Eastbound I-10 to close west of downtown Phoenix this weekend

PHOENIX – Motorists traveling from the West Valley toward downtown Phoenix this weekend should allow extra travel time and plan ahead to avoid a closure of eastbound Interstate 10 (Papago Freeway) between 67th and 51st avenues due to construction of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Eastbound I-10 will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday, April 26, to 4 a.m. Monday, April 29, in west Phoenix.

To avoid delays on eastbound I-10, motorists should consider alternate routes, including the Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) west of Interstate 17, or exiting I-10 sooner and taking local streets to re-enter past the closure point.

The closure will allow two large cranes to safely set 21 concrete beams over the eastbound I-10 travel lanes that will support the HOV flyover bridges connecting I-10 with the South Mountain Freeway.

Eastbound I-10 traffic can exit at 67th Avenue and detour either to the eastbound I-10 access road or McDowell Road before re-entering the freeway at 51st Avenue; however, heavy delays are likely. In addition, the eastbound I-10 on-ramps at 91st, 83rd, 79th and 75th avenues will be closed to help reduce traffic backups.

In addition, a portion of 59th Avenue will be closed in both directions between McDowell Road and Roosevelt Street from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 to paint one of the flyover bridges.

The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway is scheduled for full completion in 2020, although traffic is expected to be using the freeway earlier. It 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.

For information on the project, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.