TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility is looking for your input on a new design plan for 1st Avenue between Grant Road and River Road.
They are looking to either keep the current lane configuration that has two lanes for each direction or add an extra lane to each side. Both new designs will have continuous sidewalks for pedestrians, more safe crossing areas, raised medians, and enhanced bike lanes.
"This is a really key decision for the project because what we hear back from the community is really going to determine the scope of this and the impact of the project," Patrick Hartley, Planning Project Manager for the 1st Avenue assessment, said.
The goal of this is to modernize the road while also making the road safer for pedestrians.
"It's also one of the top 10% of roadway segments for pedestrian serious crashes and fatalities," Hartley said.
The survey is available here and will be open throughout most of the summer. There are also going to be two virtual town hall events. The first on June 29 and the second on July 15.
One person that will be letting the city how he feels is OC Davis, he is a part owner and the pit master of Smokey MO.
"Its going to slow down revenue," Davis said.
Smokey MO is located along the stretch of the road that would be under construction. Davis says construction will drive customers away.
The estimated cost of the four-lane project is $73.4 million, and the six-lane project is $91.7 million. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2024 or 2025.
