2 major freeway closures to avoid in the Valley this weekend

PHOENIX – Drivers should allow extra travel time this weekend as two Valley freeway projects bring lane closures and detours.

The westbound Loop 202 Santan Freeway will close at Lindsay Road in Gilbert starting 10 p.m. Friday and reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, the Arizona Department of Transportation said in its Weekend Freeway Travel Advisory for March 13-16.

This weekend, plan for a pair of freeway closures:

🚧 Southbound SR 51 between Cactus Road and Northern Avenue 9 p.m. Friday, March 13-5 a.m. Monday, March 16.
🚧 WB Loop 202 at Lindsay Road 10 p.m. Friday, March 13-5 a.m. Monday (March 16).

Details: https://t.co/yLUZX7Zf9V pic.twitter.com/l5xsRSLBQV

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) March 13, 2026

The westbound Loop 202 on-ramps at Williams Field Road, Santan Village Parkway and Val Vista Drive will also be closed for work on an ongoing widening project on the East Valley freeway.

Westbound Loop 202 traffic can detour along the Lindsay Road exit and entry ramps during the mainline closure. Alternate routes include westbound Williams Field, Pecos or Germann roads to Gilbert Road or westbound US 60.

SR 51 closing this weekend for pavement work

The other spot to watch is in the central Phoenix area, where a pavement improvement project is getting underway on State Route 51.

Southbound SR 51 will be closed between Cactus Road and Northern Avenue from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. The southbound SR 51 on-ramps at Bell, Greenway and Thunderbird roads will also be closed.

Drivers can use southbound I-17 or southbound Loop 101 as alternate freeway routes. Expect heavy traffic and delays near the closure.

Festival-filled weekend means even more closures

Outside the freeway system, Phoenix will close part of Jefferson Avenue for the Red Bull Showrun, expected to draw 30,000 spectators downtown.

Tempe’s Festival of the Arts also closes local street all weekend, shutting down Mill Avenue and nearby roads through 5 a.m. Monday.

All times above are subject to change.

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