The Coolidge City Council has approved a Public Roadway Construction and Participation Agreement with Pinal County for roadway improvements near the future site of Procter & Gamble’s plant in the Inland Port Arizona master site.
Coolidge will now be responsible for a minimum of $7M in improvements around the planned site. Under the incentive agreement with P&G, the City will complete four miles of roadway and railroad crossing improvements. Pinal County has pledged at least $2M toward the project.
Planned components include adding two lanes on Vail Road between Hanna and Shedd roads, on Arica Road between SR 87 and Vail Road, and on Shedd Road from SR 87 to Vail Road. Turn lanes will be added to intersections between Vail and Shedd, Vail and Arica, SR 87 and Arica, and SR 87 and Shedd.
The two railroad crossings on Shedd and Arica will get new gate arms and traffic controls and utilities that conflict with the planned improvements will be moved.
Coolidge officials plan to seek funding help from the Arizona Department of Transportation for the SR 87 components, but no agreement is in place yet.
If Coolidge is unable to fund its portion of the agreement, Pinal has agreed to fund the city’s portion of SR 87 improvements and then seek reimbursement from Coolidge.
The improvements will not be put in place until most of Procter and Gamble’s plant is complete, so cost estimates have not been finalized. Construction is not expected until late 2023 or some point in 2024. (Source)
