Road bond projects on deck for Gilbert

Now that Gilbert voters have approved $174 million in road improvement bonds, the town is ready to start spending it.

Town staff will present four initial projects to the Town Council during its regular meeting Tuesday.

The projects were picked because they would have the greatest impact on traffic flow with the least amount of right-of-way controversy and land costs, according to a town staff report to council members.

The recommendations are:

• Replacing the Higley Road bridge at the Eastern Maricopa Floodway. The current narrow bridge is considered a hindrance to fully improving Higley Road from Riggs Road to almost Pecos Road.

• Improve Riggs Road from Val Vista Drive to Recker Road. The project will complete several unfinished segments of the road as well as a bridge running across the Eastern Maricopa Floodway.

• Improve Queen Creek Road between Val Vista Drive to the Eastern Maricopa Floodway.

• Improve Val Vista Drive from Queen Creek Road to Germann Road.

Gilbert voters approved the bond package earlier this month that is expected to push up nearly 20 road-improvement projects by at least five years.

Voters approved the bond issues by a large margin — 6,329 voted for the bonds and 3,336 voted against them.

The move places the projects, ranging from major bridge work to road-widening projects along major traffic corridors, into the town’s five-year capital improvements plan.

The council meets at 7 p.m. at Gilbert Municipal Center, 50 E. Civic Center Drive.