ADOT continues I-40 upgrades with series of paving projects

Here’s a little trivia for you this Thursday afternoon – Did you know that I-40 is the third-longest interstate in the nation?

Stretching from California to North Carolina, it’s also one of Arizona’s most heavily used highways for commercial vehicles. Those commercial vehicles account for approximately 25 percent of the overall traffic on I-40. That’s the highest percentage of truck traffic on any Arizona highway!

The daily heavy truck traffic, along with winter weather and summer monsoon storms, takes a toll on the roadway, which is why ADOT is investing in several pavement improvement projects along the I-40 corridor in northern Arizona.

Currently, ADOT has 12 pavement-improvement projects (see map above) along Arizona’s portion of the I-40 corridor that will be completed this summer, are ongoing, or are included in the state’s 2015-2019 Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program.

Collectively, it’s a $130-million-plus investment to resurface approximately 135 total miles of I-40, or 37.5 percent of the highway, which extends 360 miles across the state and intersects five counties.

What drivers should know

Motorists traveling along I-40 between Kingman and Flagstaff need to be aware of two paving projects and a rock scaling project that could create delays.

ADOT recently started a $13.6 million project to upgrade a 15-mile segment between Rattlesnake Wash, five miles east of Kingman, and the US 93 junction (mileposts 57-72). The paving project is expected to be completed this fall.

Just east of this project is another resurfacing project that is scheduled for completion this summer from Ash Fork to Williams (mileposts 146-161). The $10.5 million project started last summer but work stopped for a winter shutdown. In the same area, ADOT is also working on bridge rehabilitation projects from Ash Fork to west Ash Fork (mileposts 143-147).

Through early August, westbound I-40, just west of Parks, may have up to 30-minute delays as part of a rolling closure to allow crews to clear the roadway from rock scaling operations. The work is part of a $1.6 million rockfall containment project, which includes rock excavation and scaling, installing rock-fall netting and constructing a wider rock ditch. This westbound closure will be intermittent during rockfall excavation and scaling operations currently underway Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ADOT advises drivers to proceed through or near work zones with caution, to slow down and to be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

As always, you can visit ADOT’s Travel Information site at az511.gov or call 511 for the latest information about highway conditions across Arizona.