Thatcher celebrates completion of 8th Street Expansion Project with ribbon-cutting
By Jon Johnson
THATCHER – The long wait is over, and the town of Thatcher celebrated the completion of its $7.3 million 8th Street Expansion Project on Monday with a ribbon-cutting attended by various local government leaders and those involved in its construction. The roadway was officially reopened on Friday, Aug. 1, roughly one month ahead of schedule.
“The improvements to 8th Street will not only make our daily commutes smoother, but they’ll provide safer routes for our children, cyclists, and pedestrians,” Thatcher Mayor Jenny Howard said. “As we enjoy these improvements, let’s remember that progress is a collective effort made possible by (the) collaboration of partnerships of dedicated individuals who care deeply about our community and its future.”
Improvements include wider lanes, bicycle lanes with curb, gutter, and sidewalks on both sides, relocation of utilities underground, new box culverts, an upgraded railroad crossing, and a center turn lane throughout 8th Street between the intersection with 20th Avenue at the Safford border and First Avenue in Thatcher.
Graham County ranked the 8th Street Expansion Project above their own to get the Congressionally-directed funds.
“That’s a true example of what partnerships are,” Mayor Howard said. “And we look forward to partnering with Graham County on several more projects in the very near future.”
Graham County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Vance Bryce emceed the ribbon-cutting.
“Well, 8th Street is one of the collector streets in town, as everyone knows, as it’s been closed; everyone’s had to reroute their whole lives, and that includes a ton of businesses and people commuting to work . . . To have 8th Street open is going to allow commerce to work like it should.”
In addition to Mayor Howard, Danny Smith, MRGMC Director of Community Relations and Economic Development guru, Graham County Chamber of Commerce Governing Board President Taylor Banks, and Graham County Supervisor District 1 Paul David all made remarks, with David recalling his first recollection of 8th Street being an incident along the roadway when he was working on an ambulance. A speedster in a Porsche 911 failed to negotiate the curve at the railroad crossing and ended up alongside a Mesquite tree.
“I felt bad for them because, you know, broke legs and they ended up in the hospital, but I really felt sorry for the Porsche because (they) couldn’t build it again.” (sic)
Smith lamented how the area felt while 8th Street was closed.
“It’s hard to go east-west through the Valley here,” Smith said. “You know nothing makes the heart grow fonder than when there’s an absence, right? So, we got to experience that a little bit.”
“Projects like this are economic development in a small town in rural Arizona,” Smith said. “It’s different than Phoenix.”
WW Clyde Construction Area Manager Eric Ritz said working with the town and other entities, including Southwest Gas, Graham County Utilities, and Sparklight, went smoothly.
“My team does work all over the state of Arizona, and we love working here in Thatcher and Safford,” Eric Ritz of WW CLYDE said. “It is amazing that we can do a project of this scope and not have a single change order. (It’s) a tribute to the design and management team.”
The county will now look to improve and widen 8th Street from 1st Avenue to Arena Way, but won’t be able to install curb and gutter. Thatcher will look to widen and realign the rest of 8th Street to Reay Lane, possibly starting next year.
