Kelly Pushes for Path Forward on I-11’s Northern Segment
Today, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly requested guidance from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on next steps to advance the northern portion of the Interstate 11 (I-11) project, which is focused on the project’s proposed southern route through Pima County.
In Arizona, I-11 would connect Phoenix and Las Vegas via an interstate highway for the first time and make long-needed improvements to the state’s interstate system. In 2015, the route was designated as a future interstate by Congress. In 2021, the Arizona Department of Transportation completed a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which broadly studied the entire I-11 corridor south of Wickenburg. Now, ADOT must complete a more detailed Tier 2 EIS for each segment of the corridor.
In 2022, the Arizona Legislature funded the first Tier 2 segment, Wickenburg-to-Buckeye. But following a January 2025 court order, FHWA and ADOT agreed not to publish a Notice of Intent for a Tier 2 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) while FHWA completes a required Tier 1 re-evaluation. This has delayed ADOT’s ability to initiate Tier 2 work, including on the funded Buckeye-to-Wickenberg segment, which was not the focus of the litigation.
“While it is important for the legal process to be completed and any deficiencies with the Tier 1 EIS rectified, it is also important for Arizona to understand what actions may lawfully occur as the litigation proceeds so that ADOT and FHWA initiate formal work on a Tier 2 EIS for the portions of I-11 north of Casa Grande as quickly as legally possible,” Kelly wrote in a letter to FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster.
The letter requests a detailed, coordinated written response from FHWA within 60 days on what preparatory, technical, and environmental work can lawfully proceed on the northern segments while the litigation is pending, what procedural options exist to advance the northern and southern segments separately, and, if no clear path exists, what actions could resolve the gap.
“The northern geographies also warrant a defined federal answer because they connect major existing transportation systems, serve the State’s identified freight network, and may have transportation utility independent of future construction south of Casa Grande,” Kelly wrote.
Kelly also requested a principal-level meeting between FHWA, ADOT, and his office once the agency responds.
“While it is critical that the judicial process be respected and all appropriate planning and environmental work be completed thoroughly and with robust public input, the opportunities presented by the Interstate 11 project from Casa Grande to the Hoover Dam are significant for the future of Arizona. Your assistance in providing a clear path forward will help the state take actionable steps to advance this critical project in as timely a manner as possible,” Kelly concluded.
Background:
Interstate 11 is a long-term project to build a Mexico-to-Canada trade corridor and relieve pressure on I-10, connecting Phoenix and Las Vegas with an interstate highway for the first time. In January, Kelly joined Rep. Schweikert in a letter to Governor Hobbs urging ADOT to formally ask FHWA to treat the Wickenburg-to-Casa Grande segment as independent from the southern segment; ADOT rejected the request, citing legal and timeline risks.
Click here to read the full text of the letter.
