Mill Avenue/University Drive intersection in Tempe closed for several days for construction

PHOENIX – The intersection of Mill Avenue and University Drive will be closed to all traffic starting Saturday and lasting until 4 a.m. on Wednesday.

The closure is due to construction of Tempe’s Downtown Mill Avenue Streetscape Project.

Work will be going on around the clock and there will be an effort to reduce noise during construction, the city said in a press release.

What detours will be in place during the closure?

The city recommends anyone planning to go to City Hall to take Priest Drive or Rural Road detours and turn onto Fifth Street. Those taking Rural Road can turn onto University Drive and access Veterans Way and enter Fifth Street.

Here are detours:

• Westbound traffic on University Drive will be detoured at Rural Road.
• Eastbound traffic on University Drive will be detoured at Priest Drive.
• Northbound traffic on Mill Avenue will be detoured at Apache Boulevard/13th Street.
• Southbound traffic on Mill Avenue will be detoured at Rio Salado Parkway.

How will transit routes be affected?

Some transit routes will be detoured for the entirety of the intersection closure. The city of Tempe provided a list of routes and the detours in its press release.

• 30 Eastbound: Regular route to University Drive/Ash Avenue; north on Ash Avenue to Fifth Street; east on Fifth Street to College Avenue; south on College Avenue to University Drive; east on University Drive to resume regular route.
• 30 Westbound: Regular route to University Drive/College Avenue; north on College Avenue to Fifth Street; west on Fifth Street to Ash Avenue; south on Ash Avenue to University Drive; west on University Drive to resume regular route.
• 66 Northbound: Regular route to Mill Avenue/13th Street; east on 13th Street (becomes Apache Boulevard) to McAllister Avenue; north on McAllister Avenue (becomes Veterans Way) to Tempe Transportation Center.
• 66 Southbound: From Tempe Transportation Center – East on Fifth Street (becomes Veterans Way) to University Drive; south on McAllister Avenue to Apache Boulevard; west on Apache Boulevard (becomes 13th Street) to Mill Avenue; south on Mill Avenue to resume regular route.
• Jupiter Northbound: Regular route to College Avenue/Apache Boulevard; east on Apache Boulevard to McAllister Avenue; north on McAllister Avenue (becomes Veterans Way) to Tempe Transportation Center.
• Jupiter Southbound: From Tempe Transportation Center – East on Fifth Street (becomes Veterans Way) to University Drive; south on McAllister Avenue to Apache Boulevard; west on Apache Boulevard to College Avenue; south on College Avenue to resume regular route.
• Mercury Eastbound: From Tempe Transportation Center – East on Fifth Street to College Avenue; south on College Avenue to University Drive; east on University Drive to resume regular route.
• Venus Forward: From Tempe Transportation Center – west on Fifth Street to Farmer Avenue; south on Farmer Avenue to 10th Street; resume regular route.
• Venus Back: Regular route to Farmer Avenue/10th Street; north on Farmer Avenue to Fifth Street; east on Fifth Street to the Tempe Transportation Center.
• The streetcar will operate a limited service between Dorsey Lane/Apache Boulevard and Mill Avenue/Ninth Street during this time.

Will some businesses be inaccessible during the closure?

The city said that all businesses will be open during the construction but some businesses will have different ways to access and exit the area. Tempe recommends any visitors to utilize the parking garages available in the nearby area.

• Chase Bank: Entrance/exit will be maintained off Ninth Street. Traffic exiting the Chase Bank parking lot can go either way on Ninth Street or turn southbound onto Mill Avenue.
• Omni Resort: Valet and access off Mill Avenue will be closed. Access will be maintained off of Ninth Street and Mirabella Drive. Traffic exiting the Omni Resort can be routed onto eastbound University Drive or onto Ninth Street.
• Jack-in-the-Box: Entrance/exit will be maintained from Mill Avenue and the alley connection from University Drive.
• T-Mobile: Entrance/exit will be maintained from Mill Avenue and the alley connection from University Drive.
• Pita Jungle: Entrance/exit will be maintained from Mill Avenue and the alley connection from University Drive.

What is the Downtown Mill Avenue Streetscape Project?

The project is part of Tempe’s Downtown Refresh Project, which aims to improve the Mill Avenue streetscape from University Drive to Rio Salado Parkway.

Mill Avenue will see several changes geared to enhancing accessibility and sustainability. Tree canopies will be planted along with improvements to paving, ramps and push buttons in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Mill Avenue and Fifth Street will also see the addition of an all-pedestrian crosswalk.

Construction for the streetscape will happen in phases. The process of electrical installation occurred earlier this summer and the project is currently in its second phase, which focuses on sidewalks, ramps and ADA improvements.