The City of Prescott was awarded funding to conduct this corridor study through the Planning Assistance for Rural Areas program administered by the Arizona Department of Transportation. The City of Prescott, with support from ADOT, has worked with other local agencies in the region to conduct this study to evaluate and recommend a corridor alignment for the Sundog Connector located in Yavapai County, Arizona. The western corridor terminus is located in the City of Prescott and the eastern terminus is located in the Town of Prescott Valley. The corridor study area is defined as the area between State Route (SR) 69 and Prescott Lakes Parkway. The focus of the study was to document the current and future conditions through a review of all relevant planning studies, land use designation, development plans, needs assessments, and stakeholder input. Using the documented purpose and need for the corridor, the study team has identified, evaluated and recommended a preferred corridor for the planned roadway including alignment, typical sections, recommended right-of-way, and utilities and drainage recommendations.

Some freeway users complain that new freeway segments fill up with traffic during peak hours immediately after construction. Because of this concern, the debate about the costs and benefits of freeways often centers on relieving congestion. The literature states that the long-term relief of congestion is an elusive goal. While congestion is a pervasive feature of freeways, it does not mean that constructing them is useless. This study helps to demonstrate that the great benefit of freeways is to facilitate travel rather than reduce peak-hour congestion. The study finds that the facilitated travel far outweighs the cost of freeway construction. Even if new freeway capacity becomes congested during peak travel hours, there is still great benefit in the increased travel mobility that can be accommodated.

Through the Planning Assistance for Rural Areas program, the Arizona Department of Transportation and the City of Yuma cooperatively conducted the Yuma Expressway Corridor Study to develop a preliminary assessment and feasibility of a proposed corridor alignment along the south and western portions of the City of Yuma. Improvements to this corridor would benefit the region by addressing a number of different customers traveling around and through the region.