Phoenix commuters, brace yourselves for a series of freeway closures that are going to make your weekend travels a bit more complicated. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has announced that beginning Friday, August 15th, eastbound Loop 101 will see its ramps to Interstate 17 shut down for two weeks due to pavement repairs.
ADOT advises that eastbound Loop 101 ramps to north- and southbound I-17 will not reopen until 5 a.m. on August 29. During this period, drivers will need to look for alternative routes, which may include taking Loop 101 to southbound State Route 51 or going through eastbound I-10 towards downtown Phoenix. For those exiting eastbound Loop 101 at 35th Avenue, options like Deer Valley Road or Union Hills Drive can be used to access I-17. Despite the closures, the westbound Loop 101 ramps to I-17 will remain open for use.
In addition to the two-week closure, closures of I-17 south of downtown Phoenix are in place this weekend, starting Friday night. Southbound I-17 will be closed between the I-10 “Stack” interchange south of McDowell Road and the I-10 “Split” near Sky Harbor Airport for pavement maintenance. The detour in place will divert drivers to use the eastbound I-10 in the downtown area. Meanwhile, starting at 9 p.m. Saturday, northbound I-17 will close between the I-10 “Split” near Sky Harbor Airport and the I-10 “Stack” north of Van Buren Street, reopening at 2 p.m. Sunday, directing traffic to detour on westbound I-10 beginning at the Split interchange.
Drivers in the Phoenix area should also be aware that Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard will be closed in both directions at Loop 101 from Friday night to early Saturday morning. Traffic impacted by the closure, which is due to bridge work, can detour using the Loop 101 frontage roads. To accommodate a widening project, the westbound Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) on-ramp at Val Vista Drive will be closed from Friday night to Sunday morning. Patrons planning to travel using the Santan Freeway during this interval are advised to consider on-ramps at Santan Village Parkway or Lindsay Road as alternatives.
According to ADOT, these schedules might change if faced with inclement weather or other unforeseen factors. The ongoing improvements, including freeways and additional lanes, are a part of the Regional Transportation Plan for Maricopa County, largely funded by voter-approved sales tax initiatives. For up-to-the-minute information on traffic conditions, ADOT encourages travelers to check the Arizona Traveler Information site at AZ511.gov, download the az511 app, or call 511 directly.
