Hunt Highway Widening Targets 2026 Start as Right-of-Way Issues Remain

On March 3, 2026, the Florence Town Council received an update on the Hunt Highway widening project, a joint effort with Pinal County to expand the corridor to five lanes from Franklin Road to Magic Ranch.

What the Hunt Highway Widening Project Means for Residents

The project will widen Hunt Highway to a five-lane roadway. It will add two travel lanes in each direction with a center turn lane. Additionally, drainage improvements are planned from Franklin Road to Oasis Lane. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in June or July 2026. The Florence portion is expected to take approximately eight months to complete.

Two Phases: Why Florence Goes First

The project is structured as a two-phase effort. Senior Civil Engineer Lindsey Randall explained the reasoning at the March 3 meeting.

Phase one covers the stretch within Florence town limits, from Franklin Road up to just southeast of the Magic Ranch entrance. Phase two covers the county’s remaining portion, which extends from Magma Road south to connect with the Florence segment near Magic Ranch.

Florence’s section moves first because Pinal County is still resolving right-of-way issues on its portion of the alignment. Specifically, the county is negotiating with the Gila River Indian Community over the road’s alignment, with options including routing through the community’s land or taking a roughly 1.5-mile detour onto state land.

Additionally, the county is working through the widening of the Union Pacific Railroad crossing. Until those issues are resolved, county construction will remain on hold. The county hopes to pick up phase two once the Florence segment is complete.

Right-of-Way: State Land Secured, School Parcel Still Pending

On December 2, 2025, Town Council approved the purchase of 19.587 acres of state land for right-of-way at a total cost of $1,782,413. State Lands has approved and recorded the purchase.

However, a second right-of-way issue remains unresolved. The American Leadership Academy (ALA), located at Franklin Road and Hunt Highway, holds a parcel that the project requires. That easement was not dedicated through ALA’s original site plan as previously assumed.

Pinal County has begun the appraisal process for the necessary easements, with an estimated six-week timeline. Randall confirmed that the town, not the county, is responsible for acquiring and paying for that parcel.

Council Members Address ALA Right-of-Way Cost

Several council members commented on the ALA situation during the meeting.

Councilmember Tony Bencina stated that when ALA was originally permitted to build at that location, the town did not negotiate any right-of-way dedication. He called it “ridiculous” that the town is now being forced to purchase access on a road that will directly benefit the school. Bencina also noted that ALA has been discussing expansion, a point Town Manager Walls confirmed had come up in prior conversations with the school.

Councilmember Nicole Buccellato said she is willing to sit down directly with ALA to explore options. She cited safety concerns, including a fatal crash that occurred right when the school was about to open. She said widening the road benefits both residents and students being transported to and from campus. She added that the town may still end up covering the cost but expressed interest in reaching a shared arrangement.

Walls said the town is in the process of setting up a meeting with ALA to discuss the right-of-way. Randall added that ALA has since retained legal counsel, with whom the town is now coordinating.

Hunt Highway Widening Project Costs and Agreements

The project involves a financial agreement between the Town of Florence and Pinal County through an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA).

The original IGA, approved April 3, 2023, covered design services through engineering firm TYLin at an estimated total cost of $825,253.26. Florence paid 25% of all design costs under that agreement.

A construction-phase amendment to the IGA has not yet been presented to council but is forthcoming. At the 90% design stage in June 2024, the construction cost estimate for the Florence portion was $5,221,843.74. Randall noted that figure may have changed given the time elapsed. Pinal County is currently working with Nesbitt Contracting to price the project.

Full Closure Coming to Hunt Highway and Attaway — March 15–22

The intersection of Hunt Highway and Attaway Road will be fully closed from March 15 through March 22, 2026. A complete shutdown was not originally planned. However, crews discovered failing pavement within the intersection that must be entirely removed before construction can proceed safely. The Town of Florence said the full closure will allow crews to address those deficiencies and complete the remaining work more efficiently.

During the closure, Hunt Highway traffic will detour via Arizona Farms Road. Attaway Road traffic will reroute through SR 287. Additional travel time is expected while detours are in place.

The closure is scheduled during Spring Break for Florence Unified School District and American Leadership Academy, when school-related traffic is significantly reduced. The project timeline is also designed to have the intersection reopened before Country Thunder.

Mayor Eaton said residents he spoke with at two community coffees that morning acknowledged the inconvenience but expressed that the results would be worth it.

The town said residents with questions can contact the Florence Engineering Department at 520-868-7620.

Construction Timeline and Pending Approvals

Once right-of-way matters are resolved, an amended IGA covering the construction phase will be presented to the Florence Town Council for approval. The county’s portion of the Hunt Highway widening will follow once its negotiations with the Gila River Indian Community and the Union Pacific Railroad are finalized.