Those of you who track widening projects along Phoenix area freeways, often because you're driving on those roadways, know that ADOT has worked to add lanes to stretches of Loop 101 over the past several years. We recently launched the Loop 101 Agua Fria Freeway Improvement Project between 75th Avenue and Interstate 17 in the northwest Valley. ADOT's Resident Engineer Joel Porras spoke with us to provide you with information about his project. Here are our questions and his answers:

Joel, what are some of the major components of this project?

What tops the list is the addition of one new general purpose lane in each direction along Loop 101 west of I-17 on out to 75th Avenue, which will include widening several bridges. In fact, we're also going to be able to make some changes with lane striping and other work to assist with the flow of traffic at the I-17 system interchange with Loop 101. You will also notice wall construction along the corridor. And another area of focus will be along 75th Avenue itself, where the contractor will add a new third southbound lane at Loop 101 that will provide additional traffic capacity for drivers entering the eastbound freeway. That's especially important for morning rush hour traffic.

What happens in the early stages of the project?

The project team has set temporary safety barrier walls along the freeway's right shoulders to provide safe work zone areas for crews to operate from. They've also removed the old, worn top layer of asphalt pavement in most of the project area and put down temporary lane striping on the underlying concrete pavement. Lanes have been shifted toward the freeway's center as part of establishing work zones. So we'll look ahead to constructing the new lanes behind those safety barrier walls.

What should drivers in the area be prepared for?

We know these types of projects are not always easy to navigate. There will be the need for closures as we make these improvements over the next two-and-a-half years. They can range from weekend closures to weeknight restrictions and for certain, closures of on- and off-ramps in the area for approximately 60 days when crews are reconstructing them to fit with the new freeway lanes. The bottom line is yes, there will be restrictions. That includes along frontage roads and cross streets. I encourage local residents and other drivers to try to stay up to date on the information we provide, allow extra travel time for certain and plan for the use of alternate routes when needed.

Are there any quick suggestions in terms of detour routes?

That will depend on which areas are being focused on. However, as an example, there will be times when drivers should consider using Union Hills Drive or Bell Road to travel beyond certain freeway closures. That's also especially true when we have frontage road restrictions in place. Our communications team will work to provide information on the project webpage and I'd encourage anyone who hasn't done so yet to sign up to receive the free emailed project updates.

Well, here's the link to the ADOT website to subscribe for project updates and yes, it's free. Joel, what do you see as the biggest challenge with widening Loop 101 between 75th Avenue and I-17?

It's primarily what we were just discussing. It's a tremendous challenge to move forward with construction work while also doing our best to keep traffic moving in the area. It's not going to be easy and we certainly will work closely with our partners, including the cities of Phoenix and Glendale, to limit the impacts on traffic. Communication will be a key to doing that.

So one last question Joel: It's about the timeline for the project. You earlier mentioned two-and-a-half years. So drivers should look ahead to 2027?

Yes. This is going to require patience and I'd like to finish by urging readers to follow the reduced speed limits in our work zones and, most importantly, all work zones across the state. Lives are on the line here and we need everyone's help in promoting safety. That's the safety of highway workers as well as you and your passengers.