Fourth of July travelers: Prepare for slow traffic on Interstate 17 when heading back to Valley

Officials warned of slow traffic on southbound Interstate 17 for those heading home to the Valley Sunday with Fourth of July weekend ending.

The Arizona Department of Transportation said backups on the freeway began building near Camp Verde and Cordes Lake around 1 p.m.

There is notably some debris blocking the left lane of I-17 near Coldwater Road (milepost 244), which was reported around 4:50 p.m.

All road closures were suspended over the holiday weekend, but ADOT officials still advise drivers to allow for extra time and pack an emergency kit. This includes water, first-aid supplies, a flashlight and a fully charged cell phone.

Get the latest KTAR News 92.3 FM traffic alerts sent straight to your phone by texting “TRAFFIC” to 620620.

Related

Southbound Loop 101 Pima Freeway reopens in Scottsdale after fiery crashADOT brings back Safety Message ContestNo injuries reported after 3 train cars go off track in MesaWestbound Loop 202 Santan Freeway in Gilbert reopens after deadly chain reaction crashWestbound Interstate 10 reopens after crash in ChandlerSR 87 reopens northeast of metro Phoenix after vehicle fire