Motorists in the Phoenix area, brace yourselves for another weekend of freeway restrictions and closures. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has issued a travel advisory for September 20-23 as they carry out improvement projects on multiple freeways. The most significant impact will be on westbound Interstate 10, where a stretch between Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) and US 60 (Superstition Freeway) will be shut down completely from 10 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday.
For travelers planning to navigate these areas, ADOT advises allowing extra travel time and considering alternate routes. The disruption will extend to the westbound US 60 which will also be narrowed to one lane near Mill Avenue. And if that wasn't enough, there are more restrictions. Drivers heading to Sunday’s Cardinals game are being directed to a detour route on the Loop 202 to join I-10 near 59th Avenue, according to ADOT's announcement.
Additional closures will affect northbound travelers on I-17 and State Route 51, which also has closures on its northbound side, impacting travelers between the I-10/Loop 202 “Mini-Stack” interchange and Loop 101. The northbound State Route 51 is set to reopen progressively on Saturday after the pavement sealing work is completed. Southbound travelers aren't spared either, with State Route 143 closing between Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) and I-10, starting Friday night and continuing until early Monday morning.
These road works are a part of the Regional Transportation Plan for Maricopa County, a scheme largely financed through Proposition 400, a sales tax voted in by the public in 2004 to fund new freeways and improvements. While this can mean headaches for weekend drivers, the end goal is to have a more efficient and capable roadway system in the long term. For those seeking real-time updates on closures and traffic conditions, ADOT refers you to their Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, or suggests downloading the az511 app for iOS and Android devices.
