I-10 tunnel officially renamed after late civil engineer

By Kirsten Dorman
Published: Thursday, May 9, 2024 - 5:05am

Audio icon Download mp3 (1.61 MB)

tunnel dedication speakers 050724 from ADOT Vimeo-External on Vimeo.

With the one-year anniversary of his death approaching at the end of the month, community members and lawmakers from the city, state and federal level gathered Tuesday to honor Dean Lindsey.

Lindsey was a civil engineer who guided many Arizona infrastructure projects, like the Deck Park Tunnel and the "last mile" of the I-10 in the 1980s.

As of this week, the I-10 freeway tunnel near downtown Phoenix is officially the Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel.

A sign for Exit 144 leading to 7th Ave on Interstate 10 is seen here. To the right of the tunnel, a brown sign reads
Arizona Department of Education
The State Board on Geographic and Historic Names officially approved the naming of the Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel to honor the late civil engineer.

Lindsey also pushed to develop the nearby Margaret T. Hance Park, which is located right above the tunnel. A plaque was erected there to recognize his vision.

“Using the Proposition 300 funding, working with MAG, the Federal Highway Administration,” said ADOT Director Jennifer Toth, “he really was an architect in guiding the early development of the Valley’s freeway program.”

An aged-looking photo with a kind of sepia tone. A man wearing a white polo and hard hat is looking up from the paper in his hands, at the camera.
The Lindsey Family
The late Dean Lindsey was a civil engineer who guided many Arizona infrastructure projects, including the I-10’s "final mile" near downtown Phoenix.

Phoenix City Councilwoman Ann O’Brien also praised his ability to collaborate.

“Thanks to Dean's ingenuity, innovative thinking and relentless efforts to partner with the city and the Federal Highway Administration and all those other layers in between and a few associations as well,” said O’Brien, “we are able to rival cities like Dallas and Philadelphia.”

Lindsey’s daughter Laura Felten accepted a replica plaque on her family’s behalf.

“As Steve and I take our children through the tunnel,” said Felten, “we always proudly say to them, ‘We're going through Papa's tunnel!’ It's an honor that the tunnel now bears his name and is a testament to his dedication and impact to the state of Arizona.”

The ADOT building at Margaret T. Hance Park is shown here, with a plaque that honors Dean Lindsey.
Arizona Department of Transportation
A plaque was put up in Margaret T. Hance Park in honor of civil engineer Dean Lindsey.

A sign for Exit 144 leading to 7th Ave on Interstate 10 is seen here. To the right of the tunnel, a brown sign reads
Arizona Department of Transportation
The State Board on Geographic and Historic Names officially approved the naming of the Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel to honor the late civil engineer.
A plaque was put up in Margaret T. Hance Park in honor of civil engineer Dean Lindsey. It
Arizona Department of Transportation
A plaque was put up in Margaret T. Hance Park in honor of civil engineer Dean Lindsey.
Dean Lindsey is seen posing with what appears to be a brown notebook at his retirement party.
The Lindsey Family
The late Dean Lindsey was a civil engineer who guided many Arizona infrastructure projects, including the I-10’s "final mile" near downtown Phoenix. He is seen here at his retirement party.
David Lindsey sits behind his desk with his hands folded on the tabletop. He is smiling at the camera, and looks a bit older here.
The Lindsey Family
The late Dean Lindsey was a civil engineer who guided many Arizona infrastructure projects, including the I-10’s "final mile" near downtown Phoenix. He's seen here at his desk.
Politics Arizona History Transportation
Listen to this story