UPDATE (5/30/2014): Due to the firefighting efforts against the Slide Fire in Oak Creek Canyon, the State Route 89A improvement project along the switchbacks north of Sedona was temporarily on hold. However, the project will resume this weekend.

The previously-scheduled closure of the three-mile stretch of SR 89A between the Pine Flat Campground and the Vista scenic overlook south of Flagstaff will remain in place for several weeks while crews remove loose rocks above the switchbacks, complete other safety improvements and resurface the highway.

SR 89A will reopen to traffic before the Fourth of July weekend. While the switchbacks section along SR 89A is closed, ADOT recommends drivers use Interstate 17 and State Route 179 to travel between Flagstaff and Sedona.

Read our recent news release for more information.

Anyone who has driven State Route 89A through the Oak Creek Canyon switchbacks knows that it’s one of the most narrow and winding roadways in the state’s highway system...

That’s why an upcoming project to restore the pavement along a 3.5-mile segment of SR 89A is going to require a full closure.

“We’ll be closing down approximately three miles of the roadway just through the switchbacks because its such a narrow portion of the road, it can’t safely be worked on with the motorists traveling on it at the same time,” says ADOT Senior Resident Engineer Adam Umholtz in the video above.

Here’s what drivers need to know

Beginning on Monday, April 21, crews will start work on the $2 million improvement project that will repave the roadway between Pine Flat Campground and Oak Creek Vista overlook (mileposts 387-390). The project area is located in the Coconino National Forest midway between Sedona and Flagstaff, just north of the popular tourist destinations in Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon.

In the first phase of the project (April 21- May 22), a single-lane restriction during daytime hours will be required Monday through Thursday throughout the project length as crews begin preparations for a full closure of SR 89A. The roadway will be open, without lane restrictions, during the Memorial Day weekend, May 23-26.

During this time, access will remain open to Pine Flat Campground and Oak Creek Vista overlook, although flaggers will be present to guide traffic through the work zone. Delays are possible. There will be no restrictions during weekends, holidays, or at night prior to the full closure when there will be no public access.

Full closure required

In order to complete the work in safe and timely manner, a full closure of SR 89A through the switchbacks, which have steep grades with little to no shoulders, will be necessary for up to five weeks following the Memorial Day holiday and prior to the Fourth of July holiday (May 27 – July 2). While the closure isn’t expected to last more than five weeks, ADOT is offering incentives to the contractor to complete the work as quickly as possible, while focusing on safety and quality. During construction, access will be maintained for emergency vehicles.

The time frame for the full closure from May 27 to July 2 was chosen because it’s the most favorable time to apply the new pavement, which is temperature sensitive, and it’s before monsoon season, when rain can delay paving.

In addition to removing and replacing the existing asphalt, crews will also make repairs to the surface of the historic Pumphouse Wash Bridge and perform rockfall mitigation work in this area, which is prone to rockfalls.

The full closure will allow crews sufficient space to safely perform rock scaling work, which involves workers rappelling from a cliff and using hand tools to remove loose rocks that could potentially fall onto the roadway and injure motorists or damage the roadway.

For Sedona and the Oak Creek Canyon area, it is business as usual during this time because the project is located north of these popular destinations.

Detour Route

During the closure, the recommended detour from Sedona to Flagstaff will be to take State Route 179 to Interstate 17. The detour could add up to an extra half hour of travel time for motorists who are commuting between Sedona and Flagstaff (View the map).

Throughout the full closure, access will be maintained at either end of the full closure to allow entry to both Pine Flat Campground on the southern end and Oak Creek Vista overlook at the northern end. Signage and message boards are currently being used in advance of the closure to ensure traffic is properly detoured via SR 179 to I-17.

For more information on the project, please visit the project Web page.

There’s a realignment and intersection improvement project in the works near Flagstaff that, when complete, will help eliminate some major backups in the area.

The improvement project is going to realign SR 89A in the vicinity of Fort Tuthill County Park and construct two roundabouts, one at the entrance of the park and the other at the I-17 southbound ramps, to provide a safer transition for traffic through the intersections.

Construction hasn’t started yet. It’s expected that the project will be advertised soon and a contractor will be on board by spring of next year.

You can see in the video why the improvements are needed. Flagstaff District Engineer Audra Merrick explains that the SR 89A/JW Powell Boulevard intersection (which, by the way is also the south entrance to the Fort Tuthill County Park) is very close to another intersection (JW Powell/I-17, which leads to the I-17 southbound ramps).

“Those intersections have a separation of 140 to 150 feet and during peak events at the park, because the park is so close, we can end up with queuing traffic on the I-17 ramps,” Merrick says.

The new roundabout intersections will include bike lanes and sidewalks. The roundabouts will be constructed about 400 feet apart and will be designed to accommodate current and future traffic demand.

What’s happening at the site right now

Before construction can begin, trees in the project area need to be thinned and ADOT is doing that now in anticipation of the project’s start next year.

ADOT is working closely with Coconino County, the city of Flagstaff and the local utility company to save as many trees as possible and will only eliminate trees that are absolutely necessary for the project. The project area will also be reseeded upon completion.

The wood from all those trees will not go to waste … it will definitely be put to good use.

“A lot of the wood from those trees is going to be re-purposed,” says Coconino County Community Services Director Janet Regner in the video above, adding that the wood will be utilized for flood control in other areas of the county. It will also go to families in need. They will get some of the wood to use in their fireplaces this winter (it is anticipated that about 150 cords of wood will be donated for families in the area).

More on the project

Traffic restrictions, such as lane closures, will be required during construction. To stay informed on any upcoming restrictions related to this project, please sign up to receive email alerts at azdot.gov.

You’ll also find more about this improvement project on the project web page.