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Glendale
commuters and merchants,
welcome Grand Avenue underpass
GLENDALE, Ariz. July
6, 2006 Ed Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet–
Many of us have not-so- fond memories
of the long wait at 59th, Glendale and Grand Avenues ... With
the under- grounding of Grand avenue this has become a thing of the
past!
Participating
today in the re-opening of Grand Avenue un the downtown Glendale
core were:
Arizona
Department of Transportation Director Victor Mendez, Governor Janet
Napolitano, Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs and Councilmember David Goulett.
Vice Mayor Tom Eggleston, Councilmember Joyce Clarke, Councilmember Steven
Frate and Councilmember Manny Martinez .
Photo : Governor Janet Napolitano, Arizona
Department of Transportation Director Victor Mendez and Glendale Mayor
Elaine Scruggs. Photo by Ed
Sharpe
Benefits offered by completion of this project
are:
- New-and-improved attractive entryways to
downtown Glendale
- A safer, more efficient intersection .
- Permanent signage to direct visitors to
downtown
 Governor
Janet Napolitano
Councilman David Goulet
Glendale Mayor Elaine
Scruggs
Photo by Ed Sharpe
City of Glendale sources tell us Grand Avenue has
served as a vital route through Glendale’s history. A road to progress
in many ways, the diagonal path was first sliced in the 1880s thanks to
the visionary engineering of William J. (W.J.) Murphy. He came to Arizona
from Illinois in late 1880 to build a railroad bed across rugged desert
and mountains. Murphy completed construction of the Arizona Canal in 1885
and then brought in Glendale’s major transportation link. He built the
diagonal roadway known as Grand Avenue and later the electric trolley line
between Glendale and Phoenix, providing direct access to the northwestern
portion of the Valley from Phoenix. When he exchanged right-of-way along
Grand Avenue for the construction of a rail line from Prescott to Phoenix,
he linked Glendale to the rest of the country.
The paving of Grand Avenue in 1919 ushered in a
modern era – one in which cars and roads took on great importance. One
of the most spectacular developments of the early growth period in
Glendale was the paving of all unpaved Glendale streets in 1947-48. That
breathtaking achievement—featured in a 1948 issue of the nationally
respected Public Works magazine—gave Glendale the proud distinction of
being the only city in Arizona with 100 percent of it streets paved. (city
of Glendale)
Signed Plaques Photo
by Ed Sharpe
Councilman Steve Frate Photo
by Ed Sharpe
Governor
Janet Napolitano, Arizona Department of Transportation Director Victor
Mendez and Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs. with Councilman Tom Eggleston at
left looking on. Photo by
Ed Sharpe
Now with the completion project,
Myrtle Avenue and 57th Drive will serve as the primary connectors between
Grand Avenue and the downtown area.
Throughout the entire construction process
Glendale’s shops, restaurants, hotel, museums and business offices will
remained open!
MOVIE OF THE
GRAND AVENUE UNDERPASS DEDICATION PRESENTATION JULY 6 2006
CLICK
HERE to see more historical
photos of Grand Avenue, courtesy of the Glendale Historical Society.
photo by Ed
Sharpe Photo by
Matilda's Vintage Closet
The Grand avenue project was no small
undertaking. Just the construction of the brifge from beam sections is
amazing! See the Glendale Daily Planet movie shot if this beam placement
last year at:
Grand
Avenue Construction Fast Facts
- Nearly 113,000 cubic yards of earth were
excavated and removed from the site. That's enough dirt to cover an
entire football field nearly 60 feet deep.
- The project used 11,500 square yards of
Portland Cement Concrete Pavement – more than enough to pave two
whole football fields.
- More than 15,350 square yards of concrete
sidewalk and driveways were poured – nearly enough concrete to pave
three football fields.
- In addition to the concrete pavement, more
than 26,600 tons of asphalt was poured.
- The new pavement was overlaid with 1,200 tons
of rubberized asphalt. (For more information about rubberized asphalt,
see www.quietroads.com)
- More than 17,000 linear feet (3.2 miles) of
pipe was laid.
- Nearly 13,000 linear feet (almost 2.5 miles)
of concrete curb and gutter was installed.
- More than 7,697 feet (nearly 1.5 miles) of
concrete safety barrier was installed.
- 55,580 square feet of retaining walls were
built.
- 52 manholes were replaced.
- Landscapers will plant 175 palm trees and more
than 1,000 shrubs.
Photo City
of Glendale
MOVIE OF THE
GRAND AVENUE UNDERPASS DEDICATION PRESENTATION JULY 6 2006
 
Glendale Daily Planet and
KKAT-TV
Videos and photos from the project....
Grand
Ave. Construction Party At Murphy Park
March 05, 2004 - Photos this section
by Ed Sharpe
Whereas...
Ed Sharpe puts on a kids ADOT plastic toy hardhat and wanders
the construction site also...
March 05, 2004
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
Whereas...
we went up to the observation deck atop the city parking garage...
 
 
 Whereas...
Ed Sharpe puts on a kids ADOT plastic toy hardhat and wanders
the construction site also...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Detours
- Discounts - Donuts
Commuters
get fed free food, get discount coupons and receive maps on their way
through the detours around the Grand Ave. project!
Over
200 Served!
Click the text to go watch the movie!
SUMMER 2005 The beams
for the bridge are set....
Watch
the movie of the whole process HERE
Large
Beams get installed over Grand Ave...
Click here to see the movie!
Shot
7/24/2005
Here is the
story and Movie form the opening of just the 59th Avenue and
Glendale intersection....
November
15, 2005
Grand was
still under construction at this time...
Glendale
and 59 Avenues Reopen!
Julie
Rae: Reporting - Ed Sharpe: Videographer
CLICK
HERE TO SEE THE MOVIE!
November 15, 2005 -- The
newly re-constructed intersection of Glendale and 59th avenues in downtown
Glendale opened to traffic on Sunday, a day earlier than expected from the
final project timeline readjustment.
Originally the opening had been slated
for November 1, however, that was set earlier in the projects progress.
The Glendale Daily Planet was impressed that the project was
completed in this timely manner even though construction crews had
to deal with rain, old placements of utilities and other surprises.
The intersection had been closed since
May 16 while a new bridge was being built to carry Glendale and 59th over
Grand Avenue, which remains closed between 56th and Myrtle avenues.
The opening of the intersection marked a major
milestone in the $26 million project, which is scheduled for completion
early next summer, when Grand Avenue will be reopened to traffic. When the
project is completed, a half-mile section of Grand Avenue will be below
ground, passing beneath the 59th and Glendale intersection. Myrtle Avenue
and 57th Drive will serve as the primary connections between Grand Avenue
and downtown Glendale.
As the 59th and Glendale intersection reopened, crews were preparing to
close eastbound Myrtle Avenue and northbound 61st Avenue at Grand Avenue.
The closure will take effect as early as Monday, November 14th. It will
allow completion of a 108-inch storm sewer along Grand Avenue. Myrtle
Avenue remains open to the east of Grand Avenue, providing access to
downtown Glendale. Myrtle will reopen to the west of Grand Avenue in
early December. The closure of 61st Avenue is permanent.
To get all the ongoing construction
information during the life of the project please see www.grandimprovements.com
CLICK
HERE TO SEE THE MOVIE!
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