PHOENIX – Starting this week, the timing of ramp-meter signals along southbound State Route 51 (Piestewa Freeway) are being adjusted to respond to the flow of morning rush-hour traffic, expanding an Arizona Department of Transportation program that began last fall along the freeway’s northbound on-ramps.

Instead of the ramp meters being programmed with predetermined red-light intervals, the system will use data from traffic-flow sensors embedded in the freeway’s pavement to adjust the signal timing. When morning rush-hour traffic slows, the ramp meters may hold vehicles several additional seconds to help ease the congestion.

The change involves southbound SR 51 on-ramp meters from Greenway to Thomas roads. The southbound ramp meter at Shea Boulevard isn’t currently in use.

As with the northbound State Route 51 ramp meters during the afternoon rush hour, the southbound meters may even turn off earlier in the morning based on how well freeway traffic is flowing.

Drivers may notice new signs along southbound SR 51 on-ramps advising them of the signal timing changes.

The ramp meter project supports one of ADOT’s key performance indicators under the Arizona Management System championed by Governor Doug Ducey: reducing the percentage of time freeways in the Phoenix metro area are congested.

Ramp meters have been in use for many years across the country and at many Phoenix-area freeway on-ramps during busy rush hours to enhance traffic flow, as well as safety, by controlling the number of vehicles entering freeways at any one time.

The upgrades along SR 51 provide a way to look at expanded capabilities of ramp-meter technology. Most ramp meters along Valley freeways are currently programmed with predetermined red-light intervals. Hours of operation for the meters have been based on historical traffic data.

The SR 51 ramp meters using the new responsive system are programmed to adjust to freeway traffic flow and the volume of traffic entering the freeway. Detectors along the entrance ramps also assess if ramp traffic is backing up, allowing the system to further adjust the red and green light timing to limit the amount of traffic waiting to enter the freeway.

ADOT is working closely with the city of Phoenix on the ramp meter research project and will continue to monitor any impacts to traffic on local streets intersecting with SR 51.

PHOENIX – Sections of State Route 51 (Piestewa Freeway) in Phoenix are scheduled to be closed overnight on Monday and Tuesday evenings (Jan. 23-24) while crews install new traffic-flow sensors, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Planned restrictions are subject to change due to inclement weather.

 Drivers should consider alternate routes, including southbound Interstate 17 or 16th and 24th streets, while the following SR 51 closures are in place:

• Southbound SR 51 closed overnight between Thomas and McDowell roads from 9 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday (Jan. 24). Southbound SR 51 on-ramp at Indian School Road also closed. DETOUR: Consider exiting ahead of the closure and using alternate routes including southbound 16th or 24th streets.
• Southbound SR 51 closed overnight between McDowell Road and the I-10/Loop 202 Mini-Stack interchange from 9 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday (Jan. 25). Southbound SR 51 on-ramp at Thomas Road also closed. DETOUR: Consider exiting ahead of the closure and using alternate routes including 16th or 24th streets.

Updates on freeway conditions and restrictions are available on ADOT’s Traveler Information site at az511.gov or by calling 511. ADOT also provides state highway information via its Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT).

PHOENIX – Sections of northbound State Route 51 (Piestewa Freeway) near Indian School and Camelback roads will be closed overnight this week for work to install new traffic-flow detectors, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should consider alternate routes, including northbound Interstate 17 as well as 16th or 24th streets, while the following SR 51 closures are in place:

• Northbound SR 51 closed between Indian School Road and Colter Street from 9 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday (Jan. 12) for installation of traffic-flow detectors. Northbound SR 51 on-ramp at Thomas Road also closed. DETOUR: Consider exiting ahead of closure and using northbound 16th or 24th streets as alternate routes. Northbound I-17 is alternate freeway route.
• Northbound SR 51 closed between Camelback and Bethany Home roads from 9 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday (Jan. 13) for installation of traffic-flow detectors. Northbound SR 51 on-ramps at Thomas and Indian School roads closed. DETOUR: Consider exiting ahead of closure and using northbound 16th or 24th streets as alternate routes. Northbound I-17 is alternate freeway route.

Updates on freeway conditions and restrictions are available on ADOT’s Traveler Information site at az511.gov or by calling 511. ADOT also provides state highway information via its Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT).

PHOENIX – With Valley drivers benefiting from several freeway improvement projects completed during 2016, including the widening of Loop 101 between Shea Boulevard and Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) in the Scottsdale area, the Arizona Department of Transportation is poised to start or complete several Phoenix-area projects in the coming year.

ADOT’s highlights for the regional freeway system in 2017 include:

• Beginning construction of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway. Work scheduled for the first half of 2017 includes setting foundations for some of the 40 bridges planned, widening eastbound lanes of Pecos Road to accommodate two-way traffic during construction, creating access roads near the freeway’s future interchange with Interstate 10 in west Phoenix and creating drainage structures. This 22-mile direct link between the East Valley and West Valley will open by late 2019.
• Opening the south half of the Interstate 10/Loop 303 interchange in Goodyear by fall. The $63 million project, launched last February, will complete freeway-to-freeway ramps and extend Loop 303 south to Van Buren Street. Loop 303 traffic will then have direct connections to and from Cotton Lane south of I-10. The north half of the I-10/Loop 303 interchange opened to traffic in August 2014.
• Resurfacing an 11-mile stretch of Interstate 17 between 19th and Peoria avenues in Phoenix in spring 2017. Crews will add a new layer of smooth, durable rubberized asphalt along the Black Canyon Freeway when warmer spring weather provides the best conditions for the resurfacing work. Rubberized asphalt, which has been used on Valley freeways for several years, includes rubber from shredded recycled tires as part of the pavement’s mixture.
• Completion of the new Bell Road/Grand Avenue interchange in Surprise by spring 2017. The $42 million project started last February. Crews opened the new bridge carrying Bell Road over Grand Avenue and the parallel BNSF Railway tracks on Nov. 22. New ramps connecting Grand Avenue to and from the Bell Road bridge are scheduled for completion in time for the Cactus League baseball season in late February.
• Installing Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) traffic-management technology between Ray and Broadway roads in Mesa. The project, scheduled to start by summer 2017, will add several overhead message signs, closed-circuit traffic cameras and traffic-flow sensors along the Santan Freeway. The technology allows ADOT to provide travelers with updated freeway conditions. A current ADOT Freeway Management System project along Loop 202 between Dobson and Ray roads is scheduled for completion in spring 2017.

ADOT’s 2016 Valley freeway construction accomplishments include:

• Completing $109 million in Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) improvements between Loop 101 and Broadway Road, adding new travel lanes between Loop 101 and Gilbert Road, extending HOV lanes by 11 miles between Gilbert and Broadway Roads and resurfacing the roadway with rubberized asphalt.
• Completing $74 million in Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) improvements between Shea Boulevard and Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) in the Scottsdale area, a project that added new right lanes and paved 11 miles of roadway with rubberized asphalt.
• Widening Loop 303 to three lanes in each direction between Grand Avenue (US 60) and Happy Valley Parkway in the northwest Valley, a $30 million project that wrapped up in 2016 with rubberized asphalt paving.
• Performing preliminary construction for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.  Work began in September with improvements to the I-10/Loop 202 Santan Freeway interchange in the Ahwatukee area.
• Opening State Route 51 ramps to and from Black Mountain Boulevard at the Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) interchange. ADOT teamed with the city of Phoenix on this $17.8 million project to improve access in the Desert Ridge area of northeast Phoenix.

ADOT works with the Maricopa Association of Governments, the Phoenix area’s metropolitan planning organization, to schedule and deliver projects as part of the 20-year Regional Transportation Plan approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004. Funding sources include a countywide half-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation improvements as well as the Phoenix region’s share of state and federal transportation funds.

PHOENIX – With a goal of improving the rush-hour traffic flow, the Arizona Department of Transportation will test changes in the timing of ramp-meter signals along one Phoenix-area freeway.

Starting the week of Oct. 3, afternoon rush-hour drivers using on-ramps along northbound State Route 51 (Piestewa Freeway) are likely to notice longer red lights at ramp meters as ADOT takes a look at how the signal adjustments affect freeway traffic.

It will likely take a couple of days for the adjustments to be made at all of the northbound SR 51 ramp meters. The changes are expected to be in place for at least three weeks as part of this initial phase of tests.

As part of the testing, some northbound State Route 51 ramp meters may turn off at an earlier time during the afternoon rush hour based on how well freeway traffic is flowing.

The ramp meter project supports one of ADOT’s key performance indicators under Governor Doug Ducey’s call for continuous improvement among state agencies: decreasing the percentage of time freeways in the Phoenix metro area are congested.

Ramp meters have been used for years at many Phoenix-area on-ramps to enhance traffic flow as well as safety by creating gaps between vehicles entering freeways.

The testing along State Route 51 provides a way to look at the full capabilities of current ramp-meter technology. Adjusted ramp meters will respond to freeway traffic flow as well as the volume of traffic entering the freeway.

Ramp meters are currently programmed with predetermined red-light intervals. Hours of operation are based on historical traffic data.

As part of ADOT’s project, the red lights at the northbound State Route 51 ramp meters may hold vehicles for several more seconds, but detectors along the entrance ramps also will assess if ramp traffic is backing up. The system also is designed to adjust the red and green light timing to limit the amount of traffic waiting to enter the northbound freeway.

Heaviest rush-hour traffic conditions along northbound State Route 51 occur during weekday afternoons. ADOT’s project team has already been gathering data over the last several weeks for current ramp-meter and freeway conditions along the northbound freeway.

The ramp-meter timing changes may be kept in place beyond the three-week test period, based on results.

ADOT also will study another system of ramp-meter programming along southbound SR 51 in the near future, although the dates for that research haven’t been set. That additional programming system is designed to allow individual ramp meters to respond to traffic conditions even several miles away and adjust signal timing to help improve traffic flow along a longer stretch of freeway.

ADOT is working closely with the city of Phoenix on the ramp meter research project and will monitor any impacts to traffic on local streets intersecting with SR 51.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation has opened elevated ramps connecting State Route 51 at the Loop 101 Pima Freeway with Black Mountain Boulevard, improving access in the Desert Ridge area.

A roundabout serves as a transition to slow traffic to and from the freeway, and a pedestrian bridge has been added over Black Mountain Boulevard near Pinnacle High School.

ADOT and Phoenix partnered on the $17.8 million ramps project, with ADOT managing construction that began in June 2015. A separate project, also managed by ADOT on behalf of the city, included improvements to Black Mountain Boulevard north to Pinnacle Peak Road.

“Our goal has been to deliver a project that helps the city with its transportation plans for the Desert Ridge area and beyond,” said ADOT Assistant Director Steve Boschen, who leads the agency’s Infrastructure Delivery and Operations Division. “The ramps provide local drivers with direct access to State Route 51.”

“As the city continues to develop in the north, better transportation options are needed to meet the needs of a growing city,” said Phoenix Councilwoman Thelda Williams, who chairs the City Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. “The new ramps will provide options for a rapidly growing area.”

At the roundabout, along Black Mountain Boulevard south of the high school, signs direct drivers to slow to 20 mph. Motorists also should be prepared to yield to traffic already in the roundabout.

While helping high school students cross Black Mountain Boulevard, the pedestrian bridge also is part of the Reach 11 trail within a 1,500-acre recreation area popular with hikers and bicyclists.

The connections between State Route 51 and Black Mountain Boulevard have been part of Phoenix’s plans for the Desert Ridge region for several years. The project was funded as part of the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan approved by county voters in 2004.

PHOENIX — Work is starting on a project in northeast Phoenix to add new ramps connecting State Route 51 to Black Mountain Boulevard, north of Loop 101, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

To create a safe work zone for the elevated ramp construction, the east- and westbound Loop 101 HOV lanes are scheduled to be closed starting at 9 p.m. Thursday, June 18, between Tatum Boulevard and Cave Creek Road for approximately two months. The entire project is scheduled for completion by summer 2016.

ADOT and the City of Phoenix are partnering on the $17.8 million project, which is part of the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan approved by county voters in 2004.

Crews will build new elevated ramps to make north- and southbound connections between SR 51 and Black Mountain Boulevard, a north-south roadway that will carry traffic north of Loop 101 to Pinnacle Peak Road.

The connections between SR 51 and Black Mountain Boulevard have been part of the City of Phoenix's plans for the area north of Loop 101 for several years. Improvements have been built by Phoenix since last year, including a new segment of Black Mountain Boulevard south of Pinnacle Peak Road. ADOT is now managing the construction of the final phase to construct the new SR 51 ramps that connect to Black Mountain Boulevard in the area south of Pinnacle High School.