Traffic travels eastbound across the new Ina Road bridge over I-10 at left as work continues on the ramp embankment along the interstate on April 15, 2019.
Bisbee Breakfast Club manager Cristy Lacey, serves members of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command. Lacey has worked at this location since it opened in 2011. Owner Terry Kyte anticipates there will be more customers now that the two-year Ina road interchange project is done.
Gary Sapp, a regular at the Bisbee Breakfast Club, has helped the restaurant stay afloat by eating there everyday since 2011.
Workers mount signs above the new Ina Road bridge over I-10 on April 15, 2019.
Traffic signals are still covered and blockades remain on the on ramp to westbound I-10 from the new Ina Rd bridge on April 15, 2019.
The eastbound I-10 exit ramp at the new Ina Road bridge is scheduled to open early Tuesday.
After more than two years, construction is to be completed Tuesday on the Ina Road Interchange project.
That means no more detours and closed freeway ramps — and better traffic management. And for business owners who survived the construction, it brings the promise of a brighter future.
"You start a project that you know is going to take two years or a little bit more and that finish line seems so far away," said Tom Herrmann, spokesman for the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Drivers will no longer face delays at the railroad tracks due to passing Union Pacific freight trains. And traffic should flow more efficiently with 360-degree camera views managing traffic lights for improved road control. Crews have added a lane in each direction on Interstate 10 and Ina Road west of the freeway.
The excitement extends to businesses in the area, like the Bisbee Breakfast Club, which expects an increase in patrons who might've previously decided not to venture into the area during the interchange work.
"We weren't sure how it was going to go, and we were aware of the upcoming construction years before, even when we signed the lease we knew it was coming," said Terry Kyte, owner of the restaurant at 4131 W. Ina Road.
The $128 million in improvements come amid expectations for population growth in the area.
"This year, Marana's population reached 47,000 people. The town is experiencing an economic resurgence, and projects previously explored prior to the recession are slowly being revived," said Jamsheed Mehta, Marana town manager, in a statement posted to the town's website.
The Bisbee Breakfast Club, which began serving on Ina in 2011, has continued promoting its activities on Facebook, including special deals for customers who continued to visit during the years-long construction. Also, Kyte has been kept up-to-date about the project by staff at MainStreet, the Regional Transportation Authority's business-assistance program.
Now businesses in the area are gearing up for a May 4 block party where the community can experience what the area has to offer.
Kyte acknowledged that while other businesses were not as lucky as his restaurant, he hopes more people come out to experience the variety of things to do in the area.
"Increased traffic, I guess, is what it all comes down to," he said.
Overnight lane closures planned for I-10 near Ina: Beginning at 8 p.m. Monday, motorists should expect intermittent lane closures for eastbound and westbound I-10 between Twin Peaks and Sunset roads for sign work.
Eastbound I-10 will be reduced to one lane between Ina and Cortaro roads. Flaggers will control traffic on Ina near I-10.
Work should be complete by 5 a.m. Tuesday in time for the opening of the interchange.
Lane restrictions set for northbound I-19: Construction crews will restrict northbound Interstate 19 to one lane between Papago and Valencia roads beginning Tuesday, April 16.
The pavement-preservation work will last from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., including April 17.
Motorists should use caution and watch for personnel in the area.
I-10, Pinal Air Park Road scheduled for daytime ramp closures: The westbound off-ramp from I-10 to Pinal Air Park Road will be closed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday this week.
Motorists should use I-10 westbound to the Red Rock interchange, then to eastbound I-10 and back to Pinal Air Park Road during the guardrail installations.
The work is part of the bridge rehabilitation project.
The Town of Marana and ADOT are celebrating the reopening of the Ina Road Interchange with the "Ina Road Celebration Weekend" on May 4-5. The opening ceremony begins at 9 a.m. in the Lowe's Home Improvement parking lot at 4075 W. Ina Rd. The weekend-long business block party will follow the ceremony.
The twin bridges, each three lanes across, are scheduled to open on Dec. 4.