The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will begin work this month (January) on several projects to improve safety along State Route 347 between I-10 and the City of Maricopa.

A left turn restriction will be put in place at the intersection of Old Maricopa Road and SR 347. Motorists traveling south on Old Maricopa Road will be restricted from making a left turn onto SR 347 to head toward I-10. Motorists driving south on Old Maricopa Road will be required to turn right and continue south on SR 347 where they can then turn east on Riggs Road to reach I-10. Signs will be installed on SR 347 and Riggs Road to inform drivers to turn east on Riggs Road to reach I-10.

ADOT will add an additional left turn lane at the I-10/Queen Creek Road traffic interchange. The addition of the left turn lane will increase traffic flow heading west into Phoenix and is scheduled to be complete early spring 2008.

Several trees also will be removed along the highway. ADOT follows national safety standards to identify and remove trees greater than 4 inches in diameter and in a location that makes them more likely to be hit by an errant vehicle.

ADOT also will install new reflective pavement markings to mark lanes and shoulders on SR 347. The lane striping marks the final step to complete the repaving of SR 347 between I-10 and the City of Maricopa.

Crews will create roadway rumble strips along the shoulders of SR 347 as an added safety measure to alert drivers if they are drifting off the highway.