PHOENIX – A busy stretch of northbound Interstate 17 in north Phoenix is scheduled to be closed this weekend (May 17-20) for pavement improvement work, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should allow extra travel time and stay on the designated detour route, which uses the frontage road, while northbound I-17 is closed between Loop 303 and State Route 74 from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Additionally, all traffic on eastbound Loop 303 will be directed to southbound I-17 to allow northbound detour traffic to freely flow through the intersection.

ADOT is advising drivers to not use local streets – including Sonoran Desert Drive and North Valley Parkway – as alternate routes, which is a recipe for longer delays and inconvenience for all. Using the frontage road, which offers two travel lanes (see detour map below), is safer for you and for those living nearby as well as being the most efficient route through the area.

Law enforcement officers will work throughout the area to assist with local-only closures at neighborhood entrances. ADOT also is taking steps to reduce the chances that navigation apps will direct drivers to local roads. Staying on the detour route regardless of what a navigation app may suggest is the best way to reduce delays for yourself and others.  

Crews are continuing a much-needed project to improve the ride on I-17. They are removing a top layer of older, worn asphalt pavement, before advancing to work to smooth the remaining concrete surface through a process called diamond grinding. While ADOT often can complete work without closing all lanes of a freeway, these closures are needed for crews to safely and  effectively remove the surface asphalt and clear as much dust and debris as possible before the stretch reopens to traffic.

Diamond grinding has been used in recent years to create a smoother and more durable road surface on a number of Phoenix-area freeways, including I-10, I-17, Loop 101 and Loop 202.

Lengthy traffic backups are unavoidable during these closures, so drivers should plan ahead. Those with weekend plans to use northbound I-17 from Phoenix may want to consider avoiding delays by traveling before Friday night’s closure begins. Traffic on the northbound freeway also will be lighter during the early morning hours or later at night.

With additional weekend closures needed between Happy Valley Road and Loop 303 in June, ADOT encourages drivers to sign up for project traffic alerts at azdot.gov/projects (see Central District projects). No I-17 closures are scheduled over Memorial Day weekend. 

The I-17 pavement work between SR 74 and Happy Valley Road is separate from the I-17 Improvement Project currently underway north of Anthem Way. For more information about that larger project visit improvingI17.com. Drivers are reminded that the speed limit within that project’s work zone is 65 mph. 

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, the az511 app or by calling 511.

PHOENIX – Improvement projects will require weekend closures or lane restrictions along stretches of Phoenix-area freeways, including northbound Interstate 17 in north Phoenix. The Arizona Department of Transportation recommends drivers allow extra travel time and consider alternate routes if necessary while the following weekend restrictions are in place May 17-20:

• Northbound I-17 closed between Loop 303 and State Route 74 in north Phoenix from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (May 20) for pavement improvement work. Eastbound Loop 303 closed at I-17 (right turns only to southbound I-17). Allow extra travel time. Detour: Northbound I-17 traffic will detour on- the northbound frontage road between Loop 303 and SR 74. Please use the posted detour and avoid using local streets including North Valley Parkway. High country travelers: Consider driving before the closure begins late Friday night. Traffic also is lighter during early morning or late evening times.

• Northbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway) closed between US 60 (Superstition Freeway) and Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (May 20) for pavement improvement work. Northbound Loop 101 on-ramps at Warner, Elliot and Guadalupe roads also closed. Detour: Consider detouring onto US 60 or using northbound Dobson Road or McClintock Drive. Please Note: Southbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) ramp to eastbound US 60 in east Mesa closed from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (May 20) for bridge maintenance.

• Eastbound US 60 (Superstition Freeway) closed between I-10 and Mill Avenue in Tempe from 10 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday (May 20) for construction. Detour: I-10 drivers can use eastbound Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) in Chandler to northbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway) to reach US 60. For more information visit: i10BroadwayCurve.com.  Please Note: Northbound SR 143 (Hohokam Expressway) closed between Broadway Road and Washington Street from 10 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday (May 20).

• Southbound Loop 202 (South Mountain Freeway) closed between Broadway Road and Southern Avenue in the West Valley from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (May 20) for bridge maintenance. Detour: Traffic will detour on southbound 51st Avenue.

• Eastbound I-10 closed between I-17 (“Stack” Interchange) and State Route 51 (“Mini-Stack” interchange) from 9 p.m. Friday to 9 a.m. Saturday (May 18) for scheduled tunnel maintenance. Primary Detour: Eastbound I-10 traffic can detour on southbound I-17 and reconnect with I-10 near Sky Harbor Airport.

• Westbound I-10 closed between I-17 (“Split” Interchange) near Sky Harbor Airport and Seventh Avenue from 9 p.m. Saturday to 9 a.m. Sunday (May 19) for scheduled tunnel maintenance. Southbound SR 51 ramp to westbound I-10 closed. Westbound Loop 202 ramp to westbound I-10 will remain open but traffic must exit I-10 at Seventh Street. Southbound I-17 ramp to westbound I-10 near Sky Harbor Airport closed. Primary Detour: Westbound I-10 traffic will detour on northbound I-17 to connect with I-10 at the Stack Interchange (north of Van Buren Street).

Schedules are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors. ADOT plans and constructs new freeways, additional lanes and other improvements in the Phoenix area as part of the Regional Transportation Plan for the Maricopa County region. Most projects are funded in part by Proposition 400, a dedicated sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, the az511 app or by calling 511. 

PHOENIX – If you’ve recently traveled along Interstate 17 north of the Phoenix metro area, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that the landscape looks a lot different. Entire sections of the mountainsides have been removed through controlled rock blasting, and this major earthwork operation is now complete ahead of the start of the summer travel season. 

This tremendous effort was necessary to make way for the additional lanes from Anthem Way to Sunset Point. That includes 15 miles of widening and 8 miles of flex lanes along the entire 23-mile I-17 Improvement Project corridor. 

Controlled rock blasting began in December 2022 and required full closures of I-17 in both directions to keep everyone safe, including the traveling public. Because I-17 is such a heavily traveled highway, blasting took place at 10 p.m. during the weeknights and involved a very tight schedule. Crews had just one hour to close the highway, carry out the blasting operation, clear the debris, and then reopen the highway. 

The team conducted a total of 62 blasts at seven different locations along the project corridor over the course of a year. That’s far less than the initial estimate of 120 blasts. In many circumstances, crews were instead able to “rip” or excavate rock in certain areas using heavy equipment. Ripping is the preferred method of rock removal because it lessens the impacts on traffic. Areas where the rock material was too hard to be ripped needed to be blasted instead.

Blasting operations were a success not only because the I-17 project team was able to reduce the number of blasts and the associated full closures of I-17, but also because the team was able to complete most blasts in less time than the scheduled hour-long operation. In many cases, traffic was only stopped for about 20 minutes.

Approximately 177,000 cubic yards of rock and material was removed during the blasting process, then hauled to another area of the project to be reincorporated into the new roadway. A large portion of the blasted material is crushed and then used as aggregate base, embankment and rock mulch along the 23 miles of new lanes. The construction team is using everything that is removed by putting it back into the project. This eliminates the need to outsource material and cuts down on construction costs. 

The entire 23-mile stretch between Anthem Way and Sunset Point remains under construction throughout 2024 and into 2025, as the new lanes are constructed and paved and a dozen bridges are either widened or replaced. The 15 miles of new lanes between Anthem Way and Black Canyon City are expected to open by the end of 2024, and the eight miles of flex lanes between Black Canyon City and Sunset Point are expected to open in 2025. 

Once fully complete in 2025, this major design-build project will help alleviate congestion and improve safety and traffic flow along a Key Commerce Corridor that is crucial to the state’s travel, tourism and economic development opportunities. 

As a reminder to all drivers, ADOT lowered the speed limit to 65 mph along the entire 23-mile construction zone between Anthem Way and Sunset Point as a safety measure to reduce crashes due to excessive speed. The Arizona Department of Public Safety is partnering with ADOT to enforce the reduced speed limit. Both agencies strongly urge drivers to slow down, pay attention in the work zone, and watch for construction workers, vehicles and equipment. 

For more information about the I-17 Improvement Project, visit improvingi17.com. 

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FLAGSTAFF – The Arizona Department of Transportation is set to begin an $8.2 million project to build a new bridge carrying J.W. Powell Boulevard over Interstate 17 near Flagstaff’s Pulliam Airport. Work is scheduled to begin the week of April 1, weather permitting.

The new bridge will be built next to the existing J.W. Powell Boulevard structure and traffic will continue using the old bridge during much of the construction. Detours will be in place at times. The project is scheduled for completion by late this year.

Most of the bridge work will be scheduled from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 5 a.m. to noon on Fridays. Work is not planned on weekends or holidays. When any significant overnight restrictions along I-17, including closures, are needed, traffic will detour along the off- and on-ramps at the J.W. Powell Boulevard interchange.

Pedestrians and bike riders will not be able to use J.W. Powell Boulevard over I-17 beginning April 3 through the end of construction. Alternate routes will be in place.

Traffic also will continue to use the twin roundabouts west of the current bridge during construction although roundabout approaches within the interchange will be realigned to fit with the location of the new bridge. Drivers should stay alert to construction activities, slow down and watch for flag crews who at times will be directing traffic.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov and via the AZ511 app (download free for Apple and Android devices). ADOT also provides highway condition updates via its X/Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT. 

PHOENIX – The Federal Highway Administration has awarded Arizona a $24 million grant for a wildlife overpass and other improvements designed to reduce crashes involving wildlife and better connect habitats along Interstate 17 south of Flagstaff in northern Arizona. 

The Arizona Department of Transportation, in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, sought the grant through FHWA’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program for improvements along 8.4 miles of I-17 between the Munds Park traffic interchange, about 25 miles south of Flagstaff, and the Kelly Canyon traffic interchange to the north. 

“I am grateful to the Federal Highway Administration for supporting Arizona’s commitment to protecting its residents, visitors and wildlife,” Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs said. “Many drivers use I-17 as a gateway to some of Arizona’s most popular treasures, including the Grand Canyon. While helping keep those travelers safe, this project will support elk, deer and other wildlife that make Arizona so special.”

The I-17 wildlife project is one of 19 nationally to receive funding through the first round of $110 million in grants from FHWA.

“We are pleased to announce the first round of grants under the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program to projects that will significantly reduce the number of collisions between motorists and wildlife,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt, who traveled to Arizona to make the announcement at Sunset Point along I-17. “These roadway safety investments will ensure that motorists and wildlife in Arizona get to their destinations safely and are a win-win for safety and the environment.”

In addition to the I-17 wildlife overpass, which is planned for milepost 327.4 in the Willard Springs area, the project also will include new 8-foot-tall wildlife fencing tying into existing culverts, ramps to help wildlife escape fenced areas and double cattle guards at interchanges. It will connect with a Game and Fish project that will retrofit wildlife fencing along 6 miles of I-17 south from Munds Park that directs wildlife to two existing large bridges. The nearly 15 miles covered by these two safety projects accounted for 58% of crashes involving wildlife between 2018 and 2022 between Stoneman Lake Road and Flagstaff. In this 31.7-mile stretch, around three-quarters of all crashes between vehicles and wildlife involve elk, which can weigh up to 1,100 pounds.

The area between Munds Park and Kelly Canyon is one of three priority areas proposed by the state for new wildlife overpasses because of higher potential for collisions involving wildlife, particularly elk and deer. The other interstate freeway locations identified as potential sites for wildlife overpasses are I-17 near the Kachina Boulevard interchange, about 6 miles south of Flagstaff, and Interstate 40 west of Parks. ADOT and its partners continue to seek funding for projects at the other two priority sites. 

Identified by the federal, state and Coconino County governments as a high priority corridor for elk movement, the 8.4 miles of I-17 through the Willard Springs area currently has no bridges and only one road culvert suitable for use by elk and deer. The wildlife overpass will be 100 feet wide designed for use by elk, deer, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, black bears, mountain lions and smaller animals. 

A projected start date will be determined in the coming months. The project will require completion of final design, including environmental review, project programming and other required steps. This process will be initiated due to the federal grant.

In 2015, FHWA awarded ADOT, the Arizona Game and Fish Department and other partners its Environmental Excellence Award for Excellence in Environmental Leadership for numerous efforts to reduce conflicts between vehicles and wildlife while connecting habitats.

“ADOT has a rich history of coordinating with the Arizona Game and Fish Department and other partners on projects that promote safety for both motorists and wildlife,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said. “This grant will advance these efforts in a critical corridor for recreational and commercial travel while helping elk, deer and other creatures whose habitats span northern Arizona.” 

For the project funded by the Federal Highway Administration grant, Game and Fish has committed $1.5 million in matching funds along with $750,000 toward project design. Game and Fish also received a $1 million America the Beautiful Challenge grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation that, along with $387,000 in matching funds, will be used for the fence retrofit along I-17 south from Munds Park. 

“As Arizona continues to grow, crossing structures such as wildlife overpasses and underpasses will have the dual benefit of reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions for public safety while also connecting fragmented habitats, allowing wildlife to access vital resources, preserving migratory routes, and maintaining genetic diversity,” said Arizona Game and Fish Department Director Ty Gray. “We’re grateful to the Federal Highway Administration and our sister state agency, the Arizona Department of Transportation, for this opportunity to help ensure a wildlife legacy for future generations.”

Other notable collaborations between ADOT, Arizona Game and Fish Department and partners including the U.S. Forest Service and Regional Transportation Authority in Pima County include: 

• A reconstruction of 17 miles of US 93 in far northwestern Arizona featuring three wildlife overpasses and two bridged underpasses in desert bighorn sheep habitat, complemented by three underpasses on State Route 68 between Bullhead City and Golden Valley.
• A system of crossing and fencing on SR 260 east of Payson designed to reduce crashes involving elk and deer. 
• A 6-mile reconstruction of SR 77 (Oracle Road) north of Tucson that included an  overpass and underpass connecting wildlife habitats in the Santa Catalina and Tortolita mountains. 
• Two wildlife underpasses and 6 miles of fencing added to SR 86 between Tucson and Sells.

FLAGSTAFF – Work to safely remove rocks from an area above State Route 89A north of uptown Sedona will require full daytime highway closures and nighttime restrictions the week of Dec. 3-9, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should plan on using detour routes along Interstate 17 for travel between Sedona and Flagstaff while the following closures limit travel in Oak Creek Canyon:

• Daytime Closures: SR 89A closed to all traffic between the Owenby Way roundabout (north of uptown Sedona) and the Midgley Bridge picnic area from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday to Saturday (Dec. 3-9) for rockfall mitigation. Detour: Traffic will detour on State Route 179 and I-17 while SR 89A is closed.
• Overnight Restrictions: SR 89A will temporarily be opened every half hour between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday through Saturday (Dec. 3-9) to clear any traffic waiting at the Owenby Way roundabout (northbound) and Midgley Bridge (southbound) closure points. The temporary openings of SR 89A will then occur once per hour between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. each night until the rockfall mitigation work is completed. Detour: Drivers can consider detouring on SR 179 and I-17 during overnight hours.

State highway conditions are available via ADOT’s 511 Travel Information site, the AZ511 app or by calling 511. Highway information and answers are also available via ADOT’s X (formerly Twitter) feed (@ArizonaDOT) and the agency’s Facebook page (facebook.com/AZDOT).

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation has launched a public survey to gather input about the speed limit along a stretch of Interstate 17 in Phoenix, in accordance with a new state law.

ADOT has commissioned an independent study to determine an appropriate speed limit for I-17 between the I-10 “Split” interchange near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Peoria Avenue. The speed limit for that part of I-17 is currently 55 mph. 

You can take part in the online survey from now through Saturday, Sept. 30, at https://tinyurl.com/I-17speedlimits; by email at [email protected]); and by phone at 1.855.712.8530. Comments also can be mailed to: I-17 Speed Limit Study, ADOT Community Relations, 1655 W. Jackson St., MD 126F, Phoenix, AZ 85007.

The speed study follows passage of legislation (SB 1102) that calls for a minimum speed limit of 65 mph on any interstate highway in counties with a population of 3 million or more people.

SB 1102 also stipulates that a lower speed limit can be set if certain conditions are met, including:

• A lower limit is deemed necessary based on an independent engineering study or roadway assessment.
• The overall system capacity and mobility along the freeway will not be reduced.
• An opportunity for public input is provided.

The I-17 speed limit study is scheduled for completion in mid-October.

PHOENIX – An Arizona Department of Transportation project that installed high-speed fiber-optic infrastructure along 67 miles of Interstate 17 between north Phoenix and McGuireville has won a regional award. 

The construction trade publication Engineering News-Record honored the team responsible for the project, including prime contractor Kiewit Infrastructure West Co., with a 2023 Best Projects Award of Merit for the Southwest region in the Specialty Construction category. 

As part of the state’s initiative to bring broadband internet access to more Arizonans, the $20.6 million project completed earlier this year installed conduit and fiber-optic cable between Anthem Way and the McGuireville Rest Area. This work connected and completed a broader project totalling 146 miles of fiber-optic conduit between Van Buren Street in Phoenix and the I-17/I-40 interchange in Flagstaff. Future fiber-optic conduit projects are planned along the length of I-40 through northern Arizona.

ADOT, which designed the winning project in partnership with Kimley-Horn, worked with Kiewit to use innovative micro-trenching technology to install the fiber-optic infrastructure under the asphalt shoulder of I-17. This helped address challenges posed by hard rock next to the highway and deliver the project in a safer, faster and more cost-effective manner with minimal impacts on the public.

Winning projects will be honored in Engineering News-Record’s Oct. 30 issue and at a luncheon in Phoenix on Oct. 31. 

Fiber-optic conduit also has been added along I-19 between the Tucson area and Nogales. These efforts complement a state law that allows private broadband providers to install, operate and maintain telecommunications equipment within ADOT’s right of way using conduit installed along state highways.

In addition to the benefits to rural broadband connectivity, ADOT plans to use the fiber to provide intelligent transportation systems technology, such as overhead message boards, traffic cameras, weather stations and wrong-way driving detection. The infrastructure also will help lay the groundwork for emerging technologies like connected and automated vehicles.

For more information on ADOT’s broadband efforts, please visit azdot.gov/Broadband. Click here to see a map of current and planned fiber-optic conduit routes.