Drivers in Chandler, mark your calendars and plan your detours. Starting 11:30 p.m. on June 30, the eastbound Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) on-ramp at Dobson Road will be out of commission for about two months, according to ADOT. This closure is a necessary step in the Loop 202 widening project aimed at expanding the freeway's capacity in the Southeast Valley.
The inconvenience might be a small price to pay for the long-term benefits of reduced congestion and smoother traffic. Drivers looking to hop onto the eastbound stretch of the 202 can use alternate on-ramps at either Price Road or Alma School Road. Mind the construction signs and keep an eye out for the detour routes that will guide you through the maze of construction.
Funded by a cocktail of public money, including Proposition 400's half-cent sales tax, an initiative that Maricopa County's voters blessed back in 2004, the freeway facelift is a part of the Regional Transportation Plan overseen by the Maricopa Association of Governments. This governing body orchestrates the symphony of city infrastructures that encompass the Great Phoenix region.
The $200 million budgeted Loop 202 Improvement Project includes not just additional lanes, but interchange enhancements along its 8-mile stretch between Loop 101 (Price Freeway) and Val Vista Drive in the cities of Chandler and Gilbert. The entire project is meant to conclude in late August, so long as weather and other unforeseen events don't put a wrench in the gears.
Commuters and residents are advised to stay tuned to local traffic advisories for the duration of the closure. ADOT's intention is to reopen the ramp in late August, so the end is in sight even before the first detour sign goes up. Let's gear up for a smoother ride in the future—it's just a couple of months down the road.
