Construction, parade, festival will tie up roadways across Valley this weekend

Headed out this weekend to go shopping or attend holiday events? Here are some freeway and road closures to watch out for.

BY JEFF VINTON

Dec 5, 2025, 11:53 AM Updated: 1:19 pm

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PHOENIX — While the Valley’s freeways are not scheduled to have any major closures this weekend, a couple of holiday season events will cause surface street closures.

In its Weekend Freeway Traffic Advisory for Dec. 5-8, the Arizona Department of Transportation said the only scheduled closures motorists will need to watch out for will affect freeway ramps.

Meanwhile, roads will close in downtown Tempe and central Phoenix.

🚧 Only ramp closures on this Weekend Freeway Travel Advisory!
🚘 Northbound I-17 ramp to Loop 303/Sonoran Desert Drive
🚘 North- & southbound I-17 ramps to westbound Loop 101
🚘 Northbound Loop 101 (Pima) off-ramp at Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard

Details: https://t.co/aQO82mvAIr pic.twitter.com/pIC3RDQxON

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) December 5, 2025

Weather or other factors could cause plans to change, ADOT added.

Which freeway ramps will be closed in metro Phoenix over the weekend?

Two freeway ramps in north Phoenix and two freeway off-ramps in Scottsdale will shut down over the weekend.

North Phoenix freeway ramp closures

In north Phoenix, the ramp from northbound Interstate 17 to Loop 303/Sonoran Desert Drive is scheduled to be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday due to an ongoing ramp widening project.

Motorists can avoid this closure by exiting I-17 at Dove Valley Road and driving west to 43rd Avenue and then going south to connect with Loop 303.

Additionally, the north- and southbound ramps from I-17 to the westbound lanes of the Loop 101 Agua Fria Freeway will close overnight from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday due to a widening project.

ADOT recommends that motorists take either Union Hills Drive or Deer Valley Road to 35th Avenue, which can then be used to get onto Loop 101.

Weekend freeway ramp closures in Scottsdale

In Scottsdale, the northbound Loop 101 Pima Freeway is scheduled to have the following ramps closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday:

The off-ramp at Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard.
The on-ramp at Shea Boulevard.

Additionally, the Loop 101 frontage road is scheduled to be closed between Raintree Drive and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard.

According to ADOT, the closure of the Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard off-ramp is due to paving, as part of the ongoing freeway widening project in that area, which recently saw new north- and southbound lanes open between Princess Drive and Shea Boulevard.

To avoid the closure of that ramp, the traffic authority recommends that motorists exit northbound Loop 101 at Raintree Drive, drive west to Hayden Road and then head north to connect with Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard.

Alternatively, motorists can get off northbound Loop 101 at the Princess Drive/Pima Road exit and then use the southbound frontage road to reach Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard.

To get around the closure of the Shea Boulevard on-ramp, ADOT said drivers can head north on either Hayden Road or 92nd Street until reaching Cactus Road, which connects with Loop 101.

Weekend road closures due to holiday events in Tempe, Phoenix

In downtown Tempe, multiple roads are closed due to the Tempe Festival of the Arts, while in Phoenix, multiple roads will be closed due to the APS Electric Light Parade on Saturday.

Tempe Festival of the Arts weekend road closures

More than 350 vendors will line the streets of downtown Tempe this weekend, offering their wares to holiday shoppers.

The following roads closed Thursday and will not reopen until 5 a.m. Monday:

Mill Avenue between Rio Salado Parkway and University Drive.
Maple Avenue between Fourth and Seventh Streets.
Third Street between Mill and Ash avenues.
Fourth Street between Mill Avenue and Maple Avenue/Tower Drive.
Fifth Street between Ash and Myrtle avenues.
Sixth Street between Mill Avenue and Maple Avenue/Tower Drive.
Seventh Street between the Westin alley east of Mill Avenue and Maple Avenue/Tower Drive.

Additionally, local traffic will only be allowed on Seventh Street west of Myrtle Avenue.

Through Sunday night, the festival will impact public transit, including bus service and the Tempe Streetcar. More information can be found on the city of Tempe’s website.

APS Electric Light Parade weekend road closures

The 38th annual APS Electric Light Parade will be held in central Phoenix on Saturday night and will lead to several road closures from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., including: