The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has announced limited freeway improvements in the Phoenix area from June 20-23, as detailed on their official website. With construction projects in full swing, patience will be the virtue of the hour for motorists looking to navigate the altered landscape.
The Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) will see its eastbound ramps to the north- and southbound Interstate 17 shut down starting 10:00 p.m. Friday till 10:00 p.m. Saturday (June 21). ADOT suggests planning to possibly take a longer detour and advises eastbound Loop 101 drivers to exit at 35th Avenue and use either Deer Valley Road or Union Hills Drive to reach I-17. Eastbound Union Hills Drive or Bell Road are also recommended alternatives.
More limitations will be in place on the Loop 101, between 71st Avenue and Union Hills Drive, which will narrow down to two lanes in both directions. This starts from 11 p.m. Friday and runs through 11 p.m. Saturday. ADOT wants travelers through this area to be ready "to slow down and merge safely when approaching the traveling through all work zones," according to their announcement.
Meanwhile, the southbound I-17 on-ramp at 19th Avenue will close its doors to traffic from 9 p.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Saturday for barrier wall repairs. ADOT has set up a detour via the southbound frontage road to Seventh Avenue for I-17 entry. Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard will also halt its usual flow by the Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) from 9 p.m. Friday till 8 a.m. Saturday. Drivers can circumvent this zone by using either Bell Road or Raintree Drive via the Loop 101 frontage roads. Weather or other unforeseen factors may shift these schedules, a reminder for all to remain flexible and ready for change.
Apart from these disruptions, it's worth noting that these improvements form a part of the larger Regional Transportation Plan for Maricopa County, heavily bankrolled by the voter-approved Proposition 400. Further financial support arrived last November with Proposition 479's promise to extend the existing half-cent tax to fund future projects. Keeping up to date with current highway conditions is easier than ever; real-time information is readily available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at AZ511.gov, the az511 app, or simply by calling 511.
