Phoenix motorists should expect interruptions to travel across several busy corridors this weekend as highway crews complete scheduled work along three major freeways. The closures begin Friday evening and extend through portions of the weekend, with crews performing pavement improvements and lane expansions that will require sustained shutdowns of multiple lanes.
Aerial view of a charred car carrier and emergency vehicles on a rural highway — scenes like this can force temporary closures and disrupt weekend travel.
Perhaps the most consequential shutdown for central‑area travelers will be on SR 51. Northbound lanes of the state route will be closed between the Mini Stack interchange and Colter Street so crews can complete pavement work. Officials have scheduled the shutdown to begin at 9:00 p.m. Friday and continue through 5:00 a.m. Monday, meaning the route will be unavailable to northbound motorists for much of the holiday weekend window.
In the East Valley, two other closures will affect drivers in Chandler, Gilbert and the Mesa/Tempe corridor. One of those shutdowns will close the eastbound lanes of Loop 202 Santan between McQueen Road and Lindsay Road. The work in that stretch is part of a widening project intended to increase capacity. That closure is scheduled to begin at 10:00 p.m. Friday and extend through 5:00 a.m. Monday.
Aerial shot of multi‑lane freeway traffic and service vehicles near an industrial area — drivers should expect delays during the planned July 10–13 weekend closures.
The third listed closure affects a portion of Loop 101 Price near the interchange with Loop 202 Red Mountain. A segment of the 101 from McKellips Road to University Drive will be closed for pavement improvements. The advisory for that stretch lists the time window as beginning Friday at 8:00 p.m. and ending Friday at 5:00 a.m.
For travelers planning to use any of these roadways during the July 10–13 window, the transportation notice provides a full breakdown of closures, start and end times and the specific mileposts affected. The state’s travel advisory page includes maps and updates that may be useful for planning. Motorists are encouraged to review that information before departing and to leave extra time for trips that normally use these corridors.
Work zone safety remains a priority while crews are operating on the freeway system. Drivers approaching and moving through these closures should be prepared to slow down, follow posted signage and merge safely as traffic patterns change. Law enforcement and highway crews will be on site to help direct traffic and protect workers while the projects are underway.
The shutdowns are intended to allow contractors to carry out concentrated construction and maintenance activity without repeated nightly lane reductions that extend the length of the projects. By closing entire segments over the long weekend, agencies say the work can move forward more quickly, though the closures will require travelers to choose alternate routes or shift travel times to avoid the affected stretches.
Those with questions about specific closures or who need the most current information on detours and lane reopenings should consult the state transportation website for the weekend advisory. Notices like this are posted in advance so commuters and weekend travelers can plan routes and timing to minimize delays while crews complete the planned improvements.
The official ADOT advisory confirms that all three closures run until 5 a.m. Monday, July 13, and recommends specific detours: northbound I-17 or 16th/24th/32nd streets for the SR 51 closure; Pecos or Germann roads for eastbound Loop 202 Santan; and local routes such as southbound Hayden Road/McClintock Drive for the southbound Loop 101 segment. Real-time conditions and potential schedule changes are available on AZ511.gov and the AZ511 mobile app.
ADOT’s advisory lists specific ramp closures for the weekend: all I‑10 and Loop 202 ramps to northbound SR 51 will be closed during the SR 51 shutdown; eastbound Loop 202 on‑ramps at Dobson Road, Alma School Road and Arizona Avenue will be closed during the Santan closure; and for the Loop 101 closure ADOT says the east‑ and westbound Loop 202 ramps to southbound Loop 101 will be closed, and southbound Loop 101 on‑ramps at Indian School, Thomas and McDowell roads also will be closed.
The SR 51 work is part of a 9.5‑mile pavement rehabilitation between I‑10 and Shea Boulevard that began in March 2026, is expected to take about six months, and is funded in part by Proposition 479; the project includes diamond grinding, bridge deck and joint repairs, pavement removal and resurfacing, and replacement of lane striping and markings.
For questions or project updates ADOT provides a bilingual project information line at 855‑712‑8530 and an email contact for the SR 51 project at [email protected], in addition to real‑time highway information available through AZ511.