Part of Laveen street reopens after South Mountain Freeway construction

PHOENIX — Part of a roadway in Laveen reopened this week after crews worked for four months to complete the first phase of work on the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway interchange.

The Arizona Department of Transportation said Southern Avenue reopened between 61st Drive and 64th Avenue in Laveen on Monday.

The closure began on Nov. 27 and allowed Connect 202 Partners crews to build the southern half of the interchange, one of 13 on the 22-mile freeway.

Crews also installed underground utilities and drainage structures, built columns, abutments and retaining walls that will support a 125-foot-long bridge and repaved Southern Avenue during this time. 

The next steps will include paving the ramps and mainline freeway, installing signage, constructing retaining walls, finishing construction of the Southern Avenue bridge, completing final striping and adding landscaping.

Adam Brahm, the department’s resident engineer, said this latest closure allowed the department to “accelerate construction and keep us on track toward opening the South Mountain Freeway by late 2019.

“While closing Southern Avenue was certainly impactful to Laveen motorists in the last few months, in the long run this freeway will alleviate some of the growing traffic congestion on local roadways,” Brahm said in a statement.

The South Mountain Freeway interchange will be a 22-mile freeway that will provide a direct link between the West Valley and the East Valley.

It was approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan.

It was expected to be complete in 2019.

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