Work to begin Monday night on I-17 improvement project north of Phoenix

PHOENIX – Work is scheduled to begin Monday night on a long-planned freeway improvement project north of Phoenix, transportation officials said.

Construction to widen Interstate 17 from Anthem to Black Canyon City and add “flex” lanes from Black Canyon City to Sunset Point is expected to take three years at a cost of $446 million, the Arizona Department of Transportation said Monday.

The agency said drivers should expect ongoing disruptions along the 23-mile stretch, which includes 15 miles for widening and 8 for the flex lanes.

Lanes in either direction will generally be closed during off-peak hours – with some daytime work but mostly 7 p.m.-6 a.m., ADOT said. Closures that could interfere with travel won’t be scheduled weekends or holidays.

First up is repair to guardrails and work zone preparation consisting of paving shoulder areas, pulling up rumble strips and setting up temporary concrete barriers.

Work will start Monday at New River Road, where traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction for bridge work. Construction will last through the end of 2025.

“The I-17 Improvement Project is an important investment in Arizona’s transportation infrastructure,” Gov. Doug Ducey said a press release.

“All who travel I-17 regularly for weekend trips and daily commutes will benefit, including commercial truckers who use this key commerce corridor to haul goods and services throughout our state. This project is critical for Arizona drivers and our state’s economy.”

Two bridges will be replaced while 10 others will be widened, ADOT said.

When built, the new flex portion will operate as a separate two-lane roadway open to one direction of traffic at a time, depending on need.

ADOT said the flex lanes will be able to carry heavy northbound traffic on a Friday or heavy southbound traffic on a Sunday. Similarly, ADOT will be able to open the flex lanes to accommodate traffic any time if a crash or other incident causes long delays.

The two flex lanes will be next to southbound I-17, separated by concrete barriers.

Access to the flex-lane entrances will be controlled by gates. Overhead message signs will alert drivers to the open direction of the lanes.

The project was partially funded with $50 million from Prop. 400, a sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004.

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