59th Avenue stretch to close for South Mountain Freeway construction

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is temporarily closing a mile-long portion of 59th Avenue between Van Buren Street and Buckeye Road in west Phoenix to accommodate construction of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.

The closure, which begins 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, and is scheduled to last through March, will allow work to progress on the first section of frontage roads planned for the South Mountain Freeway.

During the extended closure, crews with Connect 202 Partners, the developer of the South Mountain Freeway, will install underground utilities, build retaining walls, complete a bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and construct the southbound frontage road.

Once the closure is lifted, 59th Avenue traffic will be temporarily shifted onto the new southbound frontage road with one lane of traffic in each direction.

Motorists should consider alternate routes such as 51st and 67th avenues. While business access will be maintained at all times during freeway and frontage road construction, delays are likely.

The South Mountain Freeway will include 2.5-mile frontage roads to maintain northbound and southbound access to businesses and residences adjacent to the freeway between Roosevelt Street and Lower Buckeye Road. These one-way frontage roads will have two travel lanes in each direction and will have traffic signals at each major intersection.

During construction, motorists should slow down, obey the speed limit and allow extra travel time.

The South Mountain Freeway 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.

You can stay informed about the South Mountain Freeway project and sign up for updates and weekly traffic alerts at SouthMountainFreeway.com.