ADOT to close southbound I-17 section this weekend

Southbound Interstate 17 will be closed at Jomax Road in north Phoenix this weekend as pavement improvement work continues.

The closure is scheduled from 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 19, state transportation officials said.

Traffic will detour along the southbound I-17 off- and on-ramps at Jomax Road. Southbound I-17 also will be narrowed to one lane between Loop 303 and Jomax Road.

Drivers should consider traveling during non-peak morning or nighttime hours and stay on the designated detour route, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

ADOT offers the following travel tips for those planning travel in the area:

• Stay on the detour route regardless of what a navigation app may suggest. Avoid attempting to detour on local streets, which are not designed for large traffic volumes.
• ADOT will be placing local-only closures at neighborhood entrances on several streets near I-17 to help keep detouring traffic off local roadways. Law enforcement officers will be stationed at intersections throughout the area to assist with traffic flow.

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org .