South Mountain Freeway

Mainline paving begins on South Mountain Freeway in Laveen

Mainline paving begins on South Mountain Freeway in Laveen

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Mainline paving begins on South Mountain Freeway in Laveen

Mainline paving begins on South Mountain Freeway in Laveen

August 14, 2018

PHOENIX – You’ve got to start somewhere.

And for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, “somewhere” is near Elliot Road and 59th Avenue in Laveen, where the first lane mile of pavement is in place for the state’s largest single highway project ever.

Laying pavement began in late July and has occurred in one of the flattest stretches of the South Mountain Freeway project, from north of Estrella Drive to Olney Avenue.

Mainline paving throughout the project will continue until just prior to the opening of the 22-mile freeway by late 2019. Paving will begin later this summer in the Pecos segment east of 40th Street in Ahwatukee.

“This is a huge milestone for the South Mountain Freeway project,” said Rob Samour, ADOT’s senior deputy state engineer for major projects. “The start of paving brings us that much closer to delivering traffic relief to Phoenix motorists and providing a much-needed alternative to I-10 to travel between opposite ends of the Valley.”

A 4-inch-thick asphalt base has been paved, and additional layers of pavement will follow.

To date, paving has not required any traffic restrictions.

The work involves several dump trucks delivering the asphalt, paving machines spreading it and rollers compacting it. Connect 202 Partners, the developer of the South Mountain Freeway project, can put down up to 3,500 tons of asphalt per day with a single paving pass.

The first step toward paving is creating an embankment and compacting it to the designed height needed for the future roadway. Approximately 10 million cubic yards of earth, the equivalent of more than 800,000 truckloads and enough to fill University of Phoenix Stadium 13 times, is being hauled and compacted for the project. Once the earthwork is finished in an area, paving can begin.

Following the paving, crews will add lighting, curbs and gutters, signage and landscaping and complete other related work.

The South Mountain Freeway, which is scheduled to open in late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, it will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system.

You can stay informed about the South Mountain Freeway project and sign up for updates and weekly traffic alerts at SouthMountainFreeway.com.

Final I-10 access road stretch opens as South Mountain Freeway progresses

Final I-10 access road stretch opens as South Mountain Freeway progresses

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Final I-10 access road stretch opens as South Mountain Freeway progresses

Final I-10 access road stretch opens as South Mountain Freeway progresses

August 6, 2018

PHOENIX – Motorists can now use all of the new Interstate 10 access roads between 51st and 67th avenues as a Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway interchange emerges in west Phoenix.

 

After several months of construction, the final leg of the eastbound I-10 access road between 59th and 51st avenues opened this weekend. The westbound I-10 access road between 51st and 67th avenues and the eastbound I-10 access road between 67th and 59th avenues opened over the past few months.

The 2-mile-long, two-lane roadways restore access to 59th Avenue after South Mountain Freeway construction required permanently removing I-10 on- and off-ramps at 59th Avenue to make room for the freeway-to-freeway interchange.

As part of this work, which began in late January, several I-10 ramps were reconstructed to tie into a wider I-10 that will include connecting ramps to and from the South Mountain Freeway when it opens in late 2019.

The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, it will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.

For more information, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

Freeway designers draw inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright

Freeway designers draw inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright

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Freeway designers draw inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright

Freeway designers draw inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright

August 6, 2018

South Mountain Freeway - Pecos Segment Soundwalls

By David Woodfill / ADOT Communications

As with any new construction by the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway will have aesthetic details reflecting the area's history and environment.

As we shared last week, our designers have worked with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation to honor the late modern architect with decorative fins and other details added recently to sound walls along the Pecos segment between 40th and 48th streets in Ahwatukee.

This sawtoothed pattern, which also will appear on retaining walls, abutments and bridge barriers, is a nod to Wright's 1920s work at the Ocotillo Settlement in what became Ahwatukee. This winter encampment, where the architect worked on designs for a resort that never came to be, included triangular structures with horizontal bands that were Wright's artistic interpretation of South Mountain's peaks and valleys.

The slideshow above includes more pictures of these newest features on the 22-mile freeway that will provide a direct connection between the West Valley and East Valley.

Highway workers have tips for coping with Arizona’s blistering heat

Highway workers have tips for coping with Arizona’s blistering heat

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Highway workers have tips for coping with Arizona’s blistering heat

Highway workers have tips for coping with Arizona’s blistering heat

July 24, 2018

By Peter Corbett / ADOT Communications

Joined by news media, we were out at a South Mountain Freeway construction site this morning talking about how workers beat the extreme heat.

In fact, many ADOT crews and contractors' employees work outdoors throughout the year, and things these workers do when the temperature blows past 110 can help keep you safe as well:

  • Start work earlier in the day and finish before the hottest part of the day in the afternoon.
  • Stay hydrated with cool water.
  • Use sun protection, including a hat, light-colored and long-sleeved cotton shirt, and wear sunscreen.
  • Use a buddy system to watch for early signs of heat illness.
  • If you’re not used to working in extreme heat, acclimate over several days by taking extra time to rest in the shade and drink water.

In addition, ADOT has tips for traveling in extreme heat at azdot.gov/extreme-heat.

Crews working on state highways beat the heat with water, rest and shade

Crews working on state highways beat the heat with water, rest and shade

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Crews working on state highways beat the heat with water, rest and shade

Crews working on state highways beat the heat with water, rest and shade

July 23, 2018

PHOENIX ‒ Construction and maintenance crews working on Arizona’s highways are taking every precaution to beat the heat with temperatures soaring this week.

Having received training on managing the dangers of extreme heat, these workers stay hydrated, have sun protection, monitor themselves and co-workers for signs of heat stress, take regular breaks and schedule work to avoid the hottest parts of the day.

While all Arizonans need to prepare for intense heat, it’s especially important for the many ADOT personnel and contractors’ employees working outside every day, from the crews maintaining state highways to those building the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway in Phoenix. One reason: Asphalt and concrete get far hotter than the air temperature.

For the South Mountain Freeway project, crews with Connect 202 Partners, the developer responsible for building the 22-mile-long freeway, are taking breaks in designated cool-down areas including shade tents, awnings and air-conditioned vehicles.

More than 1,500 South Mountain Freeway workers have completed a mandatory heat-stress training class, and there have been no reported heat-related illnesses since major construction started last year. That training includes arranging for immediate medical attention if someone appears to be succumbing to the effects of heat.

Connect 202 Partners provides shaded areas and cold bottled water supplemented with electrolyte powder. Certified emergency medical technicians can conduct medical monitoring such as checking blood pressure, heart rate, respiration and temperature.

These strategies used by ADOT can help everyone deal with extreme heat:

  • If possible, start work earlier in the day and finish before the hottest hours of the afternoon.
  • Use a buddy system to watch for early signs of heat illness.
  • Stay hydrated with cool water.
  • Have sun protection including a hat, a light-colored and long-sleeved shirt, and sunscreen.
  • If you lack experience working in the heat, acclimate over several days by taking extra time to rest and stay hydrated.

In addition, ADOT has tips for traveling in extreme heat at azdot.gov/extreme-heat.

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

When a car catches fire on I-10, South Mountain Freeway crews come to the rescue

When a car catches fire on I-10, South Mountain Freeway crews come to the rescue

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When a car catches fire on I-10, South Mountain Freeway crews come to the rescue

When a car catches fire on I-10, South Mountain Freeway crews come to the rescue

June 18, 2018

Smoking Car

By Dustin Krugel / ADOT Communications“Some heroes don’t wear capes”

“Johnny on The Spot”

“Hero of the day!”

Those were just some of the social media comments posted immediately after ADOT’s Facebook page shared images of a vehicle fire along Interstate 10 that was doused thanks to swift action by Connect 202 Partners crews working on the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway project.

Around noon on Thursday, June 14, James Farr spotted a vehicle on fire on eastbound I-10 near 59th Avenue as he operated some heavy equipment on the westbound lanes as part of the construction to build a South Mountain Freeway interchange.

Farr immediately got on the radio and called for backup. Chris Krozel, another Connect 202 Partners employee, received the call as he was filling up his water truck as part of regular dust control operations (talk about good timing!).

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Connect 202 Partners Employees

Krozel sprung into action, maneuvering his water truck past traffic and arriving on the scene to prevent the car from being engulfed in flames.

While this was occurring, laborers Luis A. Velaso, Gaspar Villasenor and Jose Uriostegui, working nearby, rushed to help driver and her child out of the vehicle and get them to safety.

When firefighters arrived, these workers went right back to work. The photo above shows them all: (from left) Gaspar Villasenor, Jose Uriostegui, James Farr, Chris Krozel and Luis A. Velaso.

Then, later in the day, family and friends read and shared the Facebook post, and the crews were surprised by the reaction.

“I felt like I was a superstar, but I was doing my job. It does feel good to help someone in need,” Chris Krozel said.

Added James Farr, “We are out here every day working with Connect 202 Partners. We are here to help. I’ve changed spare tires and everything. If we can give a helping hand, we’ll do it.”

Southern Avenue bridge construction to require overnight closures

Southern Avenue bridge construction to require overnight closures

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Southern Avenue bridge construction to require overnight closures

Southern Avenue bridge construction to require overnight closures

June 11, 2018

PHOENIX – The next phase of construction on a Southern Avenue traffic interchange for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway will require overnight closures this week and at other points over summer.

Southern Avenue between 61st Drive and 59th Avenue in Laveen will close nightly from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, June 12-15, to place 16 steel-reinforced concrete girders that span 122 feet and weigh more than 110,000 pounds each.

Additional overnight closures will be needed over the next few months so Connect 202 Partners, builder of the South Mountain Freeway, can install deck panels and pour the concrete deck for the bridge.

Drivers should consider alternate routes, including Baseline and Broadway roads, to travel east-west between 51st and 67th avenues during these overnight closures.

The Southern Avenue interchange, which will include a 125-foot-long overpass, is one of 13 interchanges planned for the 22-mile freeway, the longest single highway project ever undertaken by the Arizona Department of Transportation.

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

Ahwatukee waterline relocation work for South Mountain Freeway delayed

Ahwatukee waterline relocation work for South Mountain Freeway delayed

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Ahwatukee waterline relocation work for South Mountain Freeway delayed

Ahwatukee waterline relocation work for South Mountain Freeway delayed

June 4, 2018

PHOENIX – Work to relocate a water main located within the path of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway has been delayed, causing Liberty Lane traffic restrictions to remain in effect through this summer.

Since March, crews working for Connect 202 Partners, the freeway developer, have been digging trenches along Liberty Lane between Desert Foothills Parkway and 24th Street to install a specially designed 4-foot-wide pipe that will run more than a mile.

This work has limited Liberty Lane traffic to eastbound traffic, with the westbound and center lanes closed.

The Arizona Department of Transportation and Connect 202 Partners had planned to complete the work in June to avoid connecting the new water main to city of Phoenix mains along Desert Foothills Parkway and 24th Street during summer months when water demand is greater. But the process of obtaining the pipe took several weeks longer than anticipated, and the first portion of the pipe was installed in late May.

Connect 202 Partners will need to connect the new water main this fall to avoid potential outages to residents.

The traffic restrictions will be lifted once installation is complete and Liberty Lane has been repaved.

For more information, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

South Mountain Freeway open house May 30 on potential Ivanhoe Street interchange

South Mountain Freeway open house May 30 on potential Ivanhoe Street interchange

I-17 101 traffic interchange

South Mountain Freeway open house May 30 on potential Ivanhoe Street interchange

South Mountain Freeway open house May 30 on potential Ivanhoe Street interchange

May 24, 2018

PHOENIX – An open house Wednesday, May 30, in Laveen will allow attendees to view renderings and provide feedback on an Ivanhoe Street traffic interchange the Arizona Department of Transportation is considering for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.

ADOT and project representatives will be available from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Laveen Elementary School District Office, Building A, 5001 W. Dobbins Road, Phoenix.

While there will be no formal presentation, attendees will be able to speak individually with project staff about the Ivanhoe Street interchange environmental study, which began in February. They also can complete a questionnaire.

In addition, representatives of Connect 202 Partners, the developer building the freeway, will be available to answer construction-related questions on Center segment construction occurring between 51st Avenue and 32nd Lane.

For those unable to attend, there are still plenty of ways to provide feedback through July 19, including: 

The latest project information is available via the project website at SouthMountainFreeway.com, email and text updates (click “Subscribe for Updates” on the project website), and the project hotline numbers (1.855.763.5202, or para Español, 623.239.4558). 

The 22-mile freeway, expected to open by late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 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, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

Bridge girders placed at South Mountain Freeway 24th Street interchange

Bridge girders placed at South Mountain Freeway 24th Street interchange

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Bridge girders placed at South Mountain Freeway 24th Street interchange

Bridge girders placed at South Mountain Freeway 24th Street interchange

May 22, 2018

PHOENIX – In another step toward opening the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway by late 2019, crews have set the girders for the interchange at 24th Street in Ahwatukee.

The 16 steel-reinforced girders are 128 feet long and weigh more than 400,000 quarter-pound cheeseburgers apiece. It took about an hour for two cranes to hoist and place each girder during overnight closures that began Sunday night, May 20 and continued through Monday night, May 21.

The 24th Street interchange, which will include a 132-foot-long overpass, is one of 13 planned for the 22-mile freeway, the longest single highway project ever undertaken by the Arizona Department of Transportation. Bridge girders have already been set at the 17th Avenue and 40th Street interchanges in Ahwatukee.

Another closure is scheduled 8 p.m. Tuesday until 5 a.m. Wednesday, May 23, to install a temporary deck surface.

Crews from Connect 202 Partners, the developer of the South Mountain Freeway, will return this summer to pour concrete to form the bridge deck and panels.

smf-construction-1
Nearly 1,100 girders will be installed on 40 bridge structures throughout the project.

The South Mountain Freeway, which is scheduled to open in late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, it will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system.

You can stay informed about the South Mountain Freeway project and sign up for updates and weekly traffic alerts at SouthMountainFreeway.com.