Overnight Restrictions on I-17 Southbound This Weekend

ADOT has announced overnight lane restrictions on southbound I-17 in north Phoenix, starting this week.Photo byDarwin VegheronUnsplash

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) issued a traffic advisory Wednesday, announcing overnight lane restrictions on southbound Interstate 17 in north Phoenix.

ADOT recommends that drivers budget extra time for their commute and avoid using local streets, as they are not designed to handle freeway traffic.

These restrictions will begin Friday night and reduce southbound I-17 to a single lane between State Route 74/Carefree Highway and Dixileta Drive.

Closures will be in effect from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, and from 9 p.m. Sunday until 5 a.m. Monday, according to ADOT.

This section of I-17, a 6-mile stretch between Happy Valley Road and State Route 74, is undergoing extensive repairs, with crews using specialized diamond grinding techniques to smooth the existing concrete surface after the removal of older asphalt, ADOT says.

ADOT is advising drivers to plan ahead and allow extra travel time if using I-17 during these restricted hours.

Motorists are also urged to avoid detouring onto local streets, which are not designed for freeway traffic, despite possible recommendations from navigation apps.

According to ADOT, these restrictions are part of a broader project that includes additional closures scheduled for the following weekends:

• Friday, Oct. 11: Southbound I-17 will be reduced to one lane starting at SR 74/Carefree Highway, and fully closed at Loop 303/Sonoran Desert Drive. Traffic will use off- and on-ramps.
• Friday, Oct. 18: Southbound I-17 will be fully closed at Loop 303, before narrowing to one lane between Loop 303 and Happy Valley Road.