Phoenix-area drivers beware: A bevy of highway closures are set to complicate this weekend's travel plans from Jan. 12 to 15. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has announced multiple shutdowns across the area's major freeways for a series of improvement projects. Key routes including parts of Loop 101, US 60, and I-10 are on the chop block, putting detours on the day's agenda for many motorists.
As reported by ABC15, the southbound Loop 101, known as the Pima Freeway, will close down between Princess Drive/Pima Road and Shea Boulevard starting from 10 p.m. Friday up to 5 a.m. Monday. This is all part of the widened path for traffic, an ambitious venture by ADOT to ease what many have come to embrace as routine snarl-ups. To skirt the closure, drivers can take southbound Scottsdale Road or potentially use southbound State Route 51 to eastbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) as an alternate path.
In East Mesa, pavement improvements will seal off westbound US 60 (Superstition Freeway) from Crismon Road to Loop 202 (SuperRedTan Interchange) through the same time frame. City Sun Times notes that local routes including Baseline Road or Southern Avenue stand as convenient alternatives for wayfarers looking to bypass the shutdown.
Maintenance on the westbound I-10 ramp to northbound Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) in the West Valley is going to force closure from 8 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday. Drivers are suggested to use alternate routes such as northbound 91st Avenue and then westbound McDowell Road to link back to northbound Loop 101. Adding to the weekend's woes, the westbound I-10 on-ramp at 32nd Street near Sky Harbor Airport will be inaccessible from 10 p.m. Friday to 4 p.m. Sunday due to construction efforts.
All planned operations are susceptible to shifts because of inclement weather or other unforeseen factors. ADOT sources most of its project funds from Proposition 400, a sales tax passed back in 2004 by Maricopa County voters. For the most up-to-date travel information, ADOT recommends using their Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, their az511 app, or by dialing 511 to stay ahead of the game.
