Here’s what metro Phoenix drivers should know about Labor Day weekend traffic
Aug 30, 2024, 11:40 AM | Updated: 12:05 pm
Labor Day traffic in metro Phoenix could be heavy at times over the holiday weekend. (Arizona Department of Transportation File Photo)
(Arizona Department of Transportation File Photo)
PHOENIX — There aren’t any closures scheduled along the metro Phoenix freeway system this holiday weekend, but that doesn’t mean Labor Day traffic won’t be problematic.
In fact, drivers can expect delays as Valley residents escape en masse to cooler climates or visit family and friends during the last three-day weekend of the summer.
Travelers can avoid the worst of it by hitting the road during off-peak hours if possible, especially on Friday and Monday. Labor Day traffic is lightest in the early-morning or late-evening hours.
While there isn’t any additional construction to worry about, motorists should take care as they navigate existing work zones. That includes the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project near the Phoenix-Tempe border and rockfall mitigation work on State Route 89A between Flagstaff and Sedona.
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In addition, several Loop 101 Pima Freeway ramps are closed in Scottsdale as part of a freeway improvement project.
To be prepared for the unexpected, road trippers should pack an emergency travel kit with extra drinking water, blankets, first-aid supplies, a flashlight, batteries, a cellphone charger, snacks and tools. Cellphones should be fully charged to start the trip, too.
On the positive side, Arizona gas prices have dropped quite a bit since last Labor Day. The state average for a gallon was $3.449 on Friday, down 88 cents from the same time a year ago, according to AAA.
Labor Day traffic can turn deadly with alcohol in the mix
Meanwhile, anybody planning to relax over the holiday weekend with a few drinks should plan ahead so they don’t end up behind the wheel.
More than 30 people were killed in collisions on Arizona roads over the last two Labor Day weekends, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Last year alone, 18 people died in 15 fatal crashes. Alcohol was a factor in six of the deaths, ADOT said.
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