side traffic going south, east side traffic going north.

Currently the east frontage road ends just north of the entrance to The Springs at Santa Rita development.

Residents there and others have said there is no alternative route out of the area should the current frontage road become blocked.

It’s pretty certain that there will be a traffic circle on the east side frontage road at the Canoa Ranch interchange.

Ballesteros indicated that a west side traffic circle could be added later.

Thorton said if alternative No. 3 is accepted there would be no need to spend money for additional right of way.

He said it would probably take two to three years to finish negotiations with postal officials.

One other change for alternative No. 3 would mean that the south-round traffic on the frontage road would be placed beneath an elevated portion of the exit ramp.

Northbound traffic on the frontage road would merge with the exit ramp before it reaches Continental.

Ballesteros said only one traffic signal would be needed there, but two would be needed if the alternate that calls for moving the post office is accepted.

jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749