The I-10 became less inconvenient this morning. The Arizona Department of Transportation was officially opened the reconstructed Prince Road traffic interchange on Monday at 5 a.m. Reportedly, the Prince Road interchange has been closed for over three years.

From the press release:

The new overpass, which was built 30 feet above ground level on the east side of I-10 and slopes down to reach current ground-level, is a key part of a $76.4 million I-10 widening project between Ruthrauff and Prince roads. The project will upgrade a two-plus mile section of I-10 by increasing capacity, reducing congestion and improving traffic flow on this highly traveled corridor in Tucson.

While the new Prince Road interchange is now open, there is additional work on the I-10 ─ Ruthrauff Road to Prince Road widening project that needs to be completed, including at the Prince Road interchange. The eastbound I-10 entrance ramp at Prince Road will remain closed for another month so that crews can complete landscaping, electrical and barrier installation. The eastbound I-10 exit ramp is currently open and will remain open.

In addition, currently traffic is traveling on the three inside lanes of I-10 and will remain in this configuration through May when ADOT will repave the entire project when temperatures are ideal for this work. Once final paving is completed, I-10 will be expanded to four lanes in each direction.

Following today’s opening, some overnight closures will be needed to complete additional work on I-10 between Ruthrauff Road and Prince Road, including:

Metal artwork at the Prince Road Bridge
Landscaping
Sign structures and existing detour removal
Electrical connections for the high mast lighting
Loop detectors on eastbound I-10 for traffic volume counts and speed classification
Message board installation on eastbound I-10
Rubberized asphalt paving (scheduled to occur in early May)