I-10 Is Already Over Capacity

More than 140,000 vehicles travel through Buckeye daily on Interstate 10, a staggering 40% increase from just two years ago.

The cost of this growth is measured in more than just minutes lost to delays. When this stretch of I-10 hits capacity, it becomes a danger zone. Between 2021 and 2025 alone, the combination of abrupt stops and hindered emergency response led to 1,145 crashes between Citrus Rd. and Verrado Way.

Despite these risks, the solution, a fully funded and planned additional lane, is now being stalled. What was once a settled safety project is now being used as a bargaining tool in the state budget.

Buckeye’s growth isn’t slowing down. Traffic isn’t slowing down. Safety improvements shouldn’t be delayed.

Project Overview

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), in coordination with the Maricopa Association of Governments and the cities of Goodyear and Buckeye, is currently designing improvements to I-10 from SR-85 to Citrus Rd.

The project is designed to:

• Increase capacity by adding a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) travel lane
• Improve safety by adding a concrete median barrier
• Add median lighting where applicable

This is a planned, coordinated regional improvement, not a new idea and not an unstudied concept.

Project Funding

In Fiscal Year 2023, the Arizona State Legislature approved $108 million for the project. The funding was initially planned for Fiscal Year 2025 but was later deferred to Fiscal Year 2028, marking the first delay in advancing these critical improvements.

Since the original Fiscal Year 2023 estimate, construction costs have risen. The total project cost is now estimated at $146 million.

Recognizing the urgency of congestion and safety concerns, state lawmakers accelerated the project funding schedule and appropriated $133 million over three fiscal years (2026 - 2028) to move construction forward sooner.

The current state funding schedule is:

• Fiscal Year 2026: $27 million
• Fiscal Year 2027: $30 million
• Fiscal Year 2028: $76 million

In addition, Buckeye and the Maricopa Association of Governments have committed a combined $10 million in local and regional funding toward the project. 

This is not a new request. This is a previously approved investment now at risk of being taken off the table.

Project Elements

The proposed improvements include:

Between SR-85 and Verrado Way:

• Adding an HOV lane
• Installing a concrete median barrier
• Adding median lighting
• Widening the existing pavement to the inside

Between Verrado Way and Citrus Rd.:

• Adding an HOV lane
• Adding median lighting
• Widening the existing pavement to the outside

Additional Improvements:

• Widening the westbound I-10 bridge over Citrus Rd.
• Additional lighting throughout the corridor where applicable
• Noise abatement where warranted

These improvements are focused on both capacity and safety, addressing current congestion while planning responsibly for continued growth.

Why This Project Matters

Public Safety

• Reduces stop-and-go conditions that lead to crashes
• Improves emergency response access
• Adds a concrete median barrier to reduce cross-median incidents
• Improves visibility through added lighting

Mobility & Traffic Flow

• Improves commute reliability
• Reduces congestion at the SR-85 interchange
• Keeps regional commerce moving

Planning for Growth

• Buckeye is one of the fastest-growing communities in the state and country
• Infrastructure must keep pace with current demand