PHOENIX –- (RealEstateRama) — Motorists traveling to the West Valley this weekend should allow extra travelCRA time or plan ahead to avoid a closure of westbound Interstate 10 (Papago Freeway) at 59th Avenue due to construction of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Westbound I-10 at 59th Avenue will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday, July 7, to 5 a.m. Monday, July 10. The closure will ensure a large crane can safely place a 90-foot-long steel falsework beam above I-10 to support a future flyover bridge.
During the weekend closure, westbound I-10 traffic will be able to exit the freeway at the 59th Avenue off-ramp and re-enter at the 59th Avenue on-ramp, but delays are anticipated.
The westbound I-10 on-ramps at 43rd and 51st avenues will be closed as well to help reduce traffic backups.
This closure is needed to set steel beams to temporarily support the concrete structure, also known as a straddle bent, for the future westbound I-10 connection to the southbound Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.
The straddle bent, which is one of seven on the project, is a large horizontal concrete pier cap supported by vertical columns. Those columns are spaced far enough apart to allow room for the I-10 lanes traveling beneath the straddle bent, and are commonly used on flyover bridge structures throughout the Valley.
The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway, expected to open by late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to I-10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.
ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but there is a possibility that unscheduled closures or restrictions may occur. Weather can also affect a project schedule. To stay up to date with the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at az511.gov or call 511.
ADOT Media Relations
news (at) azdot (dot) gov
800.949.8057
