Streetcar track work brings more travel restrictions

Work on Tucson's Sun Link modern streetcar is continuing with additional traffic restrictions around Fourth Avenue and the University of Arizona as crews continue to lay new tracks.

The Sun Link team and the Tucson bicycling community are suggesting detour routes for bicyclists around the construction, with designated crossing areas while work is going on, said Michael Graham, a spokesman for the city.

The following construction affects motorists for the week of June 11:

Downtown

• On-street parking will not be permitted along Broadway between Granada and Fifth avenues.
• During Congress Street work, there will be intermittent closures of Fifth Sixth avenues at Congress Street.
• Scott Avenue is closed at Congress Street for approximately four months. Access to businesses north and south of the intersection, as well as access to street parking and garages off Scott Avenue, will be maintained.
• Construction on Congress Street includes curb to curb removal of asphalt and major excavation for utility relocations before the roadway is reconstructed with rail. The extensive nature of this work requires full closures 24 hours per day.
• On Monday, June 18, Congress Street will be closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic between Stone and Church Avenues. This closure will be in place while the contractor completes the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Conductor System. The intersections of Congress Street with Stone and Church Avenues will remain open. However, periodic closures may be necessary in order to complete underground utility work in the intersections.
• On Monday, June 18, the contractor will begin underground utility work along Broadway between 5th Avenue and Stone. Two travel lanes will be maintained during the day.  There may be intermittent intersections closures of Scott Avenue, Stone Avenue and Church Avenue during this work.

Fourth Avenue and University Boulevard

This area of the project includes Fourth Avenue from the Fourth Avenue underpass to University Boulevard, University Boulevard to Main Gate Square, and Park Avenue to Second Street. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

• During the week of June 11, the contractor will continue underground utility work along University Boulevard.
• On Friday, the contractor will install water lines at the intersection of Tyndall Avenue and University Boulevard. Work hours will be from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m.
• The contractor will continue installing track along Fourth Avenue from University Boulevard to Sixth Street. Concrete is scheduled to be delivered to the work area at 2 a.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Euclid Avenue at University Boulevard is reduced to one travel lane in each direction. These temporary lane restrictions allow the contractor to extend sewer and water upgrades through the intersection. The lane restrictions will be in place 24-hours per day through the end of June.
• The contractor is preparing the roadway for rail placement and installation of pole foundations. The intersection of Sixth Street at Fourth Avenue will be reduced to one travel lane in each direction. This lane restriction is expected to be in place until mid-July 2012.
• Left turn movements from westbound Sixth Street to Fourth Avenue are not permitted. Fourth Avenue businesses located south of Sixth Street can be reached by using Third or Fifth avenues.
• Left turn movements from northbound Fourth Avenue to westbound Sixth Street are not permitted.
• Fourth Avenue north of Sixth Street is closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic.
• University Boulevard is closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic between Third  and Euclid avenues and between Euclid and Park avenues. This closure will be in place while the contractor completes the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Contact System.
• The intersections of University Boulevard with Bean, Second, Jacobus, First avenues and Tyndal will be closed to through traffic.
• Traffic along Third, Euclid and Park svenues will not be affected during this work.
• Sidewalk access will be maintained at all times.
• Fourth Avenue is closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic between Sixth Street and University Boulevard. This closure will be in place for approximately four months.
• Pedestrian access along Fourth Avenue will be maintained at all times.

University of Arizona and Health Sciences Center

This area of the project includes Second Street to Warren Avenue, the Warren Avenue underpass and a section of Helen Street that connects to the Health Science Center. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

• Second Street is closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic between Park and Mountain Avenues and between Highland and Warren Avenues. This closure will be in place while the contractor completes the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Contact System.
• On Tuesday, the contractor will begin removing existing asphalt roadway along Second Street between Park and Mountain Avenues.
  The intersections of Second Street with Palm Drive and Olive Road will be closed through the beginning of August.
• Mountain Avenue will remain open at Second Street, with the exception of three nights when the intersection will be closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. - Sunday through Wednesday.
• Access to the Second Street Garage will be maintained, with the exception of Sunday through Wednedsday, when it will be closed from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. each night.
• Highland Avenue will be opened to allow northbound vehicular travel between First and Second Streets. Motorists exiting the Second Street Garage will use the northbound Highland lanes to depart the area.
• The intersection of Cherry Avenue at Second Street is closed. Signs will be in place to direct motorists around the work area. This intersection closure will be in place through the summer.
• The contractor has begun installing water mainline on Cherry Avenue between Speedway Boulevard and Helen Street. This underground utility work will require the closure of Cherry Avenue through June 22.
• The intersection of Cherry Avenue and Helen Street will remain open throughout most of this work; however, there may be intermittent lane restrictions to accommodate workers and equipment.
• Signs will be in place to direct motorists around the work area.
• Northbound turn movements from Speedway Boulevard onto Cherry Avenue will not be permitted.
• There will be intermittent restrictions of the westbound Speedway curb lane between Warren and Vine Avenues during this operation.
• Pedestrian access across Second Street near Highland Avenue will be maintained.
• Advance notice – The contractor will begin waterline improvements along eastbound Speedway Boulevard between Warren and Campbell Avenues. The work will require eastbound Speedway to be reduced to one travel lane along this stretch of roadway. Business access will be maintained. This work will take approximately six weeks to complete.