Subject: Weekend Closures & Restrictions on Valley Freeways Weekend of August 8 ~ 11 Date: Friday, August 08, 2008 9:28 AM Weekend Closures & Restrictions on Valley Freeways Weekend of August 8 ~ 11 Several projects to add new lanes along Phoenix area freeways will require closures or lane restrictions this weekend (August 8-11). The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) recommends drivers use alternate routes and allow extra travel time while the following restrictions are in place: * Northbound Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) closed between Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) and Chaparral Road from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (August 11) for carpool lane construction. Loop 202 ramps to northbound Loop 101 also closed. DETOUR: Use northbound State Route 51 to reach northeast Phoenix and north Scottsdale. * Southbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway) closed between Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) and Baseline Road from 11 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (August 11) for carpool lane construction. Loop 202 ramps to southbound Loop 101 also closed. DETOUR: Southbound Loop 101 traffic will exit at Rio Salado Parkway and use frontage road. Use alternate routes if possible. * Southbound Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) narrowed to one lane between Princess Drive and Shea Boulevard from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (August 11) for carpool lane construction. Westbound Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) narrowed to one lane between Princess Drive and Scottsdale Road from midnight to 11 a.m. Saturday (August 9) for overhead sign installation. Westbound Loop 101 also narrowed to two lanes between Scottsdale Road and 56th Street. DETOUR: Slow down and be prepared to merge safely in the work zone. * State Route 51 (Piestewa Freeway) left lanes closed between Thunderbird and Bell roads as follows: Northbound from 11 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday (August 9) and southbound from 11 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday (August 10) for carpool lane construction. DETOUR: Slow down and be prepared to merge safely in the work zone. Carpool lane construction benefit: The addition of 38 miles of new carpool lanes along Loop 101 between State Route 51 in Phoenix and Loop 202 in Chandler will help relieve traffic congestion and provide incentives for carpooling and using express buses. * Westbound Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) closed overnight at 27th Avenue from 11 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday (August 11) for the I-17 widening project. DETOUR: Westbound traffic will travel beyond the closure on the local frontage road. * Northbound Interstate 17 narrowed to one lane overnight between Pinnacle Peak and Happy Valley roads from 10 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday (August 11) for freeway widening. DETOUR: Slow down and be prepared to merge safely in the work zone. Project benefit: ADOT is adding new lanes and interchanges along I-17 from the Loop 101 to the Carefree Highway to help improve traffic flow and reduce congestion. The project is expected to be complete in 2009. For a complete listing of freeway and highway closures or restrictions across Arizona visit ADOT's Travel Information site at www.az511.com or call 5-1-1.