Starting March 13th, commuters in Surprise, Arizona will need to prepare for a slew of lane restrictions on 163rd Avenue. The City of Surprise has announced the ongoing roadwork aimed at widening and enhancing the thoroughfare stretching from Grand Avenue to Happy Valley Road. As reported by the City's official news release, this process is expected to intermittently affect different sections of the road through April 14.
The initial phase kicks off on Thursday, March 13, at 9 p.m., and is slated to wrap up the following morning. During this time, the customary double right turn lanes from westbound Grand Avenue onto northbound 163rd Avenue will contract to a single lane, thus reducing the northbound 163rd Avenue also to one lane up to Pat Tillman Boulevard, "Starting on Thursday, March 13 at 9 p.m. and ending on Friday, March 14 at 5 a.m.," according to the City of Surprise's announcement. Later, from March 17 to the evening of March 20, another segment of northbound 163rd Ave will be funneled down to one lane, from just south of Planada Lane to Pat Tillman Boulevard, purposely scheduled during Spring Break to lessen the disruption on local school traffic.
Further north, starting March 19 and ending on April 14, 163rd Avenue is undergoing paving and striping from San Ysidro Road to Happy Valley Road. This endeavor will enable the addition of two more northbound travel lanes and a new right turn lane at the intersection with Happy Valley Road. "Northbound traffic will be shifted onto new pavement and a dedicated right turn lane will be added for traffic to turn eastbound onto Happy Valley Road," the City's statement delineated, pointing to these significant changes.
Motorists should note that additional constraints will arise over two weekends — April 4-7 and 11-14 — when 163rd Avenue will be confined to a single lane in both directions, with movements through the Happy Valley Road intersection realigning. Additionally, Happy Valley Road, from 163rd Avenue to 147th Avenue, will be inaccessible, although local traffic from 159th Avenue will maintain access. "There will be no access to Happy Valley Road from 163rd Avenue in either direction," as specified in the official communication from the City of Surprise website.
Once this phase concludes, an updated outline of the area will showcase, a trio of northbound lanes enabled by the initial paving, and the intersection at Happy Valley Road shall be reengineered to current standards, complete with a new right turn lane from northbound 163rd to eastbound Happy Valley, and newly minted crosswalks in all directions. The extended project anticipates stretching lane restrictions on 163rd Avenue into mid-summer, although the City is committed to sustaining two travel lanes open in either direction while it concludes median, drainage, and lighting enhancements. For updated information and to stay connected, residents can follow the City of Surprise online at surpriseaz.gov or navigate through their social media platforms.
