Mayors back S. Mountain Freeway  

Betty Beard
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 20, 2006 12:00 AM  

Three East Valley mayors on Wednesday endorsed the proposed South Mountain Freeway, calling it a "critical part of the regional freeway system."

Mesa Mayor Keno Hawker, Chandler Mayor Boyd Dunn and Gilbert Mayor Steve Berman said in a joint statement that it is unfortunate that homes were built in the right of way years ago but that the freeway is needed to reduce commute times.

"It's a key element in our regional transportation system and will alleviate a lot of traffic on our arterial streets," Dunn said.  

Interstate 10 has become gridlocked, he said, and residents of Chandler, Gilbert and Pinal County are getting off the freeway and using city streets to save time, resulting in accelerated wear and tear.

The proposed 22- to 26-mile freeway would link I-10 near Ahwatukee Foothills with a yet-to-be determined point on I-10 in the West Valley. It has drawn opposition from Ahwatukee residents because at least 217 homes would have to be razed.

But according to the mayors' statement: "Ahwatukee residents are likely to benefit most from the freeway, through shorter commute times and increased property values as the subdivision is freed from its stigma as 'the world's largest cul-de-sac.' "

That stance didn't sit well with Melanie Pai, founder of the anti-freeway group Protecting Arizona's Resources and Children.

She said it was "irresponsible" for the mayors to issue the statement without knowing what the environmental impact would be on the area.

"I would much rather live in the world's largest cul-de-sac than have 9,000 children attending school next to the world's most ridiculous, self-inflicted health hazard," she said. "What this shows is a clear disregard for the health and well-being of children. They should consider all the factors before making statements like this."

Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton, who represents Ahwatukee Foothills and other areas, said the freeway doesn't make sense from a regional perspective and that there is a limited amount of money available for roads.

Planners say the freeway could cost $1.7 billion to $2.4 billion to build, depending on routes.

"We can't do everything," Stanton said. "We have to make tough decisions as to what's in the best interests to the region as a whole. If we do this freeway, other projects are not going to happen."

Stanton mentioned increased development in Pinal County that will bring another million or more residents into Maricopa County and worsening traffic jams north of Phoenix on Interstate 17.

The mayors' statement pointed out that the Maricopa Association of Governments estimates the proposed freeway would cut travel times. An Ahwatukee resident who works at the Metrocenter mall in north Phoenix, for example, could get home 25 minutes faster if the freeway was built.

It also could shave more than 50 minutes off a rush-hour, round-trip commute from the Williams Gateway Airport area in southeast Mesa to Goodyear Airport, they said.

"High-quality employers cannot afford to have their employees or products perpetually stranded in traffic," the statement said.

The mayors cited the long history of the freeway and said it was a "case study in what happens when right of way is not protected."

The freeway was first identified as a possibility in 1985. The Arizona Department of Transportation began buying rights of way in the late '80s but was unable to buy more because of a funding shortage, the statement said.

Hawker said he came up with the idea for the letter because he thought ADOT was the only one making any arguments in favor of the freeway.

"They would go to an open house, and everyone would tell them, 'Don't build this freeway.' I think that bothered a lot of people that would appreciate this connectivity to the rest of the Valley," he said.

Many Ahwatukee Foothills residents are hoping the Gila River Indian Community will allow the freeway to be built on the Gila River Reservation. The Gila community, however, has been officially opposed to that idea.

"If the Indian Community isn't interested, we need to accept this answer and move forward with the project," the mayors said.

Reporters Geri Koeppel and Edythe Jensen contributed to this story.