South Mountain Freeway construction advances along 59th Avenue
Jun 10, 2019, 4:15 AM | Updated: Jun 18, 2019, 11:57 am
(ADOT Photo)
(ADOT Photo)
PHOENIX — Construction on the future Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway is advancing along 59th Avenue in the West Valley.
“The Arizona Department of Transportation is keeping momentum moving forward on the state’s largest freeway project ever, which is the South Mountain Freeway,” spokesman Dustin Krugel told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Thursday.
The department said in a press release that crews have made “significant” progress on the freeway’s Papago segment between Interstate 10 and Lower Buckeye Road this year.
“Just recently, we just placed the very final bridge girder, these very large support beams, for a new interchange at Van Buren Street,” Krugel said.
RELATED STORIES
Crews also started construction on the 59th Avenue northbound frontage road between Buckeye Road and Van Buren Street.
They opened the future southbound stretch in that area to carry two-way traffic until the northbound road is completed.
The freeway will include 2.5-mile frontage roads to maintain access to businesses and residences adjacent to the freeway between Roosevelt Street and Lower Buckeye Road, the department said.
Crews also poured the concrete bridge deck this year for the Lower Buckeye Road interchange and built an overpass over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.
With lane closures still in place along 59th Avenue, ADOT recommends drivers use alternate routes, including 51st and 67th avenues, through late 2019.
“In this particular area between Roosevelt Street and Lower Buckeye Road … we’ve had heavy traffic restrictions for this year,” Krugel said.
“And those are going to continue until the end of the year, when we anticipate being able to move traffic onto the South Mountain Freeway.”
The freeway, expected to be completed in 2020, will be a 22-mile link between the East Valley and West Valley and provide a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix.
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.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Madison Spence contributed to this report.
Array
