After two years of construction, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s project to widen State Route 260 between Camp Verde and Cottonwood is finally finished aside from a few minor touches. Instead of one lane in each direction, the state road now features two separated lanes going each way, along with seven traffic roundabouts along the way.
Representatives of local governments expressed satisfaction with the new highway, heralding the increased traffic capacity of the route and the safety that comes with it.
“The most important effect on the Verde Valley will be a safer corridor for movement from I-17 into Cottonwood and then onto Sedona,” Yavapai County District 3 Supervisor Randy Garrison wrote in an email. “With construction shutting down lanes this past month, basically making 260 a single lane highway once again, it was obvious how much traffic has picked up and how much this new highway has increased our ability to move from East to West more efficiently and safely.”
“This makes the commute from the 17 or Camp Verde safer,” Cottonwood City Manager Ron Corbin stated. “We also think that it will create additional economic development opportunities for Cottonwood. We believe that ADOT did a great job overall managing the traffic through construction. Road construction always creates inconveniences for travelers, but ADOT kept the traffic flowing.”
Public safety officials in the area expect that the new road would lead to fewer collisions by motorists and that what accidents do occur would hopefully be less dangerous. Early signs point to that already happening.
“When this roadway was just two lanes, there were numerous [many highly publicized] head-on traffic collision on this roadway that resulted in fatalities or other critical injuries,” Chief Terry Keller of Copper Canyon Fire and Medical Authority wrote in an email. “The simple fact that the road is now divided, greatly reduces the possibility of head-on collisions.”
“Having four lanes of traffic — two in each direction — helps to better improve the flow of traffic,” Keller wrote. “This helps us with transporting patients to VVMC in Cottonwood because a disabled vehicle or other lane blockage now is less likely to be a hindrance to these transports with the four lanes. For the same reason, when we need back-up from Verde Valley Fire or Verde Valley Ambulance, their resources are able to reach Camp Verde more effectively with the improved roadway, which helps us when we are busy running other calls and need the back-up.”
The most controversial aspect of the construction — the seven roundabouts along the 12 miles between Interstate 17 and State Route 89A — got high marks from many in government and public safety. They argued that despite the inconvenience some motorists may feel, the roundabouts should lead to safer driving and fewer collisions.
“Roundabouts are still foreign to many motorists in the United States,” Cottonwood Police Chief Steve Gesell stated. “Roundabouts are very effective in reducing the severity of collisions at intersections; a place where most fatalities occur. Additionally, the roundabouts may make more sense to critics as development occurs along SR 260. Instead of stopping at lights from connecting arterials, traffic continues to flow [albeit at a slower pace].”
“The roundabouts force drivers to slow down which, has decreased the more serious accidents we would get on Hwy 260 prior to the project,” Tom Baizel, of the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office, stated. “We have seen a slight increase in minor non-injury fender benders occurring inside of the roundabouts due to drivers failing to yield to vehicles all ready in the roundabout.”
“I’m aware of the distaste some have for roundabouts, but I strongly believe they are far safer than a conventional lighted intersection and they move large volumes of traffic more efficiently,” Cottonwood Mayor Tim Elinski stated. “From a public safety perspective and shared multi use roadway design, I am very pleased with the design.”
Beyond the safety dimension, officials in Camp Verde see the widened road as a potential opportunity for economic growth and development. Recently, the Camp Verde Town Council approved a zoning change to allow for a residential development and a pedestrian mall with several commercial businesses to be built at one of the roundabouts along State Route 260.
“The four-lane width will make it a safer roadway, but the real advantage is that the road access has finally been determined and, for the most part, constructed,” Camp Verde Economic Development Director Steve Ayers stated. “Development wants certainty and in the past there has been a lot of uncertainty as how and where properties would connect to the roadway. That hurdle is now in the rear view mirror.”
In addition to praising the overall project, local officials praised ADOT’s handling of the project. The construction was postponed for several months in 2018 due to rain and cold weather making it impossible to lay the final layer of pavement, but local officials nevertheless saw ADOT’s handling of the work as professional, safe and efficient.
“I thought they really did a great job, especially working with our staff on getting utility sleeves across the roadways during construction, which saved the Town a lot of money and hassle free driving once the roadways were done,” Camp Verde Mayor Charlie German wrote. “Weather could have cooperated a little better as far as paving, however, due to the monsoons, it certainly pointed out deficiencies in the water drain- ages in certain areas. They were still here when they occurred and were able to mitigate many of those issues. This was a very good project which greatly benefited Camp Verde and will continue to do so into the future.”
