ADOT expands work hours on Arizona freeways amid coronavirus outbreak
Apr 13, 2020, 4:15 AM | Updated: 7:41 am
(ADOT photo)
(ADOT photo)
PHOENIX — As more drivers stay off the roadways due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Arizona Department of Transportation is taking advantage of the decrease in traffic and extending work hours for multiple projects across the state.
Normally conducted at night and on weekends to reduce the headache to drivers, ADOT will be able to start earlier and add work on weekdays.
“We usually close lanes from 10 p.m. on a Friday until 5 a.m. on Monday,” Randy Everett of ADOT said in a press release. “Now we’re finding that when we put in closures at 8 p.m. or even 7:30, there’s no line of traffic. We’re able to get our work done without creating an inconvenience for drivers.”
Work is set to begin earlier in the evening on the Loop 101 Pima Freeway and Loop 101 Price Freeway projects in the west Valley, while paving may be extended to additional weekdays on the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.
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Nighttime lane closures are beginning earlier in the evening at Interstate 10 and Ruthrauff Road in Tucson, and the project to widen and improve the Interstate 17 bridge over McConnell Drive in Flagstaff will be accelerated with the full closure of McConnell Drive beginning April 13 instead of waiting for summer due to Northern Arizona University moving all classes online.
Rest areas remain open statewide, along with two near Flagstaff that recently reopened exclusively for use by commercial vehicles after being shuttered previously.
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The number of vehicles on roadways in Maricopa County dropped 37% from the start of the March to the end, according to data compiled by analytics company INRIX that covered all major highways and most high-capacity surface roads in the county.
The “Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected” executive order issued by Gov. Doug Ducey on March 30 will remain in place until at least April 30, requiring all Arizona residents to stay in their homes except for essential needs.
Arizona surpassed 3,000 positive cases of the coronavirus on Thursday.
