Motorists traveling to the West Valley this weekend, including those attending Saturday’s Arizona Cardinals’ training camp practice at the University of Phoenix Stadium, should allow extra travel time and plan ahead to avoid a closure of westbound Interstate 10 (Papago Freeway) between 51st and 67th avenues, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Westbound I-10 will be closed between 51st and 67th avenues from 10 p.m. Friday, July 27, to 5 a.m. Sunday, July 29, for bridge construction on the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway in west Phoenix.
With heavy traffic and delays expected, ADOT recommends drivers consider alternate routes such as Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) west of Interstate 17.
During the closure, westbound I-10 traffic can exit the freeway at 51st Avenue, detour either north to McDowell Road or south to Van Buren Street and return to westbound I-10 at 67th Avenue. The newly built westbound I-10 access road between 51st and 67th avenues will also remain open during construction.
The westbound I-10 on-ramps at 27th, 35th and 43rd avenues will be closed to help prevent backups. In addition, the 59th Avenue overpass will be closed in both directions and southbound 59th Avenue will be restricted from McDowell Road to Roosevelt Street.
The closure will allow two large cranes to safely set six concrete beams over the westbound I-10 travel lanes that will eventually support one of the flyover bridges connecting I-10 with the South Mountain Freeway.
The 22-mile South Mountain 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 I-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.