Spring in Arizona is one of my favorite seasons; it's the time of year when the chilly winter weather is gone, but the relentless summer heat has not yet arrived. By April, spring is in full bloom and many north Phoenix residents will see the natural changes that come about during this season, for example, the saguaro cactus that dots the hillside and flat desert areas will soon begin to bloom as the flower buds around the top of the main trunk. This change signals the beginning of the plant's seasonal growth and progress.
Besides the budding cactus, north Phoenix residents will notice a few other changes. Over the past few months, the city's Water and Street Transportation departments have been working on a construction project along Tatum Boulevard. Residents won't see the new, much needed, 36-inch waterline, but they will notice two additional lanes, a change that will make it easier for area residents to get around and a new guard rail to ensure safety.
The primary project along Tatum Boulevard over the past few months was the installation of wider waterline to bring water from a well in north Phoenix down to a drinking water distribution center near the Tatum Ranch community. The additional waterline will support the infrastructure needs of the area.
The new pavement over the 36-inch line will protect it from washouts as a result of rain storms. The added pavement provided additional space to create two new lanes of traffic in both the north and southbound direction- giving the stretch of Tatum Boulevard between Pinnacle Peak Road and Dynamite Boulevard four traffic lanes where there had previously been two. The "bottleneck" that drivers previously experienced as they traveled on Tatum between that stretch of road has been eliminated and drivers can now travel along a continuous four-lane road.
Drivers should be aware of the new incline or slope along the newly paved area. During construction along Tatum Boulevard, new drainage system devices were installed. The larger, box-like extensions help increase proper drainage. These boxes are quite large and require an incline in the road. The necessary design change created a five foot drop off the east side of Tatum Boulevard. To ensure the safety our residents, a guard rail was installed to prevent a vehicle from rolling over the embankment. Undeveloped land next to Tatum Boulevard is state land; purchasing it to complete this project and build roadside curbs would have added millions of dollars to the cost of this project.
The main of goal of this project was to address the current traffic issues raised by area residents and to provide long term water service to this northeast community. On behalf of the Street Transportation and Water Services departments, we appreciate everyone's patience with all of the work done during this project and hope that you are satisfied with the results.
Like the budding Saguaro cactus, the changes along Tatum Boulevard are the beginnings of new and exciting progress in north Phoenix.
If you have questions or comments about this or any other topic in District 2, don't hesitate to call my office or send an e-mail. You also are invited to join me at my monthly Issues & Info breakfasts and learn about topics that impact your neighborhood and family. The next one is Friday, April 16, at Jillian's at Desert Ridge Marketplace and we'll be talking about the city budget. I hope to see you there.
Phoenix City Councilwoman Peggy Neely represents District 2, which encompasses most of northeast Phoenix. She can be reached at (602) 262-7445 or via e-mail at council.district.2@phoenix.gov.
