Friday Five: Spring snow, small boats and new pavement

By Caroline Carpenter / ADOT Communications

A lot has happened on Arizona’s highways this week. Our highways saw a snowstorm and even a lost boat. The Friday Five blog will give you a rundown of everything notable that transpired this week.

You can see what else others are sharing by following the hashtag #FridayFive on social media.

1. It seems like we’re announcing a new milestone in the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway almost every week. Above you can see a 2017 timeline of the progress. This week we announced that Southern Avenue has reopened in Laveen. The road was closed after Thanksgiving so crews could move than 450,000 cubic yards of earth without having to cross local traffic while building the southern half of the interchange, one of 13 on the 22-mile freeway.

2. A small boat was dropped in the middle of the Loop 101 Pima Freeway late Tuesday night. It caused many on Facebook to speculate why the boat may have ended up there.

3. Good news for those who frequently use I-10 to reach Tucson. In just 18 months, there will be three lanes in each direction on I-10 between Casa Grande and Tucson. The project begins next week and should be open to traffic by summer 2019.

4. A snowstorm on I-40 near the New Mexico state line caught some drivers off guard. It’s always a good idea to be prepared for unexpected weather changes when you’re traveling. The ADOT website has travel tips and a list of emergency items to keep in your vehicle.

I-40 at Lupton (New Mexico state line). Watch for snow on the highway. #aztraffic pic.twitter.com/sjOZbMM8kg

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) March 27, 2018

5. Arizona's winter weather can wreak havoc on the roads. To address the area's many freeze-thaw cycles, snow, snowplows and heavy use by commercial vehicles, we're starting several pavement improvement projects on I-40 and I-17 in the Flagstaff area.