The City of Litchfield Park announces the grand opening of its new pedestrian underpass on Saturday, November 23, 2013. The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will begin at 8:00 a.m. with introductory comments from City of Litchfield Park Mayor, Thomas L. Schoaf and other invited guest speakers. The ribbon cutting ceremony is open to the public and light refreshments will be served.
Immediately following the ribbon cutting, attendees will be among the first to use the underpass. All are welcome to walk, ride their bicycles or drive their golf carts through the underpass. A pictorial history of the underpass construction process and the work that went into making this project possible will be on display at the event.
The City of Litchfield Park partnered with the Arizona Department of Transportation to construct the $2.6 million pedestrian underpass on Litchfield Road to Wigwam Boulevard, approximately 2.5 miles north of Interstate 10. The underpass is 12 feet wide and 9 ½ feet in height. It crosses east to west under Litchfield Road to the north of the Wigwam Boulevard intersection.
The underpass offers a safe east/west crossing at the intersection of Litchfield Road and Wigwam Boulevard. Pedestrians from nearby neighborhoods and schools in both Litchfield Park and Goodyear now have a safe alternative to crossing the busy Litchfield Road. The underpass accommodates pedestrians, bicyclists and golf carts operators. An additional benefit is the connectivity of the vacant commercial properties on the east and west sides of Litchfield Road, which are currently owned by JDM partners, owners of the Wigwam Resort who are looking into developing both parcels. Mayor Tom Schoaf noted that the City first applied for funding through the Maricopa Association of Governments for this project in 2000. The city hopes that the completion of this project, some thirteen years later, will be a positive factor in the successful development of our City Center in the near future.
The underpass project provides a new storm water collection system, landscape improvements, raised medians, sidewalk and ramp improvements and curb, gutter and asphalt improvements. A skylight in the median of Litchfield Road provides natural lighting to the underpass in addition to the artificial lighting that is present. Elements of public art that celebrate the community of Litchfield Park are also incorporated into the design of the new pedestrian underpass.
Parking for the grand opening will be available in the parking lot on the east side of Litchfield Park City Hall, located at 214 West Wigwam Boulevard. For more information, please contact Assistant City Manager Sonny Culbreth at 623-935-9040.