The Town of Fountain Hills has wrapped up its traffic study related to the Technology Drive access gate off Saguaro Boulevard, but it may take a couple of months to evaluate the data and get it ready to present to the Town Council.

Interim Public Works Director Justin Weldy said there is a massive amount of data to evaluate.

“Normally you would not do a traffic count over 90 days,” Weldy said. “It is normally a much shorter duration.”

Weldy said town staff is sorting through the data to get it into a form for review by Town Engineer Randy Harrel and, after that, it will go to Town Manager Grady Miller for his review.

Weldy said it will probably be September or October before the information is ready to be presented to the council.

It was recently suggested that the gate be opened permanently or removed, which raised concerns from neighbors living in a condominium area across Saguaro Boulevard. Staff met with residents to discuss their concerns and the traffic study was agreed upon as a first step.

The 90-day examination began March 20 with the gate remaining closed to traffic for the first 45 days to count traffic at the intersection. The count continued for a second 45 days with the gate open. It was closed again until the information is evaluated and presented to the council for consideration.

The gate was installed nearly 20 years ago to deter traffic, particularly trucks, from using Saguaro and Technology as a “back way” to get into the Target shopping center.

The issue has been revisited over the years from time to time, but councils have stuck with an original commitment to keep the gate closed.

The gate has been open on occasion as a construction or emergency detour, but never permanently opened.