Ahwatukee waterline relocation work for South Mountain Freeway delayed

PHOENIX – Work to relocate a water main located within the path of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway has been delayed, causing Liberty Lane traffic restrictions to remain in effect through this summer.

Since March, crews working for Connect 202 Partners, the freeway developer, have been digging trenches along Liberty Lane between Desert Foothills Parkway and 24th Street to install a specially designed 4-foot-wide pipe that will run more than a mile.

This work has limited Liberty Lane traffic to eastbound traffic, with the westbound and center lanes closed.

The Arizona Department of Transportation and Connect 202 Partners had planned to complete the work in June to avoid connecting the new water main to city of Phoenix mains along Desert Foothills Parkway and 24th Street during summer months when water demand is greater. But the process of obtaining the pipe took several weeks longer than anticipated, and the first portion of the pipe was installed in late May.

Connect 202 Partners will need to connect the new water main this fall to avoid potential outages to residents.

The traffic restrictions will be lifted once installation is complete and Liberty Lane has been repaved.

For more information, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.