This weekend, drivers in the Phoenix area should brace for a patchwork of closures and detours as various highway improvement projects prompt lane restrictions from Friday through Monday, the Arizona Department of Transportation advises. Highlights include the closure of eastbound Loop 101 between 59th Avenue and Interstate 17 starting at 10:00 p.m. Friday, ending at 5:00 a.m. Monday for sign-structure removal and bridge work, creating a full stop on Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard at Loop 101 beginning Friday night until Saturday afternoon, sending traffic on alternative paths such as Union Hills Drive or Bell Road and north- or southbound Loop 101 frontage roads, respectively.
For those navigating eastbound I-10, be aware of a full closure between the I-17 and State Route 51 from Friday night until Saturday morning, with southbound I-17 offered as a detour. Conversely, the westbound segment between the I-17 near Sky Harbor Airport and Seventh Avenue will shut down from Saturday night until Sunday morning, detouring to northbound I-17. Sandwiched between these events are additional restrictions, including ramp closures on State Route 143 and Broadway Road, funneling eastbound I-10 traffic towards Baseline Road instead, while westbound I-10 local lanes will close overnight between Broadway Road and SR 143.
Another significant disruption will occur at Arizona Avenue (SR 87), which will be inaccessible in both directions at Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) due to bridge work as part of the widening project, from early Saturday until Monday morning, with suggested alternate routes like Alma School Road. Meanwhile, other ramps around the area will be shut down throughout the weekend, causing additional detours. Adding to the list, southbound I-17's off-ramp at Bell Road will be closed for wall repair, prompting drivers towards Greenway Road, while north- and southbound SR 51 off-ramps at Bethany Home Road shut down for maintenance, leaving Glendale Avenue as the alternative.
While ADOT emphasizes that northbound I-17 lanes remain open near Black Canyon City, some navigation apps have mistakenly listed a closure. However, there is only a traffic shift in that area; to stay informed with real-time highway conditions, drivers can consult the AZ511 website, use the AZ511 app, or call 511 directly. Funding partly comes from voters who, last November, approved Proposition 479 to extend a dedicated sales tax, continuing the initiative that began with Proposition 400 in 2004, as described on ADOT's website.
