Upcoming ADOT freeway closures impacting Arizona traffic

As the summer heats up in Arizona, Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has provided an update on expected freeway delays and closures.

These closures will impact not only Phoenix but also the Prescott and Flagstaff areas.

Greg Byres, State Engineer at ADOT, joined “Arizona Horizon” to share detailed information on these summer freeway closures and how they will affect travel plans across the state.

The I-17 has been a key target for ADOT workers the past several weeks. 

“We have one more full closure that’s going to occur this weekend, and it will be the last of the full closures. It will be on the northbound lanes and will go from Friday night through early Monday morning,” said Byres. 

The key is keeping people on the detours ADOT has planned out to prevent traffic as much as possible. 

“One of the biggest things that we can do is keep everybody on the detours that we have, and keep traffic out of the neighborhoods that are adjacent to I-17,” said Byres. 

The project takes a year to fully complete the process of maintaining the road. 

“We are taking off the surface course of material, which is asphalt, taking it down to concrete, and then smoothen the concrete out so it will be a much smoother ride for everyone. Not only that, but it will last a lot longer without any potholes so that’s the whole intent when we are all set and done,” said Byres. 

Byres added mapping apps are an issue when it comes to the I-17 and taking detours. 

“One of the biggest issues we have is a lot of the mapping apps that are basically directing people around. We try and get all the information out to them,” Byres said, “Sometimes they’ll still direct people away from our detours and into neighborhoods.”