Gila River Indian Tribe votes on South Mountain Freeway today

When the Gila River Indian Community votes Tuesday on whether to permit the South Mountain Freeway to be built across its land, it will end decades of uncertainty about a critical link in the Valley's freeway system. But a vote in favor of moving the freeway about a half-mile south, out of Ahwatukee Foothills, would not make the process any simpler. It could mean thorny negotiations over rights of way, talks between agencies about a land swap and a possible act of Congress, with new delays and uncertainties. Tribe split on freeway extension Opinion: Tribe should vote to allow freeway on its land The key vote comes after the state has spent years on studies and millions of dollars buying dozens of Ahwatukee Foothills homes in the existing right of way. Tribal voters are considering one question with three possible answers. Should the Loop 202 extension from Chandler to Laveen be built on the existing Pecos Road alignment through Ahwatukee Foothills, on tribal land to the south, or not at all? The answer that garners the most votes -- not necessarily a majority -- will become tribal policy.

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