22nd Street Revitalization Project: Addressing Safety, Equity, and Connectivity - FHWA

This project is located within Sections 17, 18, 19, and 20, T14S, R14E of the Gila and Salt River Meridian, within the City of Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. This project provides improvements to 22nd Street from Kino Parkway to Tucson Boulevard. Additional improvement locations include the Campbell-Beverly Connection, the Campbell Avenue Ramp, Ramps A and B at Barraza-Aviation Parkway, eastbound Barraza-Aviation Pkwy realignment, several Cross Streets, and the Multi-Use Path that runs alongside Barraza-Aviation Pkwy under Ramps A and B and traverses underneath 22nd Street. A multi-use connection between the Barraza-Aviation Path and multi-use path along eastbound 22nd Street.

The work consists of reconstructing 22nd Street from Kino Parkway to Tucson Boulevard and replacing the existing 4-lane 22nd Street bridge that runs over Barraza-Aviation Parkway and the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) with a new 6-lane facility. The facility will consist of two 3-lane bridges with a protected eight-foot multiuse path, one for the eastbound travel direction and one for the westbound travel direction. In addition to the bridge components, improvements shall consist of cast-in-place retaining walls; asphaltic concrete and Portland cement concrete paving, concrete curb/curb and gutter, concrete barrier and sidewalk, paved pathways; a drainage channel, pipe culverts, storm drains, manholes, catch basins and associated inlet and outlet structures; street lighting; landscaping and irrigation; pavement marking and signing; traffic signal improvements at the Tucson Boulevard intersection and Barraza-Aviation Pkwy/Ramp B; sewer modifications; water modifications, and other incidental work.

Replace the City’s 22nd Street Bridge and make improvements to 22nd Street from Kino Parkway to Tucson Boulevard. The existing bridge, originally constructed in 1966, provides a grade separation over a major rail yard and arterial parkway that has long divided the city. The bridge is a vital link on a major east-west corridor through one of Tucson’s most economically distressed areas.

The new bridge would replace a structure that is in ‘structural deficient’ condition and is of major concern; since 2005 heavy vehicles (including freight, transit, school buses, and emergency medical services [EMS] vehicles) must take a detour to avoid the bridge. The new bridge will include bike and pedestrian accommodations including sidewalks and bike lanes, as well as dedicated bike and pedestrian facilities. The project is also needed to improve safety and traffic operations, add capacity, improve safety for people walking and bicycling. This project will also enhance freight movement, Sun Tran bus service, school bus routes, emergency services and public safety response time. Innovative bridge construction will minimize disruption to operations of the UPRR yard and will adhere to local, state, federal and railroad design criteria.

This project will address a bottleneck by increasing the number of travel lanes from four lanes to six lanes, matching the existing roadway section at either end of the project limits. This will drastically increase the operational capacity of 22nd Street, while advancing Tucson’s efforts to create more opportunities for transit-oriented development in the areas that need it most.