Last girders for new interchange in place, but more I-10 closures ahead

PHOENIX – Construction on the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway interchange at Interstate 10 in west Phoenix will continue to impact Valley traffic, but it won’t be because of girders.

Crews installed the final 21 concrete support beams two weekends ago, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The largest of them was 128 feet long and weighed 115,000 pounds.

Cranes have been used to set 186 girders to support the interchange’s five flyover ramps, necessitating multiple weekend freeway closures.

However, closures will be in place each of the next two weekends on I-10 for work related to the project.

Westbound I-10 from 51st to 83rd avenues will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday so a fresh layer of rubberized asphalt can be applied. The westbound on-ramps at 27th, 35th, 43rd, 67th and 75th avenues will also be closed.

The following weekend, I-10 will be closed for repaving over the same stretch for eastbound traffic, from 9 p.m. May 17 to 4 a.m. May 20. The eastbound on-ramps at 99th, 91st, 83rd, 79th and 75th avenues will also be closed, along with the ramp from the Loop 101 Agua Freeway to eastbound I-10.

The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway will provide an alternate connection between the East Valley and West Valley that bypasses downtown Phoenix.

The entire project requires the placement of 1,000 girders.

Construction began two years ago and is scheduled to wrap up in 2020, although parts of it will be open to traffic by the end of this year.

ADOT provides real-time highway conditions online, on Twitter or over the phone at 511.

Drivers can also get alerts and alternate route notifications via ADOT’s mobile app.

Get the latest KTAR News 92.3 FM traffic alerts sent straight to your phone by texting “TRAFFIC” to 411923.

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