Westbound I-10 near Eloy moving to new lanes this week
Westbound I-10 near Eloy moving to new lanes this week
PHOENIX ‒ Almost a year to the day after crews began clearing land to create a wider stretch of Interstate 10 near Eloy, westbound traffic will be switched to the new lanes Thursday, Dec. 6, in an important step forward for a groundbreaking project in Pinal County.
The new westbound lanes run east of the current alignment starting near milepost 213 and reconnect with the existing lanes of I-10 near milepost 209. Eastbound lanes will remain unchanged for about a month and then switch to the new pavement, with this temporary configuration offering two travel lanes in each direction.
The westbound right lane on I-10 will close at milepost 213 at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, to allow crews to make a connection to the new lanes. The right lane will reopen as soon as the work is complete, which is expected to occur before 5 a.m. Thursday.
The project, which is widening I-10 to three lanes in each direction, building a new interchange with State Route 87 and creating a first-of-its-kind dust detection and warning system, is part of ADOT’s focus on enhancing mobility and safety between Tucson and Phoenix. Another project is currently widening I-10 to three lanes in each direction between Earley Road and Interstate 8 in Casa Grande.
When both projects are scheduled for completion by late summer 2019, I-10 will have three lanes in each direction between Tucson and State Route 387 in Casa Grande.
After eastbound traffic is moved to the new pavement near Eloy, crews will demolish the current travel lanes of I-10 and build new eastbound lanes.
The dust detection system will include short- and long-range radar to identify dust storms approaching I-10 and blowing dust along the travel lanes, variable speed limits to slow drivers in dangerous conditions, electronic message boards to inform drivers about the road ahead and closed-circuit cameras to assist ADOT in managing traffic in the area.
For more information on these projects, please visit azdot.gov/projects (South Central District projects).