The City of Tucson and the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) will host a groundbreaking event for the second phase of the Downtown Links Project on Wednesday, November 28, 2012, at 9:30 a.m., at the triangle of Davis Street, Hughes Street, and Sixth Street.

The event celebrates the start of construction on the Downtown Links Phase II Project: Reconstruction of St. Mary’s Road / Sixth Street, from Interstate 10 to Church Avenue by Borderland Construction. The work is expected to take approximately 15 months to complete.

This is a series of traffic alerts that will be issued throughout the construction of a portion of Downtown Links - the St. Mary’s Road/6th Street, I-10 to Church Avenue Improvement project. These alerts will announce construction, detour and street closure information as it affects traffic.

Downtown Tucson will be the host of the annual El Tour de Tucson start/finish line. This event encompasses the entire region with a 111-mile bicycle ride/race with an anticipated participation of 8000-9000 riders.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early in order to avoid traffic detours necessary for the event. Below are the vehicular travel restrictions associated with this event. Please note that pedestrian and bicycle access is being maintained in and around road closures. Businesses, parking garages and parking lots are open and accessible.

On Sunday, November 11, 2012, at 6 a.m., crews will set up traffic control concrete barriers to prepare for construction activity in the area of the westbound I-10 frontage road at Cushing Street. The westbound I-10 frontage road at Cushing Street will be reduced to one travel lane to allow Sun Link Tucson Streetcar construction crews to install water lines.

Complete Landscaping, under contract with the Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT), will begin trimming palm trees located in City medians. There will be intermittent median lane closures as the contractor moves through the project areas. Crews will be working from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday through Thursday.

Work dates and trimming locations are:

Sunday, November 11, 2012 through Monday, November 12, 2012 - Swan Road, Speedway Boulevard to 22nd Street.

Downtown Tucson will be the host of the annual Veterans Day Parade on Monday, November 12, 2012. The parade will stage on West Alameda Street between Granada Avenue and Manning House Way beginning at 8 a.m. The parade begins at 10 a.m., and proceeds east on West Alameda Street and turns north on Church Avenue to Sixth Street/ Saint Mary’s Road, proceeds west on Sixth Street/ Saint Mary’s Road, then turns south on Granada Avenue and ends at Franklin Street.

Attendees of the parade are encouraged to arrive early in order to avoid traffic detours necessary for the event.

The Sun Link Tucson Streetcar project team reopened Congress Street from Toole Avenue to Scott Avenue this afternoon to bicyclists and motorists. The reopening of Congress Street - to a single westbound lane - allows for better access to businesses along this stretch of Congress. A detour route is still in place on Toole Avenue for motorists wanting to access the west side of downtown. This milestone marks an additional significant step in completing Tucson’s largest construction project in the City’s history.

On Monday, October 29, 2012, crews from Southern Arizona Paving, under contract with the City of Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT), will begin lowering utilities on Mission Road between Starr Pass Boulevard and Ajo Way to prepare for repaving this section of roadway. Crews will be lowering water valve covers and manhole covers from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., with single lane closures from Monday, October 29, 2012 to Friday, November 2, 2012.

Beginning Sunday, October 14, 2012 through Friday, October 19, 2012, Broadway between Stone and Scott Avenues will be closed each night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning. The overnight closure will allow private developer Caylor Construction to complete underground utility improvements along this section of roadway.

Complete Landscaping, under contract with the Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT), will begin trimming palm trees located in City medians. There will be intermittent median lane closures as the contractor moves through the project areas. Crews will be working from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Work dates and trimming locations are:

Monday, October 15, 2012 through Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - Miracle Mile from Oracle Road to Interstate 10.