South Mountain Freeway interchange at 40th Street set to open Friday

PHOENIX — The South Mountain Freeway interchange at 40th Street in Phoenix is set to open to drivers late Friday, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

“It is the very first interchange to open as part of the 22-mile South Mountain Freeeway,” ADOT spokesman Tom Hermann told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

“So we’re very excited to hit this milestone and push on toward completion.”

The agency closed the intersection at Pecos Road and 40th Street for the project back in May.

Lots of activity at 40th Street so we can open the #SouthMountainFreeway interchange later today – the first interchange to open on the 22-mile freeway. pic.twitter.com/j4ZOj1xd05

— Tom_Herrmann (@AdotHerrmann) September 6, 2019

“For the last four months, we’ve had a section of 40th Street closed right here by the city’s park and ride,” Hermann said.

“The drivers will be able to come and go into Ahwatukee off of the South Mountain Freeway (and) will be able to access this park and ride. It should open up a lot of things for this neighborhood.”

The new interchange has eastbound and westbound ramps, two turn lanes to enter the freeway eastbound and access to the park and ride from the westbound on-ramp.

The freeway, expected to be completed in 2020, will provide a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix.

“We’re expecting about 117,000 vehicles a day by early next year to use the South Mountain Freeway as a connection from the East Valley to the West Valley,” Hermann said.

Sept. 16 will mark the third anniversary of the start of construction on the freeway.

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 Jeremy Foster contributed to this report. 

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