Lago del Oro road to be repaved, 79 cell coverage upgrade

VIA SBINSIDER| February, 22, 2023

Lago del Oro

Joe Ortiz, the head of  Public Works for Pinal County announced that Lago del Oro road will be repaved this upcoming summer. Ortiz noted at the District 4 Townhall held January 30th, that Pima County has upgraded their section of the road and Supervisor McClure asked for Pinal County’s timetable to do the same. Currently, as you drive south on the road you can distinctly realize the difference in pavement as you cross the dividing line between the counties.

It has been many years since the road has been upgraded and Pima County recently completed its portion of the road which is used by many SaddleBrooke residents on the way to Basha’s shopping or Oracle road. It is also an important road for emergency vehicles as there is a Golder Ranch Fire station on the intersecting road, Golder Ranch Drive.

According to the Pinal County community development they cannot locate a date when the last upgrade took place. It could be it was 30 years ago when SaddleBrooke was first being developed.

CELL COVERAGE UPGRADE

If you make the drive to Florence on Hwy 79 or even take Park Link Road you probably have noticed the poor cell phone connection on Park Link and the ZERO coverage on 79 north until you get within 10 miles of Florence. Pinal County via Supervisor Jeff McClure has put in a request for a cell tower upgrade  to obviate the problem. Reportedly, ATT has already responded and has added a new transmitter while Verizon and T-Mobile have not. SaddleBrooke residents can make their case with their cell carriers and the Arizona Corporation has a great deal of power over the cell companies. According to its website:

WIRELESS telephone service employs different technologies from the traditional local and long distance phone networks. Cellular and digital wireless services have exploded within the last decade as costs have declined. Technology has also expanded the quality and uses of wireless service. The FCC regulates wireless service but local authorities maintain some jurisdiction over the placement of wireless antennas and towers as well as other local aspects of service. If you have a specific service and/or billing concern, contact your service provider, the Arizona Attorney General’s office, the FCC or the Better Business Bureau for assistance.

SaddleBrooke has OK coverage. It was vastly upgraded 7 years ago with the addition of towers off Catalina Hills Drive. The towers are “disguised” as saguaro cacti.