A massive freeway project is nearing completion.
(ADOT)
The key phrase: “weather permitting.”
With that understood, commuters and others who travel a key stretch of the Loop 101 in Scottsdale can breathe a sigh of relief.
The end of a massive, two-year, backup-causing construction project is near …
“At this time we expect completion by the end of July, but weather and other factors can affect a project timeline,” an Arizona Department of Transportation spokesman said.
The anticipated two-year project that began in January 2024 is stretching several months beyond the original estimate.
The major part of construction has been finished for months, as the widening project between Princess and Shea ended over a month ago.
The widening was followed by paving, which started in late April and is scheduled to end by late summer.
There is still work to be done, however.
ADOT advises drivers to plan for the following restrictions as work continues on the Loop 101 (Pima Freeway), Princess Drive/Pima Road to Shea Boulevard pavement project in north Scottsdale:
North- and southbound Loop 101 will be narrowed to two lanes in each direction between Shea Boulevard and Princess Drive/Pima Road from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday night, June 10, and Thursday night June 11, and again from 10 p.m. Friday, June 12, to 5 a.m. Monday, June 15.
During this time, expect closures of:
• Shea Boulevard on- and off-ramps;
• Cactus Road on- and off-ramps;
• Raintree Drive on- and off-ramps;
• Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard on- and off-ramps;
• Pima Road on- and off-ramps.
Ramp detours: Drivers may consider using the next on- or off-ramp along the freeway. Consecutive on- and off-ramps will not be closed simultaneously.
Follow the signed detour routes.
A full description of the work thus far explains, “The Princess-to-Shea pavement improvement project, which removed the top layer of surface asphalt and is diamond-grinding the concrete pavement to provide a smoother, more durable surface, began in late April and is scheduled to be completed this summer.”
According to ADOT, “The Arizona Department of Transportation, in partnership with the City of Scottsdale, widened Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) between Princess Drive/Pima Road and Shea Boulevard by one general-purpose lane in each direction and modified existing interchanges to improve traffic flow on Loop 101 and the cross streets.”
The new lanes give that stretch of Loop 101 four regular lanes and the existing HOV lanes in each direction.
The project is the latest in a series of projects to widen approximately 35 miles of Loop 101 between Interstate 17 in north Phoenix and Loop 202 Santan Freeway in Chandler.