FAQ's

When will construction begin?
Construction funding for Houghton Road, as described in the Regional Transportation Authority plan, extends to 2021. With this in mind, it is very important to identify the areas along Houghton Road that can benefit the most from improvements to improve capacity and improve safety, and make those areas the highest priority. This process of identifying priority improvements will be an important part of the public outreach effort for this project.

Why will it take three years to plan this project, and can the process be shortened?
It is the Tucson Department of Transportation’s (TDOT) intent to have some part of Houghton Road under construction in late 2008, but it is uncertain where that work will occur. Engineering issues and public input will combine to determine the sequencing of improvements to Houghton Road.

What type of road surface will be used?
It is TDOT’s policy to use rubberized asphalt on all major streets. Studies have found that rubberized asphalt not only has significant noise reduction properties, but it is also more durable and requires less maintenance than regular asphalt.

Will other noise deterrents be applied?
During the conceptual and detailed design processes, we will be considering the application of berms and landscaping in an attempt to provide additional buffering benefits.

Will noise walls be used to assist in lowering the noise level?
TDOT has been reluctant to construct noise walls along major roadways for a variety of reasons. Noise walls are not effective when they have too many openings, such as for side streets, driveways, and other access openings. Additionally, the Tucson Police Department (TPD) does not favor noise walls, as the walls obstruct views of property from the roadway, which can attract criminal activity, litter and graffiti. In 2002, during the design phase of the Harrison Road project from Speedway Boulevard to Old Spanish Trail, TPD provided a position paper on the subject, which is available for public review. TrafficNoiseGuidelines.pdf

What type of plantings will be used?
Our landscape palette consists of drought-tolerant species, but specific types of plants have yet to be determined. Planting choices will be based on feedback we receive from the public. Those choices, and landscape design, will occur during the detailed design phase of the project.

Can the surface of the road be lowered from Rita Road to Old Vail Road to assist with noise abatement?
Because several drainage crossings exist on Houghton Road, it is not likely that the road will be lowered anywhere along the entire corridor.

Will utilities be placed underground?
It may be possible that some utilities will be placed underground. The City certainly would like to commit to undergrounding as much of the overhead utility system as possible, but we first need to coordinate this effort with the various utility companies and determine the impact to the project budget. Additionally the size of the lines will be a consideration, as that can make burying them impossible. We realize that under grounding is an option many citizens favor, and we will keep everyone informed of our progress.

Can a pedestrian path and/or bike path be included?
Our improvements to Houghton Road will include continuation/completion of the greenway along the east side of the road. This will include both an asphalt-paved path and a decomposed granite path. Also, five-foot-wide continuous bike lanes will be added on the roadway, for both directions of travel. We are not yet certain of what we will construct on the west side, and we will be looking to the public to help answer that question.

What is the difference between "http://www.houghtonroad.com" and "http://www.houghtonroad.info"?
The "http://www.houghtonroad.com" Web site was generated when the State conducted its corridor study from 2002 through 2004, and updates to the site ceased upon conclusion of the study. The "http://www.houghtonroad.info" Web site will be the City’s site for this project.