Valley drivers have been finding out the hard way that it is a lot darker out there than it used to be. Stretches of Phoenix-area freeways keep going black at night as copper thieves rip wiring out of the electrical boxes that power overhead lights. The Arizona Department of Transportation says repairs are coming and new tech is being tested to catch the culprits, but warns that flipping all the lights back on will not be quick.
From January 2024 through March 2025, wire-theft repair costs soared past $700,000, according to ABC15. The station reported that ADOT crews have already tackled targeted repairs on problem spots including the Loop 202 near 44th Street and I‑10, and that the agency expects an expanded schedule of repair work this year. Even so, ADOT told the outlet that fully restoring all affected lighting could take several months.
To stop thieves before they can strip more wire, ADOT has started putting sensors on light-control boxes that send alarms if the power is cut, a move officials say should help speed up the response from staff and law enforcement, KJZZ reported. ADOT spokesman Doug Nintzel told the station the sensors "are an effort to spot the criminal activity of wire theft," and said those alarms let crews use freeway cameras to confirm what is happening in real time.
ADOT has also flagged several hotspots for theft, including U.S. 60 in Mesa and stretches of the Loop 202, I‑10 and I‑17, and is trying out the sensor system in places such as I‑17 near the Durango Curve and at I‑17 and Happy Valley Road, Arizona's Family reported. The station spoke with scrap-yard owner Rita Castaneda, who said "a lot of people are coming in looking to sell some copper," a reminder that when metal prices climb, so often does this kind of crime. Officials told the outlet they are urging drivers to report anything that looks suspicious along the freeways so police can get there fast.
Repairs, costs and timeline
ADOT told ABC15 that repair crews are prioritizing the darkest stretches that pose the greatest safety risk, with a broader wave of fixes set to roll out over the coming months. The agency said more work will be scheduled this year as it tries to balance safety concerns with limited staffing and resources.
Arrests and the scrap connection
Arizona's Family reported that investigators recently arrested two people found along a Phoenix freeway who now face charges tied to copper theft. Scrap-yard operators told the station they are tightening how they screen sellers and are turning away suspicious loads in an effort to cut off thieves from easy cash for stolen metal.
ADOT officials said the sensor pilot has already notched some early wins in catching thieves, and they are hoping the alarm system will make would-be wire cutters think twice, KJZZ reported. Until the lights are fully restored, officials say drivers should be ready for darker conditions on affected stretches and should call local law enforcement if they see anything that looks like tampering along the roadway.
