Phoenix drivers should brace for a weekend of detours and delays, as the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) rolls out closures across the valley for multiple improvement projects from yesterday through Monday. According to Arizona Department of Transportation, the southbound Interstate 17 will shut down between State Route 74/Carefree Highway and Loop 303 in north Phoenix, starting 10 p.m. yesterday up until 5 a.m. Monday. Motorists can expect on-ramp closures at SR 74 and Dove Valley Road as part of a pavement improvement project.
As an alternate path, those traveling south on I-17 will be diverted west on SR 74 to southbound Lake Pleasant Parkway and then can loop back via eastbound Loop 303. It has been advised, having been designed to handle typical residential traffic, to avoid nearby neighborhood streets and stick with the designated detour route. For those heading north, the Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) will also face a shutdown between Shea Boulevard and Princess Drive/Pima Road in north Scottsdale for bridge work from yesterday night to Monday morning.
Adding to the weekend's travel constraints, the eastbound Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) will see closures between 35th Avenue and I-17 for sign structure removal. Detour options here involve taking 35th Avenue to access other roads with connections to I-17. Meanwhile, northbound SR 143 will also be off-limits between I-10 and Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) due to pavement marking work, impacting travel near Sky Harbor Airport from this evening to early Monday.
Those inconvenient schedules, subject to the whims of weather or unforeseen complications, are a part of the ongoing Regional Transportation Plan for Maricopa County. This series of improvements, which includes constructing new freeways and widening projects, has been funded in part by Proposition 400—a sales tax initiative supported by Maricopa County voters. Continuing these developments, Proposition 479 was passed last November, extending the half-cent tax to sustain future transportation endeavors. For real-time updates, check the Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov or use their mobile app, as suggested by Arizona Department of Transportation's advisory.
