After more than a year of meetings, planning and revisions, the first of several Sedona in Motion projects is set to begin. Construction in Uptown will begin Monday, June 3.
Work hours will be Monday through Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and, if needed, Fridays 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to the city.
The first phase of work will be to construct a new roundabout at Jordan Road All efforts will be made to complete the roundabouts by fall 2019, city officials said.
Two-way traffic on State Route 89A will be maintained during the majority of the project.
The city expects major construction activities to end by the spring 2020 tourist season in Uptown, with full completion by next summer.
According to City Engineer Andy Dickey, the Uptown Roadway Improvements Project was ranked the highest priority out of the recommended strategies in the Transportation Master Plan Update.
“We look forward to seeing the expected benefits of this project once complete,” he said. “We also want to remind the community this project is not intended to solve all of our traffic challenges. There are multiple recommended SIM strategies that need to proceed in order to address congestion with a collective strategy approach.”
Fliers will be distributed to Uptown business stakeholders and residents prior to construction starting. Beginning on June 3, businesses owners are encouraged to attend Monday morning meet-ups from 9 to 11 a.m. to get updates on the work. The location of the meetings has yet to be determined.
Included in this project are:
- A decorative raised median to direct pedestrians to controlled crossings and enhance the appearance of Uptown.
- Addition of a southbound 89A travel lane.
- Turnaround points at the north and south ends of Uptown, including a Jordan Road roundabout.
- One-way access from 89A to free parking via Schnebly Road.
- Pedestrian control and signal timing improvements at the intersection of 89A and Forest Road.
City Manager Justin Clifton said it’s exciting to see the first major project get started.
“Clearly, a lot of residents have been anxious while we’ve been in planning, outreach and design phases,” he said. “This project is significant not only because it has the potential to greatly improve congestion but also because it marks the beginning of the construction phase of SIM, with numerous other projects on the nearby horizon.”
For more information on the projects, visit sedonaaz.gov/simuptown or call 852-4164 to ask questions and get more information.
Ron Eland can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 122 or by email at reland@larsonnewspapers.com
