Less-intrusive South Mountain Freeway route urged

The state's controversial planned route for the South Mountain Freeway would take out three mountain ridges, 184 houses, a church and several apartment complexes. Now two members of Congress are urging state officials to find a less-disruptive way to build Loop 202, which would connect Chandler to Laveen. "Clearly the connection is needed," said U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, a Democrat from southern Oregon who chairs the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. "The question is how disruptive the (state's) preferred alignment will be." DeFazio and U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell, the Tempe Democrat, toured the 22-mile planned freeway route with members of the Arizona Department of Transportation on Monday.

Click here to view this article from its source.