Proposed road would link SR 80 to new commercial port of entry west of Douglas

DOUGLAS- The Arizona Department of Transportation is holding a public hearing Nov. 19 to discuss the recommended location of a connector road between State Route 80 and a proposed new commercial land port of entry west of Douglas.

The meeting is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Douglas Visitor Center, 345 16th St. in Douglas. The meeting will begin with an open house, followed by a presentation at 5:30 p.m. and then a public comment hearing and continued open house at 6 p.m.

The recommended connector route follows James Ranch Road south of SR 80 to the planned commercial port of entry. That route was identified as part of a draft Environmental Assessment and Design Concept Report.

ADOT invites the public to review and comment on the draft reports through Monday, Dec. 9, on the study website at azdot.gov/DouglasIPOERoadStudy.

ADOT evaluated the location of the proposed connector road in partnership with the U.S. General Services Administration, Cochise County, the city of Douglas and other federal, state, tribal and local agency stakeholders.

The GSA has determined a second port of entry is needed west of Douglas for commercial vehicles to address capacity, congestion and safety issues at the existing Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry in downtown Douglas due to the intermingling of commercial and passenger vehicles with pedestrians. The new port of entry and connector road are intended to reduce congestion in downtown Douglas and improve access, travel times and safety to better serve the economic and transportation needs of the area.

Printed copies of the EA can also be reviewed at the following repository locations:

• Douglas City Manager's Office: 425 E. Tenth St., Douglas
• Douglas Public Library: 560 E. Tenth St., Douglas
• Cochise County Development Services Building and Public Library, 1415 W. Melody Ln., Bisbee

ADOT is accepting public comments through Dec. 9 in any of the following ways:

• At the public hearing
• Online comment form: https://tinyurl.com/DouglasLPOERoadStudy
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1.888.581.3135
• Mail: Gordley Group Attn. Douglas Land Port of Entry Connector Road Study, 2540 N. Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716

For more information about the study, please visit:azdot.gov/DouglasIPOERoadStudy.