Up to five full daytime closures from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday mornings through Thursday evenings at the south end (MP 375) and up to 10 overnight full closures from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday nights through Friday mornings at the north end (MP 387-389) of the project. The closures may be on consecutive or non-consecutive days.
Access will be maintained to properties in Oak Creek Canyon throughout the project. During the limited full closures on SR 89A, it may take longer to get to and from properties in the canyon since a detour will be in place. During the closures, property access to and from SR 89A will be maintained with detours either to the north or the south via SR 179 and I-17.
Construction is expected to start early this spring and be completed by the end of 2023. SR 89A will remain open to traffic with the exception of limited daytime and overnight closures. Once construction starts, the highway will be narrowed to one lane only through the work zone(s) with alternating northand southbound travel. Traffic-control will be maintained using a combination of temporary traffic signals and/or a flagging operation. ADOT is committed to completing the improvements as quickly as possible, while balancing the transportation and access needs of local communities.
The nature of the SR 89A corridor and the type of work being performed required extensive coordination with area public and private agency partners to determine how best to construct these projects, while minimizing impacts to drivers and canyon residents and businesses.
We discussed the pros and cons of two construction approaches:
Completely closing the north end of Oak Creek Canyon, which would get the improvements completed sooner, but with more driver and local impacts.
OR
All three improvements are vital to preserve the integrity and safety of State Route 89A. The highway was built in a canyon with a lot of rock-cut faces, which erode over time due to weather conditions. This leads to large rocks, sediment and other debris on the roadway, which creates significant safety and maintenance issues. The improvements include:
No, this freeway is not tolled and is funded by state, federal, and local dollars.
Ports of entry monitor all commercial traffic entering Arizona for registration, taxes, size and weight restrictions, commercial driver license requirements, insurance requirements and equipment safety requirements, and issue permits as required. ADOT’s Enforcement and Compliance Division further works to ensure the safe and efficient movement of commercial motor vehicles on highways throughout Arizona.
Arizona highways, like most highways across the United States, are open to all kinds of traffic, so long as the cargo being carried is in accordance with U.S. Department of Transportation regulations for the specific type of cargo. The Arizona Department of Transportation has a few locations in the state with hazardous cargo restrictions, but these restrictions are based on emergency response issues or roadway design limitations specific to that location.
The SMF was not constructed to create a "truck bypass" for downtown Phoenix. The freeway is part of a transportation system developed to improve mobility in the region by increasing capacity and providing traffic alternatives—including truck traffic—to other, already congested routes. As with all other freeways in the MAG region, trucks use the SMF for the through transport of freight, for transport to and from distribution centers, and for transport to support local commerce.