For the Gila River Indian Community,
the stretch of Interstate 10 that passes through its tribal lands headed
toward Tucson has been considered unreliable, unsafe and often
described as the “fatal funnel” due to the high number of accidents and
fatalities in the area.

Up to 126,000 vehicles utilize that
stretch of the I-10 every day, according to the tribe, and the 26-mile
stretch of highway is the only section that does not have three lanes.

That portion of the highway has been a
consistent strain on the GRIC families, students, elders, and
employees, which led to an aggressive advocacy push for funding to widen
the highway to match the roadways off their tribal land.

The push resulted in a $95 million
grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to support a project to
widen the 26-mile stretch of I-10.

“I am so proud of the community’s
aggressive effort to ensure that this long-neglected stretch of the I-10
will be widened,” Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis said in a press release. 

He added that it will improve and
enhance the safety and reliability of the I-10 for Gila River Indian
Community members and all the other travelers who pass through their
community.

“Tens of thousands of people — and
millions of dollars in commercial goods — travel along the I-10 every
day, and anyone who’s driven it will tell you two lanes are just not
enough,” U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton said in a press release. “The heavy
congestion and daily bottlenecks aren’t just inefficient — they’re
dangerous.”

The funding was awarded through the INFRA Grant Program,
which Biden’s Infrastructure Law supports, and it will provide funding
for the Arizona Department of Transportation to finish the expansion.

“ADOT is excited to receive this
funding and to work on this critical project,” ADOT Director Jennifer
Toth said in a written statement. “The federal grant dollars are
critical for expanding the principal roadway between Phoenix and Tucson.
The project will deliver the best infrastructure to improve drive times
and enhance safety.”

The grant funding will be added to
the $692 million in state funding allocated for the project, along with a
$221 million contribution from the Maricopa Association of Governments
(MAG). The project’s total cost is estimated at just over $1 billion.

“The I-10 serves as a major connector
for the entire state, and I am thrilled to announce that we have
secured the funds necessary to ensure it remains a gateway for
generations to come,” Hobbs said in a press release.
“By securing this investment, we are not only improving our state’s
infrastructure, we are propelling Arizona’s economy forward, ensuring a
prosperous future for all.”

The Governor’s Office said that the
project means there will be three lanes for the entire stretch of
highway between Phoenix and Tucson. The funding also supports the
replacement of I-10 bridges over the Gila River and six interchanges.

Lewis said the new interchange that
will be put in at Seed Farm Road will provide a “vital transportation
corridor” for the Gila River Indian Community because it will provide
their members with access to GRIC health and government facilities.

“It will revolutionize travel for our community, improving access to government services and employment,” he said.

Lewis commended the unique
partnership between tribal, state, federal and county governments for
the project’s success in getting funding,  and said he is looking
forward to the continued partnership as the improvements to the I-10
occur within their community. 

“Completion of this segment of the
I-10 will be a game-changer for our entire state, and I couldn’t be
prouder of the way our state came together to get it done,” he said.

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly said the
investment of the grant is one of the largest ever in transportation
infrastructure to occur within a tribal community, and it will be a
“game-changer for the Gila River Indian Community.” 

“Too many of us have spent hours
stuck in traffic on I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson,” Kelly said. “And
for decades, residents and tribal members have been impacted by major
bottlenecks preventing them from fully accessing jobs, housing, schools,
and health care.”