Dependable Health Services Physical Therapists Construction West-Press Printing Health Care Sierra Tucson Eating Disorders Program Coordinator Mechanical Komatsu Equipment Co Resident Field Mechanic Health Care CENTRAL ARIZONA COLLEGE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT Administrative & Professional Tucson Urban League CEO/President Trades/Construction RANCHO RESORT MAINTANANCE POSITION Tucson RegionGrant Rd. widening alignment unveiledArizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.07.2008
Say bye-bye to Bookmans and adios to The Eagle, two signature buildings identified in plans unveiled Monday as likely to be demolished when Grant Road is widened to six lanes.
The five-mile stretch of Grant between North Oracle and North Swan roads is dominated by local businesses and smaller, older, bungalow-style homes.
While the proposed alignment spares some notable spots, including the strip of antique stores at Grant and Country Club Road, it goes through the heart of others, such as the flagship Bookmans Entertainment Exchange at Grant and North Campbell Avenue, the adjacent Walgreens, and the Goldberg and Osborne law office across the street.
The proposal, which will hit 421 properties — either taking them out entirely or slicing off a portion — will go to the City Council for a vote in January. Construction would begin in 2013.
Three meetings this month will allow the public to scrutinize the plan before it heads to the council, said Andrew Singelakis, deputy director of the city Transportation Department.
The alignment proposal follows more than a year of public meetings for comment throughout the corridor to be widened. It was put together by a citizens committee made up of area residents, property owners, business owners and neighborhood representatives.
Of the 421 properties that will be affected, 153 will be full acquisitions and 268 will require taking only part of the property, Singelakis said.
The alignment generally hopscotches back and forth between the north and south sides of the road, taking buildings along each side.
Along the south side of Grant, buildings will be lost between 10th and 11th avenues, Seventh and Fourth avenues, Park and Highland avenues, Campbell and Norris avenues, Forgeus and Margaret avenues, and Country Club Road and Catalina Avenue; along with several structures between Walnut Avenue and Columbus Boulevard.
On the north side, they would take out structures between Palo Verde and Sparkman boulevards, Wilson and Norris avenues, and Martin and Highland avenues; and at the northwest corner of Grant and North Edith Boulevard and the northwest corner of Grant and Estrella Avenue.
On sections that don't require full buildings to be demolished, the city will need to buy parts of parking lots, yards or local access drives.
Any building left with access primarily facing Grant will have a small frontage road instead of access off the main road.
The proposed alignment also leaves enough room for three lanes in each direction, a 17-foot median, 6-foot bike lanes, an 8-foot sidewalk and a 12-foot landscaped buffer between the sidewalk and the road.
The project also includes rainwater collection for landscaping in medians and shoulders, as well as bus pullouts.
It also eliminates the left-turn option at several major intersections to allow for smaller intersections, better flow of traffic and cutting the urban heat-island effect, Singelakis said.
If the alignment is approved by the City Council early next year, the next phase is engineering. The project is expected to cost $166 million.
● Contact reporter Andrea Kelly at 573-4243 or akelly@azstarnet.com.
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