A proposed series of wildlife crossings in the Northwest soon could bridge the gap from concept to reality.

I-10 frontage road, Avra Valley to Twin Peaks

Train track road crossing at Cochie Canyon Trail is closing next weekend for improvements.

Train tracks at Tangerine Road are closing the first weekend in January for improvements.

Ames Construction Inc. will be closing Ina Road, east of the westbound I-10 frontage road, to construct a second crossing for the Union Pacific Railroad. The closure begins Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. and lasts until Nov. 11 at 4 p.m. All traffic will be detoured on to Thornydale or Oldfather road when approaching from the east side of the crossing and either Orange Grove or Cortaro road when approaching from the westbound I-10 frontage road or west of the crossing.

Train tracks at Cortaro Road will be closed for 12 hours next weekend for construction.

Ames Construction Inc. will close the train track crossing at Massingale Road to perform construction for Union Pacific Railroad.

Ames Construction Inc. will be closing the train track crossing at Cortaro Road to perform construction for Union Pacific Railroad.

Arizona Department of Transportation

Arizona Department of Transportation

The Interstate 10 widening project is nearing completion nearly 100 days ahead of schedule.

Twin Peaks interchange, Interstate 10

This is the scene just after the patient was airlifted to University of Arizona Central Campus trauma center.

The Marana Championship Rodeo will return on July 15 to the Marana Western Heritage Arena for an evening of barrel racing, bronc riding, calf roping, team roping and bull riding.

On Thursday, Nov. 11, at about 6:45 a.m., an Arizona Department of Public Safety officer stopped the driver of a 2009 Pontiac passenger vehicle for following too close. The vehicle pulled over and stopped on westbound Interstate 10 near Picacho Peak and asked to exit the car. During the stop, the driver, Joel O. Morando, 25, of Tucson, returned to his vehicle and fled from the officer. Morando drove his vehicle through the median and proceeded eastbound on I-10, with the officer in pursuit. Morando drove at a high rate of speed for about 30 miles before his vehicle struck a 2007 Toyota pickup, also traveling on eastbound I-10 near Marana. The collision caused both vehicles to run off the roadway and roll over onto the eastbound frontage road. The vehicles came to rest on the west side of the frontage road. The driver of the pickup truck, Ronald W. Papanikolas, 31, from Magna, Utah, was ejected onto the road and died as a result of his injuries. Morando was not ejected from his vehicle and sustained only minor injuries. DPS officers took him into custody. An investigation of the scene found marijuana inside Morondo’s vehicle. He was booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Center on charges of first-degree murder, felony endangerment, criminal damage and possession of marijuana for sale.

Hundreds of residents came to the corner of Lon Adams and Tangerine Farms roads to celebrate the opening of a major roadway linking the Gladden Farms housing development with Interstate 10.

Interstate 10: Picacho Peak Road to Pinal Air Park Road

Town planners have power. Their blueprints for roads and public spaces go a long way toward determining whether the people who use them share a sense of community.