Friday, June 13, 2008

North Valley I-17 Improvement Project Will Require Year-Long Ramp Closures

The latest round of freeway ramp closures needed to construct a wider Interstate 17 in north Phoenix starts June 21st.

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) says the southbound I-17 off-ramp serving both Union Hills & Yorkshire drives will close at 9 pm on Saturday (June 21st) for the major freeway widening project in the area. The ramp is expected to be closed for approx. 1 year. Traffic that normally uses that ramp can instead exit southbound I-17 at Deer Valley Road & use local streets, including 27th Avenue, as an alternate route.

Meanwhile, the northbound I-17 on-ramp at Utopia Road also is scheduled to be closed for approx. 1 year starting at 9 pm on Saturday (June 28th). While the closure is in place, drivers will be able to access northbound I-17 at Deer Valley Road.

In May, crews permanently closed the southbound I-17 on-ramp south of Yorkshire Drive to accommodate the I-17 improvements, including additional lanes.

Under the Regional Transportation Plan approved by voters in 2004, new general purpose & carpool lanes will be added in each direction along I-17 between Loop 101 & Carefree Highway by the end of 2009. Regular lanes also will be added between Carefree Highway & Anthem Way by 2010.

More information about the I-17 improvements can be found by dialing the Project Hotline is (480) 890-3055. For a complete listing of freeway and highway restrictions across Arizona, call ADOT’s Travel Information line at 5-1-1.