Phoenix locals, gear up for another round of freeway closures as ADOT rolls out improvement projects this weekend. In a statement obtained by ADOT, the Loop 101 and Loop 202 are set to undergo closures affecting travel from the night of September 26 to the early hours of September 29.
Commuters should be aware that the northbound Loop 101 will be shut down between Shea Boulevard and Princess Drive/Pima Road in Scottsdale to facilitate a widening project. This closure is slated to commence from 10 p.m. Friday and is expected to last until 5 a.m. Monday. Drivers will need to find alternate routes, like taking the westbound Loop 202 to the northbound State Route 51 or using Scottsdale Road to circle back to avoid getting caught in the mess. In a similar vein, the on-ramps at Via De Ventura and 90th Street along northbound Loop 101 will also remain inaccessible.
Moving over to Chandler, westbound Loop 202 is the next on the chopping block with a total shutdown between Arizona Avenue and Price Road for bridge work. This is part of an ongoing widening project. ADOT suggests using the westbound US 60 as an alternative, or perhaps detouring via Pecos or Germann roads for those looking to swerve around the closure. In addition to the freeway block, Arizona Avenue will also be closed in both directions at Loop 202 from Friday night to Saturday evening.
Not to be left out, the southbound Loop 101 in Tempe will find itself squeezed to two lanes between University Drive and Broadway Road for some essential maintenance work. This tightening of traffic starts Friday night and will run until Saturday afternoon. Consequently, the southbound on-ramp at University Drive and the off-ramp at Broadway Road will be closed. Commuters are warned to allow themselves extra travel time to deal with the inevitable delays or actively seek out a different path.
If Phoenix-area weather decides to show its fickle nature, drivers should keep a wary eye on changes to this schedule. The Regional Transportation Plan for Maricopa County, which includes these freeway upgrades, is a result of passing Proposition 479, where local voters agreed to extend a half-cent sales tax for future transportation projects. For the most current on-the-go updates, ADOT recommends using the AZ511 portal or their mobile app, as well as the traditional 511 call service.
