El Mirage Road Extension to Connect Loop 303 and Jomax: Route, Timeline and What Changes

PEORIA — A missing north–south connection between Loop 303 and Jomax Road is moving through final design, with a public meeting next week offering northwest Valley residents a closer look at the El Mirage Road extension.

The project would create a continuous, four-lane corridor linking the freeway with Happy Valley Road and Jomax Road, adding another way into and out of north Peoria. Construction is tentatively targeted for 2028. For residents around Coldwater Ranch, Vistancia and the neighboring Surprise area, the significance is a new route through a stretch of the road network interrupted by a drainage channel and canal.

The immediate milestone is an Oct. 21 public meeting hosted by Peoria and the Arizona Department of Transportation. Final-design comments open Oct. 19 and close Nov. 6.

El Mirage Road extension at a glance

• Route: Loop 303 to Jomax Road, with limited restriping south of the freeway toward Corte Bella Drive.
• Roadway: Two travel lanes in each direction, plus bicycle lanes and sidewalks.
• Intersections: Three roundabouts and new traffic signals at two locations.
• Design schedule: Final design began in spring 2026; completion is anticipated in fall 2027.
• Construction: Could begin as early as 2028; the schedule remains tentative.
• Public meeting: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 5:30–7 p.m., Lake Pleasant Elementary School.

Where will the new road go?

The official project-area description identifies a roughly 2.2-mile project in Peoria and unincorporated Maricopa County. The work combines new roadway with reconstruction of existing segments rather than simply widening an already continuous street.

From the El Mirage Road interchange at Loop 303, the corridor heads north through Mariposa Grande, crosses the McMicken Dam Outlet Channel, reaches Happy Valley Road and continues along the Coldwater Ranch area toward Jomax Road. A new crossing of the Beardsley Canal is planned south of Jomax.

South of Loop 303, approximately 2,000 feet of existing roadway between the freeway and Corte Bella Drive would be restriped to accommodate interchange traffic. The project team says no roadway reconstruction will occur south of Loop 303.

Jomax is the northern limit. Improvements to El Mirage Road intersections farther north are outside this project.

Open the full-size official route map to see the new-road, reconstruction and restriping sections.

Three roundabouts, new signals and two major crossings

According to the official design overview, the road would have a median separating its two lanes in each direction. Six-foot bicycle lanes and eight-foot sidewalks are planned on both sides.

The intersection plan calls for:

• Roundabouts at Mariposa Grande, Coldwater Ranch Drive and Jomax Road.
• Traffic signals at the Loop 303 interchange and Happy Valley Road.

The waterway crossings are substantial parts of the work. Plans call for a reinforced concrete box culvert at the McMicken Dam Outlet Channel and a single-span concrete bridge over the Beardsley Canal. Both crossings would carry sidewalks and bicycle lanes, with safety railings.

The project also aims to maintain access to the Maricopa Trail. The photographs of a canal bridge and drainage structure on the project website show examples of similar structures; they are not photographs of the completed El Mirage Road crossings.

When will construction start — and when will it open?

The published project timeline places completion of final design and advertising for construction in fall 2027, followed by an anticipated construction start in 2028. The project team cautions that unforeseen circumstances could change that schedule.

In the meeting announcement shared with residents, the City of Surprise described construction as tentatively beginning in 2028 and lasting about a year and a half. Surprise also emphasized that this is not a City of Surprise project.

That is a construction estimate, not a confirmed opening date. Without a specific start month or a firm completion commitment, residents should not treat 2028 as the year the new connection will necessarily be available to drive.

The Oct. 21 meeting is intended to explain both the final design and what residents should expect during construction. Detailed traffic-control arrangements, access changes and closure dates should be checked against subsequent project notices as construction approaches.

Why this matters for Peoria, Surprise and Loop 303 traffic

The practical change is another continuous connection between neighborhoods north of the freeway and the existing El Mirage Road interchange. The project team identifies improved regional connectivity and accommodation of current and future traffic as central goals.

For nearby residents, that creates another route option in a growing part of the northwest Valley. It does not establish a specific commute-time saving: the current public-facing project pages do not provide a verified number of minutes individual drivers would save.

Nor does this project eliminate the need for other freeway improvements. In its published FAQ, the project team says MAG’s regional traffic modeling supports both this connection and a separate Loop 303 interchange at 155th Avenue. It also identifies reconstruction of the Loop 303/US 60 interchange as necessary to address projected traffic growth.

Speed limit, future widening and noise walls

The FAQ lists a planned posted speed limit of 45 mph. Peoria would operate and maintain the completed corridor.

The design preserves room in a 38-foot median for a possible future expansion to three lanes in each direction. However, that six-lane expansion is not currently programmed or funded. The four-lane configuration is expected to accommodate traffic through 2050, according to the project team.

Noise walls are another issue residents may want to raise. The FAQ says noise mitigation is being reconsidered during final design, but walls are not currently part of the project.

How to attend the Oct. 21 public meeting

Location: Lake Pleasant Elementary School, 31501 N. Westland Road, Peoria.

• 5:30–6 p.m.: Open house.
• 6–6:25 p.m.: Presentation.
• 6:25–6:45 p.m.: Questions and answers.
• 6:45–7 p.m.: Continued open house.

The project team says meeting materials will be posted on its Resources page beginning Oct. 19, allowing residents who cannot attend to review the information.

How to comment before the Nov. 6 deadline

The final-design comment period runs from Monday, Oct. 19, through 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. Residents can participate at the meeting or use these contacts:

• Email: Info@ElMirageRoadExtension.com.
• Phone: 602-830-1037.
• Mail: Avenue Consultants/El Mirage Road Extension, 5353 N. 16th Street, Suite 380, Phoenix, AZ 85016.

The agencies say the route location, number of travel lanes and types of bridge crossings are established elements at this phase. Residents seeking useful answers can focus their questions on construction access, intersection operation, pedestrian and bicycle connections, and the noise-mitigation review.

Language or disability accommodations can be requested at 602-830-1037. The project team asks residents to make requests as early as possible.

Reporting is based on the City of Peoria/ADOT project website, its final-design schedule, route map, FAQ and public-meeting notice, reviewed Oct. 16, 2026, and the City of Surprise announcement supplied to West Valley Post. Featured map: official project graphic from the City of Peoria project website.