Hundreds of concerned Surprise residents attend meeting about traffic near US 60 and Loop 303

SURPRISE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - It was an animated atmosphere at the Asante Library in Surprise this evening, as hundreds showed up to discuss ways to decrease the traffic near the U.S. 60 and Loop 303.

“I’ve had to sit through four or five different light cycles just to get off of one of the exits, whether it’s the northbound or southbound exit off the 303 getting onto Grand,” Surprise resident Rebekah Massie said. “It is a hazard for me to even exit my neighborhood.”

City and state politicians were on hand, as well as Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) representatives who laid out short-term and long-term plans. In the short term, they will widen the northbound off-ramp from Loop 303 at the U.S. 60 intersection to add more turn lanes in each direction. They also plan to re-stripe the U.S. 60 at 163rd Avenue intersection to add an extra turn lane without widening it.

But those changes aren’t expected to start until next summer, and they’re not expected to finish until early 2025, leaving people concerned about what will happen until then. “We need more lanes of travel,” Massie added. “And we need better, safer interchanges at all of those connections at Grand and 163rd and the 303.”

“Growth is coming,” Surprise City Councilmember Nicholas Haney added. “Our city is growing at an exponential rate. However, it shouldn’t come at the cost of the residents that already live here.”

Long-term, ADOT is still looking into several options, including building a diamond interchange at the 60 and 303 intersection, building new off-ramps along the 303, and building an overpass where the 60 and 163rd Avenue meet. But an ADOT spokesman says a lot of what happens depends on funding.

For those in Surprise who want to continue the conversation, another community meeting will happen on Dec. 20 at 6 p.m.

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