Metro Phoenix freeways are getting a makeover. Here's what to expect in 2023

Ellie Willard, Arizona Republic
·5 min read
9
Interstate 10
Interstate 10

Across Interstate 10, Interstate 17 and other prominent Phoenix-area freeways, road improvement construction is expected to begin or continue this year. Some of this includes the Arizona Department of Transportation’s five-year construction plan.

With more than $1 billion slated toward freeway widenings, safety improvements and pavement preservation throughout the Valley, such big construction projects mean inevitable traffic delays, closures and headaches for motorists.

Some notable long-term projects through this year are the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project and Improvements along Interstate 17.

ADOT recommends slowing down while driving in construction zones and checking routes ahead of time to be prepared for potential delays due to construction.

Half-billion dollar project: Project to widen I-17, add flex lanes is $76M over budget, still on time

Here is a full list of what improvements to expect this year:

Construction along I-10

  • I-10: State Route 85 to Verrado Way Improvements in Buckeye. These improvements include adding a third general purpose lane in each direction on I-10 and reconstructing the interchanges at Miller Road and Watson Road to increase freeway capacity, improve traffic flow and safety and accommodate future growth in Buckeye. Construction is expected to be completed in summer of 2023.

  • I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project runs along 11 miles of Interstate 10 between Loop 202 (Santan/South Mountain Freeway) and I-17 near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and is ADOT’s largest urban freeway reconstruction project. This will include widening lanes in both directions, rebuilding the I-10 interchange with SR 143, and replacing and building better bridges. With construction expected to end in fall of 2024, the improvements will require highway closures and restrictions, detours, overnight work and travel delays. However, the improvements will bring significant benefits to the Valley including safety, convenience, and more efficient traffic flow.

  • I-10 Pavement Improvement Project: Riggs Road to the Gila River Bridges in Maricopa and Pinal counties and within the Gila River Indian Community. The improvements include pavement rehabilitation work on both directions of the I-10 to improve safety and driving conditions and extend the life of the pavement. Construction is scheduled to last from about March to July 2023 with overnight construction occurring Sundays through Thursdays.

Interstate 17
Interstate 17

Construction along I-17

  • I-17 Frontage Road Drainage Improvement: Greenway Road to Arizona Canal Diversion Channel, north of Dunlap. The purpose of the project is to improve the drainage facilities that remove storm runoff from the Greenway, Thunderbird, Cactus, and Peoria cross streets, helping to reduce the potential for flooding at the Interstate 17 overpasses. These improvements include a new, gravity-powered storm drain system, utilizing various sizes of concrete pipes and new drainage basins at Thunderbird Road, and the removal of the existing pump stations. The new system will discharge stormwater into the Arizona Canal Diversion Channel (ACDC), north of Dunlap Avenue. Construction started in early 2020 and is anticipated to end in 2023.

  • Major roadwork along Interstate 17 between Anthem Way, north of Phoenix, and Sunset Point in Black Canyon City. This work includes widening 15 miles of roadway, replacing two bridges and widening 10 others, and constructing approximately eight miles of flex lanes that alleviate traffic congestion during peak travel times. This project will enhance safety, road capacity and improve traffic flow. Construction began in 2022 and ADOT anticipates it will take approximately three years to complete with lane closures primarily limited to weeknights from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

  • I-17 Dunlap Avenue to Deer Valley Road Pavement Project in north Phoenix which will include removing existing asphalt pavement and repairing existing concrete pavement to provide a smooth roadway surface. The purpose of the project is to extend the life of the pavement and to improve safety and the driving experience on the existing roadway. Construction began in 2022 and will continue into 2023.

  • I-17 Van Buren to Anthem Way: Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Infrastructure Installation is a project that will install high-speed fiber optic infrastructure along 31 miles of Interstate 17. The purpose of this project is to connect the existing Intelligent Transportation System devices with new improvements. This system connects dynamic message signs that provide drivers with real-time, traffic-related information, ramp metering and CCTV cameras along the corridor. Construction began January 2022 and is anticipated to be completed late 2023. Drivers on I-17 can expect single-lane closures during weekdays.

Loop 101
Loop 101

Construction along Loop 101

  • New screen wall on the south side of eastbound Loop 101 near 16th Street. The wall will be approximately 1,800 feet long and the height of the screen wall will vary from 14 to 20 feet. The existing wall along the north side of the eastbound Loop 101 frontage road will be removed. Construction is anticipated to begin in mid-2023 and take approximately nine months.

  • Loop 101 (Pima Freeway): Princess Drive to Shea Boulevard Road widening and modification of existing interchanges to improve traffic flow on Loop 101 and the cross streets. These improvements include widening Loop 101 to add one general-purpose lane in both the northbound and southbound directions between Princess Drive and Shea Boulevard, reconstructing the interchange at Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard to a new configuration, reconstructing sidewalks to comply with current Americans with Disabilities Act standards, and making minor modifications to the interchanges and cross-streets at Princess Drive, Raintree Drive and Shea Boulevard to improve turning movements. Construction is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2023.

U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60

Construction along U.S. 60

  • US 60 (Superstition Freeway) Loop 101 to Loop 202 Pavement Rehabilitation Project, which includes removing and replacing the existing top layer of asphalt pavement and making any needed repairs to the existing concrete pavement to provide a smooth roadway surface. Construction was scheduled to begin in January 2023 and last approximately until July. The project will require ongoing weekend freeway closures Friday night through Monday morning and weekday overnight lane restrictions from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m.

Reach breaking news reporter Ellie Willard at ellie.willard@gannett.com or on Twitter @EllieWillardAZ.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 2023 Phoenix freeway construction: What to expect on I-10, U.S. 60