MESA, AZ — Valley drivers are getting used to seeing crowded intersections back up, including on Ellsworth Road in Mesa. A new state study indicates Arizona roads are aging and not keeping up with demand from new drivers. The result is lots of traffic and urban sprawl.
Mesa city traffic managers say Ellsworth Road is now the busiest street in the city.
Beth Ramos ought to know. Combining her daily commute and her job delivering food for Papa Kelsey's Pizza, Ramos averages nearly 700 miles per week on Arizona roads.
"One minute, it’s a dirt field and the next minute, it’s apartment complexes," Ramos said.
As construction continues to the east, streets are packed.
"There’s been so much built in this area from A-J to here itself with that comes more cars," Ramos said. "More traffic. The infrastructure just isn’t there for all of those cars."
A report from the American Society of Civil Engineers seems to agree. It cites data from 2024 saying Arizonans lost 76 hours sitting in traffic, costing each driver nearly $1,600.
"Growth is something we plan for," said Erik Guderian, Mesa's transportation director.
Guderian oversees all 1,500 lane miles in the city, not including state highways. He says the Valley is growing more quickly than project planners predicted. His efforts are focused on Mesa's southeast, including Ellsworth Road.
"It’s a great problem to have when businesses and residents want to relocate to those locations," Guderian said. "We have to, then, be proactive and upgrade our roadway system to handle that growth."
To some, more cars on the road means more opportunity for danger. Katie Sandell founded Addie's Miracle Foundation after her own daughter was hit by a car. Sandell says the driver was distracted by her phone. Thankfully, the little girl survived.
"We’ve long since passed the point where we can just have gentle talks with our officers at our window," Sandell said. "When there’s distracted driving involved, there needs to be some higher accountability that stings a little bit."
In November, voters in Mesa will decide on a plan for $285 million in grant dollars for city projects, including road repairs and safety upgrades. Sandell says she believes that can help avoid the next heartache.
(Disclaimer: Artificial intelligence was used in the conversion of this article.)
