After years of waiting, people who live and work along a six-mile stretch of Grant Road finally know if their property will survive. Hundreds of homes and businesses won’t.

It’s all part of a plan to expand Grant to six lanes between Oracle Road and Swan Road. Ever since voters approved the Regional Transportation Plan over two years ago, people who own houses or businesses along Grant have been waiting to find out if their property will be taken when the project is built.

Traffic has flowed past Susan Chambers-Casteloes home at the corner of Cherry and Grant since 1927. But if the city has it’s way, Susan’s property will soon become a part of Grant Road. “There’s so many childhood memories here,” says Chambers-Casteloes. “It’s where I grew up. I just always suspected that this would happen, but you’re still not prepared for it.”

On October 6, city officials revealed the long-awaited alignment proposal that would expand Grant Road from four to six lanes, potentially affecting more than 420 properties. “I would expect that there’s going to be lots of emotions that play into this, there’s no question about that,” says Andrew Singelakis of the Tucson Department of Transportation.

Someone who didn’t seem concerned was the owner of Fiorito’s Italian Restaurant. The sign in front says “Open for lunch,” but it’s one of the businesses that will be affected. “I think this change is needed for this type of construction, for our traffic and for the betterment of our area,” says Padraic Finan.

Drivers will certainly see changes designed to help traffic flow, particularly in the form of what’s called an indirect left turn at seven different intersections along Grant. “Basically, the way that it works is that in order to take that left hand turn, you pass the intersection and get in the left hand lane,” says Singelakis. Then you make a U-turn and turn right to complete your left turn.

For Chambers-Casteloes, it’s a difficult decision to accept. “I’m glad my mother and father are not here to see this,” she says.

This $166 million project is not a totally done deal. A formal comment period will open on October 15 and run through mid-November. The City Council will take that into account in a final vote in January.