City plans for connecting Miller Road between Pinnacle Peak and Happy Valley have been in place since at least 1991, when the roadway was included in the Circulation Element of the 1991 General Plan. The roadway was mapped to extend as far north as Dynamite Boulevard. The planned alignment moves northeasterly from the intersection of Miller Road/Happy Valley Road until it matches up with the Hayden Road (80th Street) alignment at Jomax Road.

The planned extension of Miller Road north of Pinnacle Peak Road was also included in the City Council-adopted 2008 Transportation Master Plan and the Council-adopted 2016 Transportation Master Plan. These long-time plans for Miller Road are the reason that the developer of the Pinnacle Reserve subdivision constructed a four-lane roadway from Parkview Lane to Happy Valley Road in 1997. These same plans are the reason that the new Paseo at Pinnacle Peak subdivision has recently widened Miller Road to four lanes between Pinnacle Peak Road and Adele Court.

In addition to the Council-approved planning documents discussed above, signage near the south and north banks of the Miller Road/Rawhide Wash intersection indicating the future connection of Miller Road between Pinnacle Peak and Happy Valley Roads has been in place for over 3 years. The City Council approved funding to initiate work on the connection of Miller Road across the Rawhide Wash. The funding package includes a 70 percent contribution from the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) through their Arterial Life Cycle Program which focuses on regionally significant roadway corridors.

View the materials provided at the public meeting which took place in the spring of 2021:

How will the project be funded?

The project is part of the Transportation Master Plan and will be funded by the Regional Sales Tax (Arterial Life Cycle Program) and Scottsdale’s Transportation 0.1% Sales Tax.

How did this project come about?

The decision to install the Miller Road Bridge at Rawhide Wash was part of the City’s approved Transportation Master Plan and has been included in City planning documents since 1991.

What is the process for designing this project?

There were several opportunities for public involvement throughout the design and public hearing process. Ultimately, this project was approved by the Transportation Commission, Design Review Board, Planning Commission, and City Council.

What are the current traffic counts on Miller Road?

Because Miller Road is not connected across Rawhide Wash, the City has not been counting traffic as it does on most collector and arterial roadways. The 2040 travel demand forecast from the Maricopa Association of Governments for this new one-mile segment ranges from 22,000 vehicles per day near Pinnacle Peak Road to 17,500 vehicles per day near Happy Valley Road.

What does the City do to evaluate future noise from roadway improvements and how will the impacts be addressed?

The city conducted a full noise study within the project limits. Noise levels were gathered to calibrate the model and existing and proposed traffic volumes were used to predict the noise levels that will occur after the project is constructed. Based on the results of the noise study, no mitigation measures were recommended.

Will there be landscaping installed on this project?

This project will include a landscape package to revegetate the areas around the bridge after construction. The project team will present potential landscaping options during the public process and welcomes input from the community. Although landscaping will be part of this project, the project team will be making every effort to salvage and revegetate the project area as much as feasible.

How will the project impact wildlife?

Any construction project may have impacts on wildlife. The project team will be designing the bridge to accommodate safe passage of wildlife and the design will foster a more natural travel way for wildlife.

How many lanes will there be on Miller Road after construction is completed?

Four travel lanes will be designed and constructed to match the existing four lanes previously constructed by the adjacent developments.

Will there be sidewalks or paths constructed as part of the project?

The project will include detached sidewalks on both sides of Miller Road.

What will the speed limit on Miller Road be after construction?

It is anticipated that the speed limit will be set at 35 mph and will continue to be evaluated over time by the Traffic Engineering Section.

What are construction work hours?

During winter hours (Nov. 1 - Mar. 31), allowable construction work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and during summer hours (Apr. 1 - Oct. 31) allowable hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The city may grant variances for the contractor to work outside these hours; however, variances are not granted solely for the contractor or project convenience, and should be fully justified (e.g., pouring concrete during early morning hours for concrete to cure properly or planned water outages during night hours to minimize the impact on residents).