South Mountain Freeway work limits message board travel times for I-10 West

PHOENIX – Those heading toward downtown Phoenix on eastbound Interstate 10 may have noticed that estimated travel times aren’t appearing on some Arizona Department of Transportation overhead message boards, while estimated travel times to some West Valley locations aren’t on boards for traffic using westbound I-10.

There’s a good reason for this.

With I-10 traffic shifted between 43rd and 75th avenues to make room for a wider I-10 and an interchange with the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, in-pavement sensors used to provide these estimates currently aren’t able to detect vehicle movement in the work zone. 

Eastbound motorists taking I-10 toward downtown Phoenix won’t see estimated travel times on message boards until 35th Avenue, after they pass through the South Mountain Freeway work zone. The affected message boards continue to carry critical information on crashes, restrictions, closures, hazardous weather, law enforcement alerts and more.

Meanwhile, estimated travel times to westbound destinations such as I-10 at 59th Avenue aren’t appearing on message boards along I-10 and other freeways east of the project area.

This information will return when the South Mountain Freeway opens by late 2019. There is no impact on estimated travel times posted for other Valley locations.

Since ADOT introduced overhead message boards in 2008, they have helped motorists with estimated travel times to locations such as major cross streets and destinations. There are 248 message boards in the state highway system, including 152 in the Phoenix area.

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.

For more information on the South Mountain Freeway, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.