PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation advises motorists to plan ahead and expect to use detours as eastbound I-10 will be closed between US 60 and Loop 202 (Santan/South Mountain Freeway) from 10 p.m. Friday, April 25, to 4 a.m. Monday, April 28, for drainage and pavement markings work. At the same time, the following ramps will be closed: 

• All southbound SR 143 ramps to eastbound I-10.
• The westbound US 60 ramp to eastbound I-10.
• The HOV ramps connecting I-10 and US 60. 

In addition, the following ramps will be closed from 8 p.m. Friday, April 25, to 4 a.m. Monday, April 28:

• The eastbound I-10 on-ramps at Broadway, Baseline, Elliot, Warner and Ray Roads.
• The eastbound US 60 on- and off-ramps at Mill Avenue. 

Eastbound I-10 Detour: Use eastbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) or eastbound US 60 to southbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway) to westbound Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) to access eastbound I-10 beyond the closure.

West Valley drivers can bypass the closure by using Loop 202 (South Mountain Freeway). From I-10 and 59th Avenue, travel south and east to connect with I-10 south of Chandler Boulevard. 

Please note:  The Arizona Department of The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to use designated detours when there are closures on state highways. Schedules can quickly change because of weather and other unforeseen situations. For the most up-to-date information, we encourage you to download the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project’s free mobile app, TheCurve or visit the Alerts section of the project website before you travel.

                                                                                                               # # #

The I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project is identified in the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan, funded by a half-cent sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004 through Proposition 400. MAG identified the need for this project to reduce travel times on I-10 during peak hours; improve airport access; support ridesharing and transit; and prepare the region for future growth projections. Learn more about the major improvements here. 

TUCSON – Technology upgrades on Interstate 19 made possible by the Arizona Department of Transportation’s installation of fiber-optic conduit will include wrong-way driver detection and warning systems at multiple locations between Tucson and Nogales.

The $5 million system will be similar to those on Phoenix-area freeways, using thermal cameras to detect wrong-way vehicles and alert law enforcement and the public. It will be the first use of this technology in Southern Arizona.

The wrong-way detection and warning system is part of a $6.2 million intelligent transportation systems project planned along I-19 between Tucson and Nogales. It includes connecting traffic signals along I-19 via fiber-optic cable to improve signal operations by allowing the timing to be monitored and controlled remotely.

Using federal funding and with a goal of helping expand broadband internet in rural Arizona, ADOT has installed fiber-optic conduit along I-19 and I-17 and is now installing fiber-optic conduit along I-40 between Flagstaff and the California line. These installations also enable ADOT to add intelligent transportation systems. 

On I-19, wrong-way technology will be installed at the San Xavier Road and Pima Mine Road interchanges. It also will be placed on new overhead message boards: in Green Valley, on I-19 northbound north of Esperanza Boulevard and at I-19 southbound south of Pima Mine Road; and closer to Nogales, on I-19 northbound south of Mariposa Road and on I-19 southbound south of Rio Rico Road.

The automated system uses thermal cameras that detect vehicles going the wrong direction. When wrong-way vehicles are detected at exit ramps or on the highway, the system warns other drivers by posting warnings on overhead message boards. The system also notifies law enforcement so state troopers can plan a faster response to intercept the vehicles than if they relied only on other drivers calling 911.

The system can’t prevent wrong-way driving but has proven to reduce the risk through faster notifications to law enforcement and the public. Research shows a majority of wrong-way drivers are impaired.

The project is expected to be complete in winter 2025/2026. 

For more information, please visit azdot.gov/i19technology.

PHOENIX – Not a bad Earth Day’s work. 

Thirty-one volunteers dedicated Tuesday morning to a special Arizona Department of Transportation Adopt a Highway event in Tempe. As a result, Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) right of way in the Salt River bed is grander to the tune of 49 large bags filled with litter, several shopping carts, three electric rental scooters, yards of metal pipe and much, much more. 

This event, also held to mark National Volunteer Week, was a chance to showcase the value ADOT Adopt a Highway volunteers bring to state highways throughout the year. In 2024 alone, these volunteers removed 10,400 bags of litter while contributing 17,891 hours of labor worth $538,000.

There’s room for you among the hundreds of groups and thousands of volunteers behind ADOT Adopt a Highway. Civic-minded individuals, families, religious groups and others may receive two-year permits to clean up roadside litter on highway segments, usually a mile in each direction and largely in rural areas, that are deemed safe for volunteers. 

Groups agree to pick up litter in an adopted stretch at least once per year and preferably three or more times a year. They coordinate with ADOT to arrange for safety vests, litter bags and training for pickup events and then report the results. 

Each adopted stretch has a recognition sign bearing the Adopt a Highway group’s name.

For more information and to join our Adopt a Highway family, please visit azdot.gov/adoptahighway.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Travel ID is in high demand with two weeks remaining until the May 7 deadline for domestic air travelers to comply with federal REAL ID requirements. With business up and appointments filling rapidly at Motor Vehicle Division offices, the Arizona Department of Transportation recommends keeping two things in mind: 

1. If you aren’t traveling on or soon after May 7 and you wish to use your state credential to fly, you can avoid the current rush by making an appointment closer to your travel date – while leaving a cushion for your Arizona Travel ID to arrive in the mail. 

2. The dozens of authorized third party locations across Arizona can be a convenient option, including if you want to conduct business outside of normal business hours or on Saturdays, which some locations offer. Keep in mind that transactions at these locations involve additional fees. You’ll find a map with authorized third party locations at azdot.gov/mvd. 

Without the Arizona Travel ID or another form of federally compliant identification such as a valid U.S. passport, you’ll risk missing an airline flight. 

The gold star in the upper right corner of an Arizona Travel ID shows that the holder has met federal standards requiring extra documentation. This includes:

• Proof of identity: a birth certificate or U.S. passport
• Social Security number: just the number, not the card
• Two documents proving Arizona residency, such as rental or bank statements and credit card or cellphone bills in your name with your current Arizona address

A full list of qualifying documents is available at azdot.gov/TravelID. For information on how to obtain an Arizona birth certificate please visit the Arizona Bureau of Vital Records’ website.

The Arizona Travel ID costs $25 and is valid for eight years. The new Arizona Travel ID card will arrive in the mail within 10-14 days.

More than 2.65 million Arizonans have already upgraded to the Arizona Travel ID so they will be ready to fly. While the deadline is just around the corner, the important deadline to have a federally compliant ID is in time for your next travel plans. 

DOUGLAS – The Arizona Department of Transportation has finalized an Environmental Assessment and Design Concept Report identifying the route and configuration for a roadway that will connect a new Douglas commercial port of entry with State Route 80.

The selected route is about 4.5 miles west of the Raul Hector Castro International Port of Entry in Douglas and along the existing James Ranch Road. While the selected design would require an estimated $49 million to build a four-lane divided highway traveling 1.4 miles between the new port and SR 80, ADOT plans to start with an interim configuration offering one lane of divided highway in each direction and add to it as funds become available.

ADOT Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program, which is available for review and comment at azdot.gov/tentative5year, proposes $27 million for a project to begin in late 2026. The final Environmental Assessment and Design Concept Report documents and appendices are posted at azdot.gov/DouglasIPOERoadStudy

The full selected configuration, which was developed with input from the community and other stakeholders, includes reconstructing one mile of SR 80 to improve drainage, reconstructing the intersection of SR 80 and James Ranch Road with additional turn lanes and a traffic signal and building two roundabouts on the new roadway.

ADOT continues seeking ways to fund the full project before construction begins in late 2026, including applying for federal grants and earmarks. 

The roadway is expected to open in 2028, when the new land port of entry plans to open on 80 acres of land the city of Douglas donated to the General Services Administration. The project is being conducted in coordination with the General Services Administration, City of Douglas and Cochise County.

The new connector road and land port of entry facility are being constructed to reduce congestion through downtown Douglas while improving safety, access and travel times to better serve the economic and transportation needs of the area. The Environmental Assessment and Design Concept Report, along with a Finding of No Significant Impact, allows ADOT to move forward with the project design and construction.

ADOT will conduct public outreach during final design of the land port of entry and will notify the public of opportunities to provide input.

PHOENIX – A speed limit sign with orange flags that reads 55 mph. A bright orange sign that warns of “Road Work Ahead.” Traffic cones and barriers that delineate restricted travel lanes.

These are all hallmarks of a work zone that are designed to keep the traveling public and workers safe while Arizona Department of Transportation crews build and improve Arizona’s state highway system. 

During National Work Zone Awareness Week, ADOT is calling on motorists to stay alert when driving through work zones. The theme of Work Zone Awareness Week is “Respect the zone so we all get home.” 

Governor Katie Hobbs has proclaimed April 21-25 to be Arizona Work Zone Awareness Week, acknowledging the risks road workers face when in work zones and emphasizing the need for cautious driving. 

Following instructions on signs, obeying the speed limit and not driving distracted are actions drivers can take to increase safety for everyone when traveling in work zones.

“ADOT crews work at all hours near traffic in work zones to improve Arizona’s highways,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said. “We need the traveling public’s help to keep the crews - and themselves - safe by expecting the unexpected. Stay alert, pay attention to signs, and follow the speed limit so everyone gets home safely.”

According to the Federal Highway Administration, about 80% of work zone fatalities nationwide were drivers and their passengers in 2022. 

Crash reports show that since 2020 at least 75 people have been killed in work zone-related crashes along all roads in Arizona, including local streets and state highways. Arizona work zone crash statistics over the past five years include the following:

• 2020: 11 fatalities, 23 serious injuries 
• 2021: 13 fatalities, 26 serious injuries
• 2022: 11 fatalities, 29 serious injuries
• 2023: 17 fatalities, 29 serious injuries 
• 2024*: 23 fatalities, 33 serious injuries (*preliminary: all 2024 crash reports not yet analyzed) 

Work zones may have lane restrictions, reduced speed limits, and people may be working on or near the roads. Drivers should avoid tailgating as speeding is one of the major causes of work zone crashes and rear-end collisions are the most common types of crashes in work zones.

Visit azdot.gov/work-zone for more information.

PHOENIX – A new travel book from Arizona Highways magazine is a great way to explore dining, lodging and hiking destinations for day trips, weekend adventures, scenic drives and more. 

Featuring stunning Arizona Highways photography, Arizona Guidebook, Part Two features nine regions: Phoenix, Tucson, the Mogollon Rim, the White Mountains, Globe and Safford, Northwestern Arizona, Southwestern Arizona, Santa Cruz County and Southeastern Arizona. 

It complements Arizona Guidebook, Part One, which focuses on Northern Arizona. These are among dozens of Arizona Highways travel, scenic, coffee table, nature and children’s offerings available at bookstores and at arizonahighways.com. 

Arizona Highways, produced by the Arizona Department of Transportation, has subscribers in all 50 states and more than 120 countries and is regarded as the authority on Arizona travel. To learn more about the magazine and associated books, calendars, stationery and gifts, please visit arizonahighways.com. 

PHOENIX – With springtime here, three White Mountains-area state highways are scheduled to reopen Tuesday, April 15, after being closed for the winter, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

State Routes 261, 273 and 473 are scheduled to reopen by noon that day. 

State Route 261 runs from State Route 260 near Eagar to Big Lake, while State Route 273 goes from SR 260 to Sunrise Park and Big Lake. State Route 473 runs south from SR 260 on the White Mountain Apache Reservation.

ADOT encourages motorists to enjoy the mountains this summer and return home safely by observing the following tips:

• Check your vehicle before you go; proper tire pressure is important.
• Get an adequate amount of sleep before your trip.
• Make sure you and your passengers are buckled in.
• Be patient (don’t speed and don’t follow other vehicles too closely).
• Bring extra water and food.
• Build some extra travel time into your schedule.
• Never drink and drive.
• Before you leave, check for information about highway restrictions across Arizona at ADOT’s Traveler Information website, az511.gov or dial 511.

PHOENIX – The eastbound Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) on-ramp at Gilbert Road in the Southeast Valley is scheduled to close for approximately 60 days starting at 11:30 p.m. Friday, April 11. The closure will allow crews to reconstruct the ramp as part of the Arizona Department of Transportation's Loop 202 widening project in Chandler and Gilbert.

Drivers should consider using the eastbound Loop 202 on-ramps at Cooper or Lindsay roads while the entrance ramp at Gilbert Road is closed.

Meanwhile, the westbound Loop 202 on-ramp at Gilbert Road is currently scheduled to reopen to traffic by 11 p.m. Saturday, April 26. The reconstruction of that ramp will soon be in its final stage.

The $200 million Loop 202 Improvement Project is adding lanes and interchange improvements along 8 miles of Loop 202 between Loop 101 (Price Freeway) and Val Vista Drive in Chandler and Gilbert. 

This project is funded in part by Proposition 400, a dedicated half-cent sales tax that Maricopa County voters approved in 2004. The project is scheduled under the Regional Transportation Plan managed by the Maricopa Association of Governments, the metropolitan planning organization for the Greater Phoenix region.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation advises motorists to plan ahead and expect to use detours as southbound SR 143 will be closed between Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) and Interstate 10 from 10 p.m. Friday, April 11 to 4 a.m. Monday, April 14 for sign work. work. At the same time, the ramps from Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) to southbound SR 143 and the westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) off-ramp at Sky Harbor Boulevard will be closed.

In addition, the southbound SR 143 on-ramps at Washington Street, Sky Harbor Boulevard and University Drive will be closed from 8 p.m. Friday, April 11, to 4 a.m. Monday, April 14.

SR 143 detour for westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway): Use westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) to eastbound I-10 to access destinations south of the closure. 

SR 143 detour for eastbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway): Use eastbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) to southbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway) to westbound US 60 to access destinations south of the closure. 

Airport access: Use southbound 44th Street from Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway).

Please note:  The Arizona Department of The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to use designated detours when there are closures on state highways. Schedules can quickly change because of weather and other unforeseen situations. For the most up-to-date information, we encourage you to download the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project’s free mobile app, TheCurve or visit the Alerts section of the project website before you travel.

                                                                                                  # # #

The I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project is identified in the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan, funded by a half-cent sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004 through Proposition 400. MAG identified the need for this project to reduce travel times on I-10 during peak hours; improve airport access; support ridesharing and transit; and prepare the region for future growth projections. Learn more about the major improvements here.