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Tucson City Council Hears from ADOT on I-11 Plan

Council members get more details about freeway
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TUCSON, Ariz. — The debate over the controversial I-11 freeway project continues. Today the Tucson City Council heard a presentation from the Arizona Department of Transportation regarding their plans for the highway.

The I-11 project would create a bypass that would run from Casa Grande past Tucson to Nogales. While some think the idea would streamline commercial traffic through southern Arizona and alleviate truck traffic on I-10, some disagree.

RELATED: ADOT seeking public comment on proposed route for Interstate 11

Tucson city councilman Paul Cunningham says the freeway would have a negative impact on the local economy by diverting traffic to areas more than 30 miles away from Tucson. He also believes the project can affect wildlife in the desert and that none of the members of the I-11 task force are from Tucson.

"Right away it kind of jumped out at you that they were literally building a freeway what will go completely around Tucson," Cunningham said. "The orange route is the best route that uses the existing I-10 route. It augments it and that would work the best for Tucson."

So far there's has been no official vote on the issue and citizens have until July 8 to give their input at the I-11 website.