Maricopa’s planned State Route 238 widening is more than a resurfacing job. City procurement records describe a roughly two-mile corridor project with one new lane in each direction, sidewalks, drainage work, buried power lines and new traffic signals.
The City’s current target, stated during a public budget work session, is to begin construction in early calendar year 2027 and finish in approximately 12 to 16 months. That is an estimate, not a guaranteed start date.
The construction-manager solicitation is closed. OurMaricopa did not locate a public award notice on the City’s bid page during the Oct. 12 check, so this article does not identify a contractor or say construction has begun.
The widened portion starts west of SR 347
The City’s request for qualifications covers SR 238 from the SR 347/Smith-Enke Road intersection toward the western city limits. The most specific scope says the added lanes begin approximately 500 feet west of SR 347 and continue about 1.89 miles west.
That would change the main segment from two lanes to four: two westbound and two eastbound. The westernmost 2,000 feet would receive pavement reconstruction while keeping its existing width, according to the solicitation.
City Council meeting minutes summarize the project as widening SR 238 from John Wayne Parkway west approximately two miles. The two descriptions are consistent at the neighborhood scale, but the procurement document provides the more precise construction limits.
Signals, sidewalks, drainage and utilities
The listed scope includes:
Curb, gutter and sidewalks.
New traffic signals at the Bashas’ entrance and Loma Road intersections with SR 238.
Infrastructure for future signals at Roosevelt Road and Green Road.
Drainage channels throughout the corridor.
Coordination for canal abandonment, right of way and easements.
Underground electrical work and joint-trench coordination with utility companies.
Coordination with Electrical District No. 3 on a substation installation.
Those details show why a widening can take longer than placing asphalt. Drainage, utilities, property rights and signal design must fit together before a four-lane corridor can operate safely.
The signal language also needs precision. The procurement record says signals would be installed at Bashas’ and Loma. It calls Roosevelt and Green future signals. That does not mean all four will open at the same time.
Where the project stands
The City published the construction-manager solicitation March 16 and closed it April 29. The selected Construction Manager at Risk would first provide preconstruction services and a guaranteed maximum price. The record says 95% plans would be available to the selected firm.
A closed solicitation is evidence that procurement advanced. It is not proof that a contract was awarded or that field work started. Residents should look for a City contract award, notice to proceed or construction notice before treating the early-2027 target as firm.
During a 2026 budget work session, Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Matt Kozlowski described the project as a major near-term transportation investment, estimated an early-2027 construction start and gave the 12-to-16-month duration. The minutes also record a discussion of funding and total cost, but the excerpt does not establish a final construction price.
Why SR 238 matters beyond west-side neighborhoods
SR 238 connects Maricopa with the western side of the city and the regional network. The City’s Building Better Roads page says improving the route can help divert regional and truck traffic around the city instead of through local streets.
Maricopa’s adopted fiscal-year 2026–27 budget places the widening among its large infrastructure projects. The City says transportation and street work account for 55% of the capital-improvement program.
The road also sits near planned growth. OurMaricopa’s Seven Ranch Road guide tracks two separate future connections farther west. The projects may support the same broader transportation network, but they have separate scopes, schedules and funding records.
What drivers should expect now
The widening is not a current lane closure. Until the City or ADOT issues a construction notice, drivers should use current traffic sources for day-to-day conditions rather than the planning timeline.
When work approaches, useful questions will include the phasing of lane shifts, business access, truck detours, signal activation, sidewalk continuity and whether the western reconstruction will require closures. None of those traffic-control details appears in the public procurement summary reviewed for this article.
For the City’s larger road-funding picture, see OurMaricopa’s half-cent road-tax tracker. That article focuses on the commuter-corridors fund and the $50 million SR 347 payment; it should not be read as the budget for this SR 238 contract.
Sources
City of Maricopa — Construction Manager at Risk, SR 238 Widening, RFQ 26-38105-RFQ-PW. Official solicitation. Published March 16, 2026; accessed Oct. 12, 2026.
City of Maricopa — Budget work-session meeting minutes. Official minutes. Accessed Oct. 12, 2026.
City of Maricopa — Council Adopts FY 2026–27 Budget. Official budget announcement. Published June 23, 2026; accessed Oct. 12, 2026.
City of Maricopa — Building Better Roads. Official project page. Accessed Oct. 12, 2026.