In a letter to the editor published by InMaricopa, Monica D. Spencer argues that planned SR347 upgrades should include removing the traffic light at Casa Blanca, not just the signals at Riggs Road and Cement Plant. She says the current plan leaves the Casa Blanca light in place even after work on the corridor is finished.
Spencer pointed to Arizona Department of Transportation crash data she said showed 54 accidents at Casa Blanca in 2025. She compared that with the three worst intersections in Maricopa — John Wayne Parkway at Smith-Enke, Honeycutt and Edison — and said those locations combined had fewer crashes than Casa Blanca alone.
According to the letter, 31% of crashes at Casa Blanca resulted in injuries and included fatalities, while 81% were rear-end collisions. Spencer said the intersection’s setup is dangerous because it places a stoplight in the middle of a high-speed desert roadway.
She also said future traffic from the Green Loop project and growth south of Maricopa could add even more vehicles to SR347, increasing the risk of collisions. Spencer wrote that extending the Green Loop to Casa Blanca and building a grade-separated intersection there could improve traffic flow and eliminate the light.
Spencer added that the issue is personal for her family, saying her son was rear-ended there last year while stopped at the light on a clear day. She said Maricopa already has $134.3 million budgeted for Green Loop work and urged residents to contact City Council in support of removing the Casa Blanca signal.
