Message from Town Manager Gilbert Davidson
As construction along I-10 at Ina Road progresses, the Town of Marana is excited to partner with businesses in this district to keep our local economy thriving. In mid-February, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Ina Road Corridor project will enter its second phase. During this phase, the on- and off-ramps of I-10 at Ina Road will close, and traffic on Ina Road will be unable to cross from one side of I-10 to the other. In order to support commerce in this area, Marana is offering businesses several ways to increase their exposure.
Most visibly, drivers along Ina will soon notice new signs emphasizing the wide variety of businesses located along this stretch. If you’re visiting your favorite donut shop, for example, you might learn from these signs that there is also a brewery nearby, as well as a bowling alley, a number of mechanics, restaurants, retail shops, and much more. Commerce along Ina Road represents a range of sectors, and we hope that these signs will help keep customers coming back, despite all the orange cones.
To help businesses on Ina increase their own exposure, the Marana Town Council has also modified the Sign Code. Now, businesses in construction zones anywhere in the Town can set up temporary signs to attract customers. This provision enables businesses that may be obscured by machinery to maintain a visible presence.
In our efforts to support Ina businesses, Marana has also undertaken a more innovative approach that leverages technology. Our Tech Services team has designed Project Ina, which soon you will find in the App Store and Google Play. This tool will allow businesses to post promotions and messages in a central location where frequenters of this area can easily find and take advantage of any deals. By creating a central source for this kind of information, we are hoping to mitigate the inconvenience of construction.
Finally, the Town of Marana has partnered with the Marana Chamber of Commerce to facilitate an open dialogue among business owners, Town officials, and the ADOT construction team. In early February, staff from both the Chamber and the Town will team up for a business walk along Ina Road. During our visits with these business owners, we will not only provide them with literature on business support opportunities, but also hear from them what we as a community can do to help them even more.
Major construction projects are always a challenge for everyone, from businesses to the shoppers who want to support them. However, once this major infrastructure improvement is complete, drivers will enjoy a safer Ina Road interchange and better access to the businesses that now are more difficult to reach. When the project concludes, Marana will repave the entire stretch of Ina Road from Thornydale to Silverbell. And best of all, because Ina will now pass over the train tracks and I-10, you’ll never get stuck at the railroad crossing again! By making the effort to support local businesses during this project, we can all help them make it through construction, so that they’re still there for us to enjoy when the work is done.
This Manager Message was originally published in the the January 25 edition of the Marana News.
