New Segment of SR 188 Opens

The Arizona Department of Transportation says that the realigned segment of State Route 188 between Resort Road and Devore Wash (milepost 225 to 232) opened on Tuesday, October 18. The new 7.5-mile highway alignment, built to the west of the existing roadway, includes six new bridges and a one-mile connector road to State Route 288. Construction on the $25.6 million project started in 2003. Drivers will notice that the new alignment is wider, has better sight lines and has much improved scenic views. The highway is located in rugged, mountainous terrain that has presented many challenges to the designers and builders. The improvement of State Route 188 between Roosevelt Lake and Globe-Miami is being done in five phases and has been underway since 1997. The fifth and final phase between the Wheatfields area and US 60 is just getting underway and will be complete in mid-2006.