State Route 88 improvement along 11-mile gravel section begins this week

PHOENIX — An 11.16-mile gravel section of State Route 88 between Apache Lake and the Theodore Roosevelt Dam will undergo paving and other improvements starting this week.

The Arizona Department of Transportation and the Tonto National Forest’s project will work to improve the roadway’s resilience during heavy rainfall and limit the repairs needed after flooding, according to a press release.

The work includes installing an aggregate base and covering it with a chip seal, improving drainage features that are not functional or have been damaged by past floods and improving sight lines at five locations, according to the release.

ADOT expects the $18 million project to take about a year to complete with work scheduled from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays.

Drivers should expect flagging operations and temporary closures up to 20 minutes as crews work. ADOT advised drivers to allow for extra travel time and to slow down.

There is a seven-mile section of SR 88 east of the Fish Creek Overlook closed due to damage and rock debris.

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