On the evening of Saturday, Nov. 21, the newest road in south Gilbert will have no cars on it. It will have festivalgoers on their own lawn chairs and blankets, eight food trucks and two rock bands on the deck of the Ocotillo Bridge, all before it opens to traffic in December.
Getting to that party already shows how the next few years will go. Festival parking is at Gilbert Regional Park, and free shuttles carry people from the park lot to the bridge. The Town designed the bridge as the "signature gateway" to the 272-acre park. But the road that joins the park to the bridge belongs to a later contract, on a later schedule. The bridge arrives first, cars come next, and the park side catches up last.
One night on the deck, no traffic
The Gilbert Days Festival runs from 4 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 21, rain or shine. Admission is free because the project partners are covering it: Earnhardt Auto Centers, Haydon Companies and Sundt Construction. The Town still asks people to RSVP on Eventbrite. It describes the evening as a "once-in-a-lifetime experience on the bridge deck before it opens to traffic this December."
The lineup:
- 5 to 6:30 p.m.: Double Deuce, an East Valley rock band that has played Water Tower Plaza, covering hits from the '70s to today
- 7 to 8:30 p.m.: Nineball, a Phoenix-based band playing since 2003, with a set list that runs from Phil Collins to Chappell Roan
- All evening: Eight food trucks, including Sunshine Funnel Cakes, Craft Cheesecake Parlor, Bahama Bucks, Roxie's Drive N' Diner, The Chicken Joint and Sbuds, all taking cards, with no ATM on site
The event is alcohol-free. Bring chairs or blankets, bug spray and factory-sealed water. Leashed dogs are welcome. Coolers, backpacks, wagons, canopies and outside food are not allowed, and the Town may search bags and strollers. The deck is fully paved. ADA parking with a valid placard is at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5656 S. Higley Road.
That morning, the Gilbert Days Parade runs along Gilbert Road in the Heritage District from 8:30 to 11 a.m. If you go to both, your Gilbert Days starts on the town's oldest main street and ends on its newest road.
What the bridge is, once the chairs are gone
Most people standing on the deck will only see part of the project. The Ocotillo Road extension is a 0.85-mile corridor between Greenfield Road and Higley Road. It includes three vehicle bridges and a box culvert over the Roosevelt Water Conservation District Canal, the East Maricopa Floodway, the Chandler Heights Regional Basin and the Queen Creek Wash. It also has dedicated pedestrian bridges and upgraded signals. Town Council approved the $112 million project in June 2024, and it is funded mainly by the Transportation Bond.
Residents chose how it looks. In March 2022 the Town put four design concepts to a vote and got about 3,500 responses. In June, nearly 2,900 people chose between the two finalists, Palo Verde and Desert Falls, and Palo Verde won. The Gilbert Independent reported on the two finalists in June 2022. The Town's August construction update listed crews installing decorative lighting, shade structures and hand railing on the Park Bridge.
What December changes for drivers
The first thing traffic gets is a new east-west route. Until now, getting across this part of south Gilbert meant using Queen Creek Road or Chandler Heights Road. The Town expects both to carry less traffic once Ocotillo connects. Its own FAQ adds that the relief lasts "for a certain period," since growth tends to push volumes back up over time. By 2040, the Town projects about 28,000 vehicles a day on Ocotillo within the project limits.
Some details that matter close to home:
- Freeman Farms Road: The Ocotillo intersection will not get a traffic signal. A pedestrian-activated crossing goes in about 350 feet east of Freeman Farms Road instead.
- Event days: The Town expects heavier traffic on Ocotillo around the start and end of park events. For large events such as the Fourth of July, it may add traffic control as needed.
- Light and noise: Streetlights follow Town standards. Neighbors bothered by a new light near their home can ask the Town about adding a shield. The Town's noise study found no mitigation was needed at the expected traffic levels.
- Trails: The bridge is built to connect to future trails along the canal, the floodway and the Queen Creek banks. Those links depend on the Town reaching agreements with each agency that controls those corridors.
Why the park entrance comes later
The park side is on a different schedule because it is paid for and contracted as a separate project, and it came close to stopping this summer.
Gilbert Regional Park Phase 2 has been under construction since June 9, 2026. That day, Council approved the first contract, which covered earthwork, grading and underground utilities. On July 30, the Town announced a pause on that phase. It cited a review of long-term priorities driven by "financial pressures outside the Town's control, including recent state legislative changes that have reduced Gilbert's available revenue."
The second contract was scheduled for August, then postponed for more financial and risk analysis. On Sept. 15, Council approved it. Town Manager Mario Paniagua confirmed that the money was in the current budget. The meeting record shows a 5–2 vote and a contract capped at $55,651,907. During the discussion, staff explained that stopping after mass grading could mean restoring the site to flood-control standards and dealing with the utilities already in the ground. The Town Manager said this contract is funded by the Quality of Life sales tax, and later work could require bond financing.
In the Town's announcement, Mayor Scott Anderson said:
"Gilbert parks are created to be enjoyable for the whole family, and visitors from nearby communities come to Gilbert for the quality of our spaces and experiences."
The September contract covers a six-field youth softball complex, the roadway connection to the new Ocotillo Road bridge, and new parking and lighting for the expanded park. The full Phase 2 plan adds more playgrounds, a bike park, a skate park, a dog park, disc golf, a second road connection at Higley, and maintenance facilities. The Town expects Phase 2 to open by summer 2028. The bridge was designed with that schedule in mind. Aesthetic lighting on the bridge over the Chandler Heights Regional Basin, which is planned as a future phase of the park, can be dimmed to match park hours.
| Stage | What happens | Timing per the Town |
|---|---|---|
| Festival | Free Gilbert Days evening on the bridge deck, with shuttles from the park lot | Sat., Nov. 21, 4 to 9 p.m. |
| Through traffic | Ocotillo opens between Greenfield and Higley | December 2026 |
| Park connection | Roadway link from the park to the bridge, built under the Sept. 15 contract | Phase 2, expected by summer 2028 |
Higley Road, in the meantime
For now, the park's address is still 3005 E. Queen Creek Road, at Higley and Queen Creek. Higley is also in the middle of a separate project. On Sept. 28, the Town started a seven-month water pipeline rehabilitation along Higley Road from the Loop 202 to Queen Creek Road. Up to two lanes may close in each direction, with turn restrictions at intersections as needed. This phase is expected to wrap up in April 2027. The Town notes that Higley carries water to and from the North Water Treatment Plant and the Santan Vista Water Treatment Plant. It acknowledged that frequent work on the corridor has frustrated drivers.
That means the new route and the old one overlap for a while. When Ocotillo opens in December, Higley's lane closures will still have months to run. The Town has said it will keep any Phase 2 effects on current park access and amenities to a minimum and plan them in advance.
The park you can use this month
Phase 2 work hasn't closed the existing park. It is open from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Falls splash pad has 57 water features and runs 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. from March 1 to Nov. 30, so the season ends Nov. 30, less than three weeks from today. The Mountain playground has slides, swings and a zip-line, and The Creek is the toddler area. The seven-acre fishing lake has a pier and a half-mile path around it. A one-mile walking path loops the lake and the event area. There are six sand volleyball courts, six tennis courts, basketball and pickleball, generally first-come, first-served. The park also has an amphitheater, a 10-acre event lawn and the Sister Cities Friendship Garden.
On Nov. 21, the festival shuttle runs from this park's lot to the bridge deck. For one evening, a shuttle does the job the Phase 2 road connection is being built to do.
New roads change how south Gilbert neighborhoods connect to each other, and Ocotillo adds a new east-west route through this part of town. If you'd like to talk through what the bridge means for your street, or for a move within Gilbert, Tanya Rhoades is glad to share what she's seeing. Let's Connect.
