Buckeye outlines Indian School Road and Jackrabbit Trail upgrades, schedules utility work before major construction
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Summary
City of Buckeye officials presented conceptual designs for Indian School Road and Jackrabbit Trail improvements, described options for lanes, medians and multiuse paths, and said utility relocations and coordination with ADOT, Goodyear and Maricopa Water District are expected before major construction begins.
City of Buckeye project staff on the Indian School Road and Jackrabbit Trail projects described design options, outreach plans and an anticipated schedule during a public meeting that included residents’ questions about drainage, noise and private‑property impacts.
"These 2 projects are part of the City of Buckeye CIP," said Lisonbee Camalucci, the city project manager, who outlined cross‑section options that include three travel lanes in each direction, planted medians and either a 12‑foot multiuse path or a 6‑foot sidewalk in areas with limited right‑of‑way. Camalucci also said the team is seeking public input on whether medians should be included in some segments.
Why it matters: the projects aim to add roadway capacity and improve pedestrian safety in areas seeing rapid growth. Camalucci told residents the work requires coordination with multiple agencies and that preliminary activities — including utility relocations and some construction by other agencies — are expected in 2026–2027, with the city’s major roadway construction currently planned to begin in 2028. Each project’s main construction phase is projected to last about a year to a year and a half.
Residents asked about stormwater, backyard impacts and noise. Camalucci said the city’s design will include curb and gutter and follow stormwater standards so runoff should be contained within the right‑of‑way; she confirmed the Beardsley Canal will remain elevated to preserve gravity flow. A project technical speaker explained that federal guidance typically uses a 64‑decibel receptor threshold for protected uses (residences, schools and hospitals), that the team will run noise studies to estimate projected impacts, and that mitigation (for example, noise walls) is considered only when the study and cost‑benefit analysis meet applicable criteria. Typical sound walls discussed as examples were on the order of 6–8 feet.
Camalucci said the irrigation canal in the project area will be relocated underground in coordination with the Maricopa Water District and that the city is coordinating the Indian School/Perryville intersection work with the City of Goodyear, which is leading the signal installation at that location. She also said the roadway will be annexed into Buckeye before the city’s construction phase begins; until right‑of‑way acquisition and utility relocations are complete the segment remains under county jurisdiction.
The project team described land‑acquisition procedures: affected owners will be contacted individually once design defines horizontal impacts, and the city will discuss compensation for items on private property (for example, fences or landscaping) that are impacted by construction. The team encouraged residents to mark affected parcels on maps provided at the meeting and to sign up for project updates via the Buckeye construction webpage and the transportation mailing list.
Next steps: advance the design concept report, complete utility relocations and federal/agency clearances, then proceed to final design and land acquisition. Camalucci closed the session inviting further questions and follow‑up with project staff; no formal votes or approvals occurred at the meeting.
