Construction halted along Arizona highways during Labor Day weekend

PHOENIX — There will be no state highway closures for construction during the Labor Day weekend, the Arizona Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday.

The transportation department said it won’t schedule construction closures along state highways from Friday through late Monday evening.

In addition, road restrictions along State Route 89A south of Flagstaff will be lifted from noon Friday through 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The speed limits along northbound Interstate 17 between New River and Sunset Point Rest Area will be reduced by 10 mph on Friday. The speed limits along the same stretch of southbound I-17 will be reduced by 10 mph on Monday.

The department said the speed limits will be reduced “in an effort to reduce crashes and delays that result from speeding and driver inattention.” Temporary speed limit signs will be enacted to enforce the reduction.

The department, along with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, will be staging equipment, such as loaders and utility trucks, in an effort to minimize travel delays and respond to crashes and stalled vehicles.

This effort will be present in three high-traffic zones: I-17 between north Phoenix and Flagstaff, Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson and State Route 87 between Mesa and Payson.

The changes along Arizona highways will be done in an effort to reduce “the chance of serious crashes that often create long travel delays and close highways.”

“Across Arizona last year, seven fatal crashes claimed eight lives over the Labor Day weekend. Alcohol played a role in three of those fatal crashes,” the department said in a press release.

However, restrictions in existing work zones — including I-10 in the West Valley and segments of I-40 near Kingman, Williams and Flagstaff — will remain in place during the holiday weekend.

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