The wait is over and now the new Loop 101 HOV-lane ramps are open at Maryland Avenue in Glendale...

Not that it was a particularly long wait – work only started about five months ago. This accelerated project was built using the Design-Build method of contracting, which can yield big results in a short amount of time by pairing the design team with the construction team from start to finish.

“We worked very closely with the city of Glendale and the Maricopa Association of Governments in making sure that the funding was lined up,” explains ADOT Public Information Officer Doug Nintzel in the video above. “Then we made sure we were on a fast track with construction because the goal was we were going to complete these ramps in time for the 2014 Cardinals season and certainly in time for Super Bowl 2015”.

What drivers will now experience

The new ramps were designed to improve access in and out of the Westgate Entertainment District and the area's sports facilities (that includes the University of Phoenix Stadium and Jobing.com Arena).

All four ramps connect to the center of the Maryland Avenue bridge via the Loop 101 HOV lanes.

HOV lane refresher

Like all HOV lanes, the new ramps are only open to vehicles carrying two or more people, as well as other approved vehicles during weekday rush hour periods of 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The ramps (and all HOV lanes) are open to all vehicles at other times, including weekends.

Remember when we first told you about the Loop 101 freeway ramp project that’s under construction out in the West Valley?

It was just back in November, but already work is now around 80 percent complete. Since this project is moving fast, we thought now would be a good time to share some recent photos from the site.

Of course, Loop 101 drivers in Glendale already know what this project looks like – they’ve got a front-row view of progress being made on the new freeway ramps that will connect with the Maryland Avenue Bridge near University of Phoenix Stadium.

More on the project

In one of the latest milestones, crews have attached all four of the ramps to the bridge. The ramps are connected to the bridge via the freeway's HOV lanes.

The project remains on schedule for completion by spring.

The project, designed to provide additional access points in the Westgate area, will be finished well ahead of the Arizona Cardinals' 2014 season and Super Bowl XLIX early next year. The work started last October.

ADOT is managing the construction of the $11.7 million project, which is supported by the city of Glendale and paid for with regional transportation funds from the Maricopa Association of Governments.

You can learn more about the project on our website or by checking out our previous blog post.

If you’ve driven in the West Valley recently, it’s likely you have noticed the work that’s occurring on Loop 101 near Maryland Avenue…

In particular, you’ve probably seen the columns that have sprouted up in the work zone (if your commute doesn’t take you to Glendale, see the photos above for a look at what it is we’re referring to).

What you’re seeing is construction on a project that got its start just last month.

Once it’s finished, motorists will have a brand new travel option when visiting Westgate City Center, the University of Phoenix Stadium and Jobing.com Arena.

Loop 101 HOV ramps

In partnership with the city of Glendale, ADOT is adding a new Loop 101 HOV lane on- and off-ramps to connect with the existing Maryland Avenue overpass.

The project also includes a new traffic signal where the HOV ramps meet on Maryland Avenue.

Work is scheduled for completion in spring 2014 (click for larger view).

The project is on a fast timeline and is scheduled for completion in spring 2014. Work is on an accelerated track because the design-build method of contracting has been selected as the best alternative for the project.

Overhead Roadway View

HOV lane refresher

Like all HOV lanes, the new ramps (once they're finished) will be restricted to vehicles carrying two or more people, as well as other approved vehicles during weekday rush hour periods of 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Once construction is complete, the ramps will be open to all vehicles at other times, including weekends.

What to watch for

You’ll remember from this blog post that the design-build method can yield big results in a relatively small amount of time by pairing the design team with the construction team from start to finish.

During construction, the north and southbound Loop 101 HOV lane between Bethany Home Road and Glendale Avenue will be closed. Drivers are asked to use caution when traveling in the work zone.

For the latest on the project, including traffic alerts, please visit the project Web page.

By Doug Pacey
ADOT Office of Public Information

Editor's note: The map has been updated to include the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway and Loop 303 which were completed after this blog was written.

In every city, transportation landmarks are given nicknames. Denver claims a “Mousetrap,” Los Angeles boasts the “Four Level” and Seattle has its “S-curves.” These colloquialisms can be baffling to new residents and some long-timers, too.

Phoenix is no different. Perhaps you’ve heard a traffic reporter refer to slowing at the “Mini-Stack” or a crash at the “Split” and wondered what highway was affected?

Wonder no longer. We’ve compiled a list and created a map, explaining and locating popular nicknames to Phoenix’s transportation landmarks.

Stack – A four-level interchange connecting I-10 and I-17; located west of downtown Phoenix near 19th Avenue and McDowell Road.

Mini-Stack – A four-level interchange linking I-10 to State Route 51 and Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway; located south of McDowell Road and east of 16th Street.

North Stack – Another four-level interchange, this one is located at the I-17 and Loop 101, north of Bell Road.

Split – The interchange where I-10 splits or merges – depending on your direction of travel – with I-17 near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Westbound I-10 splits into lanes that allow drivers to head north on I-17 or continue west on I-10.

SuperRedTan – A multi-tiered interchange in east Mesa where US 60 Superstition Freeway, Loop 202 Red Mountain and Loop 202 Santan meet. SuperRedTan is formed by taking part of each freeway’s name – Superstition, Red Mountain and Santan.

Broadway Curve – Southeast of the Split, this rush-hour-challenged section I-10 is near Broadway Road, and SR 143, by the Phoenix-Tempe border.

Durango Curve – The curved section of I-17 near Durango Street is located southwest of downtown Phoenix.

Every Thursday, ADOT produces the Valley Freeways Weekend Closures map, detailing the major road closures planned for the upcoming weekend throughout Maricopa County 's regional freeway system. The map is a great resource (if you don't already receive it you can sign up for that and other freeway-specific email updates), but we want to use the ADOT blog to take the closure information one step further; to tell you more about WHY we're closing the freeways -- about how your tax dollars are being spent to improve your transportation system.

To kick off what we have deemed Valley Freeways Thursday, we thought we'd start with a quick primer about the system:

• I-17, originally built in the late 1950s, was the first  freeway segment in the Valley.
• There are now two interstates in the regional freeway system: I-17 and I-10, which meet near McDowell Road at what is known as “The Stack.”
• The one-mile section of I-10 between 7th Street and 7th Avenue (the Deck Park Tunnel) was the final mile of the entire 2,460-mile-long I-10 roadway connecting the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, between Santa Monica, Calif. and Jacksonville, Fla.
• Currently there are about 250 miles of freeways in the Valley.
• In addition to the interstates, the regional freeway system includes:

• All those combined, along with a few others, totals more than 3,200 total lane miles for the Phoenix Maintenance District.
• That number is always changing as new lanes continue to open. The next lanes slated to open soon include:

We plan to dedicate every Thursday's blog post to an aspect of the Valley Freeway system, so tell us what you want to know. As always, you can post your topic suggestions or ask questions on our Facebook page.