The Arizona House of Representatives passed House Bill 2601 on Tuesday, directing the Arizona Department of Transportation to continue work on the Interstate 11 study and move forward with a major north-south transportation corridor. The bill, sponsored by State Representative Matt Gress, now heads to the Senate for consideration.
The legislation is part of the House Republican Majority’s transportation agenda aimed at reducing congestion, improving safety, strengthening freight movement, and aligning infrastructure with Arizona’s rapid growth. According to Gress in a statement released by the Arizona House Republicans, “Arizona is growing, freight is increasing, and traffic is not getting any lighter. This bill keeps a major corridor from stalling out in process and delay. House Republicans are working to expand capacity, improve mobility, and make sure Arizona has the highway system needed to support growth across the state.”
House Bill 2601 requires ADOT to request federal segmentation of the Interstate 11 project between Interstate 10 at Casa Grande and Wickenburg as a segment of independent utility. It also mandates that ADOT complete environmental reviews and obtain necessary federal or state approvals for that segment in accordance with federal law and Federal Highway Administration guidance. After receiving federal approval, ADOT must begin any required Tier 2 environmental and engineering study for construction within three months.
House Republicans have previously supported transportation investments such as widening I-10 between Casa Grande and Chandler, widening SR 347 in Pinal County, expanding I-10 in the West Valley, and making improvements at the I-17 and Loop 303 interchange. Interstate 11 is intended to serve as a north-south corridor linking Phoenix, Tucson, and Las Vegas for regional connectivity, freight movement, and economic activity.
Gress was elected to the Arizona State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 4th House District, replacing previous state representative Joel Joh. More information can be found here.
