Some I-17 traffic shifts to flex lanes for improvement project north of Valley

PHOENIX — Northbound drivers taking Interstate 17 past Black Canyon City should expect a change in their journey starting Monday.

That’s because the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) shifted northbound traffic onto two newly constructed flex lanes on Monday.

The lanes, which run adjacent to the two existing southbound lanes of I-17, are necessary to allow crews to continue work on the I-17 Improvement Project, which ADOT hopes to complete by the end of the year. The project aims to renovate 23 miles of roadway between Anthem Way and Black Canyon City.

How I-17 improvement project is impacting northern Arizona traffic

For the next several weeks, drivers on the regular northbound lanes at Coldwater Road in Black Canyon City will have to use newly constructed crossover lanes to enter two new detour lanes.

The detour lanes, which aren’t yet fully fledged flex lanes, will continue for eight miles.

Drivers will then exit through another set of crossover lanes at Sunset Point, which will take them back to the northbound general purpose lanes.

Why is ADOT making northbound I-17 drivers near Black Canyon City use flex lanes?

The shift to the flex lanes will enable crews to focus on three main goals:

• Completing work on the northbound permanent lanes between Coldwater Road and Sunset Point
• Working on the bridge at Bumble Bee Road
• Advancing other upgrades along the eight-mile flex lane corridor.

The northbound Bumble Bee Road exit will be closed. Southbound I-17 traffic won’t be affected.

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