Phoenix Interchange Project Advances Amid TSMC Growth and Expansion

After years of anticipation, a crucial freeway interchange project in north Phoenix is finally set to proceed, largely driven by the expansion of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). This development is expected to significantly improve traffic flow in the area.

The interchange at Loop 303 and Interstate 17 will enable seamless travel between the two highways. Currently, drivers are required to exit I-17 and wait at a traffic signal before accessing Loop 303, a situation that has become increasingly problematic due to safety and congestion issues, especially with the influx of workers commuting to the TSMC facility. For more information on the TSMC site, click here.

“Certainly it was a significant factor in the prioritization of it. … You see TSMC coming up there, you other developments are now popping up. … That’s really the catalyst for, ‘we got to get this infrastructure out there and build,'” noted John Bullen, the assistant executive director and chief transportation officer of the Maricopa Association of Government.

This interchange project is among the initial endeavors financed under the newly sanctioned 20-year Freeway Life Cycle Program, which is supported by a half-cent sales tax in Maricopa County dedicated to transportation.

In addition to the north Phoenix project, the program will also finance the completion of State Route 24 in the Southeast Valley, transforming it into a full six-lane freeway. This expansion is expected to alleviate congestion and enhance access to burgeoning industrial zones such as Queen Creek, where a $5.5 billion battery plant by LG Energy Solution is set to be developed. More details on the battery plant can be found here.

Moreover, relief is on the way for West Valley commuters. State Route 30, a new highway connecting Loop 202 and State Route 85, will commence construction of its central segment in 2027, aiming to reduce traffic burden on I-10 and accommodate the region’s rapid growth.

Additional projects funded under the program include enhancements to the Loop 101 Price Freeway, a new interchange at Loop 303 and 155th Avenue, and reconstruction efforts on I-17 and I-10.

Construction on the Loop 303/I-17 interchange is slated to start this winter, with a projected completion period of approximately two and a half years.