With the coming of the Interstate Highways, the corridor was to be upgraded to Interstate standards. In late 1958, a group of motel owners whose properties were located on SR 84 strongly objected to any routing of I-8 that would not go through the city of Casa Grande. Motel owners in Yuma proposed their own alternative in 1961 to the four routings of I-8 through the city that had been proposed, raising concerns about losing revenue from tourism. In January 1962, the alternatives were narrowed down to two, with one of them being the route supported by the motel owners. However, nearby school officials expressed concerns regarding that route, because 1200 students would no longer be able to walk to school if the freeway was constructed along that route. Later that year, a new route had been proposed, along the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks and the Colorado River. Construction started on the first sections of I-8 in Arizona in 1961 between Yuma and Gila Bend. The initial construction was divided into four different sections awarded to different contractors. Work commenced with a section of US 80 between Sentinel and Gila Bend on December 10, 1960. This was also the section of I-8 completed in Arizona on April 18, 1962. By 1963, work was well under way, with portions of US 80 between Mohawk and Gila Bend, and SR 84 between Gila Bend and near Stanfield upgraded. Other merchants objected to the routing, and met with the Yuma County Board of Supervisors to raise their concerns following the final approval of the route in 1964. A new park was to be built east of the Colorado River crossing, just opposite downtown; city officials hoped that this would give an improved look to the town as drivers first arrived.