Department of Transportation

Fourth Avenue Underpass Grand Re-Opening

Posted: 08/19/2009

Mayor Bob Walkup, Council Member Nina Trasoff, along with other members of the City Council and the City of Tucson Department of Transportation are pleased to announce the grand re-opening of the Fourth Avenue Underpass on Thursday, August 20, 2009. Also celebrating this major milestone will be Congressman Raúl Grijalva, Tim Bee representing the Governor’s Office, Chairman of the Pima County Board of Supervisors Richard Elías, University of Arizona President Robert Shelton and Pima Association of Governments Regional Council Chair Lynne Skelton.

The public is invited to a dedication/ribbon cutting ceremony that will begin at 4 p.m., inside the newly constructed underpass.

The re-opening of the underpass marks one of the final milestones of this two-year-long project. While open to traffic following the dedication, some minor aesthetic work will continue through September 2009. Once complete, the underpass will revitalize the eastern gateway to Downtown Tucson.

The new underpass features one travel lane in each direction carrying vehicle and trolley traffic, separate bicycle lanes and two pedestrian ways accessible for persons with disabilities. The new underpass also boasts a new fountain area, an elevator, photo mosaic tile work, and landscaping and elevated walkways on the north and south side of the underpass. On the north side, a multi-use path and steel enclosure over the underpass connects to the Rattlesnake and Basket Bridges. On the south side, an elevated pedestrian walkway will provide convenient pedestrian access from the Historic Depot to the public plaza development planned for the area surrounding the intersection of Congress Street.

Inside the underpass are lighted pedestrian walkways, 20 feet wide on the east side and 10 feet wide on the west, that will provide safe and convenient access between the Fourth Avenue Shopping and Entertainment District and the Congress Street Entertainment District and the rest of Downtown.

Following the ceremony, the public is invited to stay and partake in an evening of fun, food, and music hosted by the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association, Main Gate Square, Old Pueblo Trolley and the Downtown Tucson Partnership.