Construction work will begin in early August and take place though the end of October on improvements to the city’s sewer system under Thomas Road. The work will be followed by the construction of a new waterline which will begin in late 2026.

A new 8-inch diameter, 1,200 ft long parallel sewer line and associated manholes will be constructed between 68th St. and Diamante Village to increase capacity in the area. Additionally, 16 existing manholes between 64th St. and 73rd St. will be rehabilitated or replaced.

In general, work will take place from 5 a.m. – 2 p.m., Monday – Friday with occasional night and weekend work taking place as needed. Traffic restrictions will be in place on Thomas Road resulting in a reduction of travel lanes and limited left-hand turns. Access to homes and businesses will be maintained throughout the project.

The new sewer line will provide additional wastewater capacity to accommodate future development while maintaining reliable service for existing customers. The manhole rehabilitation work will strengthen aging infrastructure, reduce the risk of future failures and help extend the life of the city's sewer system.

The sewer and water projects are taking place prior to a roadway improvement project that will be constructed next summer to address pavement and maintenance issues on Thomas Road between 56th St. and 73rd St.

The sewer and water projects are the first steps in a larger, approximately $24.8 million capital improvement project that will reconstruct Thomas Road between 56th and 73rd streets. The corridor improvements will address long-term roadway maintenance needs while replacing and upgrading aging water and sewer infrastructure beneath the roadway.

Planned improvements include:

• Complete reconstruction of the roadway pavement.
• Construction of a new right-turn lane at Thomas Road and 68th St.
• Replacement of outdated traffic signals.
• Grading and drainage improvements.
• Installation of ADA-compliant pedestrian ramps.
• Restoration of lane striping to the current roadway configuration.

A geotechnical evaluation determined this section of Thomas Road has reached the point where full reconstruction is needed rather than additional maintenance.

Completing the underground utility work before reconstructing the roadway will avoid cutting into newly paved streets later, minimizing future construction impacts, extending the life of the new pavement and making efficient use of taxpayer resources.

The larger Thomas Road reconstruction project is funded primarily through Scottsdale's Transportation Sales Tax, with additional support from regional grants. The $2.5 million sewer improvements are funded separately through the city's Infrastructure Improvement Plan using development impact fees for the new sewer line and sewer utility rates for manhole rehabilitation.