To Affect Carefree Residents
The Carefree Street Pavement Project began on November 18 and is nearing completion. Final utility adjustments on Tom Darlington and Cave Creek Rd (Scopa Trail to Carefree Drive) finished this week, leaving only the final thermo striping of all impacted Roads to be completed. Thermo striping can occur after thirty days of asphalt curing and will require only minimal, very short-term lane closures. Completion is scheduled for mid-January, as the project remains on schedule. Here is a link to a Town news article that was published in early November.
Though our current in-town street improvement project is now finishing, an unusually large number of road improvement projects on major arterial links affecting Carefree residents will be under construction over the next three or four years. Two will be in or adjacent to Carefree town limits:
Carefree Highway Improvement
Cave Creek Rd to Scottsdale Road
Timing: Currently in the design phase, with construction estimated to begin late in 2025. No end date is yet projected, but 2027 seems likely.
Budget: $11.4 million
Scope: Carefree Highway will be expanded from two to four lanes with a center landscaped, raised median island with turn lanes at major access points, and will include curb and gutter, bike lanes, and an 8 ft concrete shared-use path on the south side of the road. Drainage improvements and utility work will also take place.
Though bordering Carefree, the road is entirely located within the city limits of Scottsdale.
Links: City of Scottsdale Carefree Hwy Status
Pima Road Corridor Study
Las Piedras to Cave Creek Road
Study Timing: Until May, 2025
Budget: First corridor improvement budget and timing estimates are deliverables at study completion
Scope: Establishment of recommendations for the roadway type, number of travel lanes, right-of-way needs, intersection geometry and control, and general alignment required to accommodate both pedestrian and bicycle facilities based on current and future traffic volumes.
This 4.1-mile section of Pima Road includes 0.3 miles within the town limits of Carefree. Project completion is currently anticipated to be within five years.
Link: Pima Road Corridor Study
Two other improvement projects along arterial feeder routes (Scottsdale and Pima Roads between Carefree and the 101) are also underway or planned:
Scottsdale Road Improvement
Jomax Road to Dixileta Drive
Timing: Under construction now. Completion anticipated Summer, 2026
Budget: $43.7 million
Scope: The project will include a new roundabout at the intersection of Scottsdale Road and Dynamite Boulevard, funded by a $1.8 million federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant.
Consistent with the City’s Transportation Master Plan, this project will convert this section of Scottsdale Road to a complete street including updates to the major intersections, landscaped medians, bike lanes, sidewalks and trails to improve safety, capacity and accessibility for motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. Existing signalized Dynamite Boulevard will be replaced with a multi lane roundabout.
This project will include the design of:
- 8-foot wide separated sidewalk on the west side
- 10-foot multi use path or 8-foot trail on the east side
- Multilane roundabout at the intersection of Dynamite Boulevard
- Wet crossing elimination
Link: City of Scottsdale Jomax to Dixileta Status
Pima Road Improvement
Happy Valley Road to Jomax Road
Timing: Utility relocation to start Summer, 2025. Project completion anticipated summer, 2027
Budget: $18 million
Scope: This project will make a number of upgrades to a one-mile segment of Pima Road between Happy Valley Road and Jomax Road and improve the intersection of Pima and Jomax roads to a full signalized intersection. The project will also include drainage infrastructure to eliminate wet crossings during storm events.
Link: City of Scottsdale Pima HV to Jomax
Carefree Unity 12/29/24
Carefree Unity 