Two separate Loop 101 construction projects will close major West Valley freeway segments from Friday night, Sept. 11, through early Monday, Sept. 14, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
The closures affect westbound Loop 101 between 51st and 75th avenues in the Northwest Valley and northbound Loop 101 between Interstate 10 and Thomas Road. Because both are scheduled for the same weekend, drivers crossing the West Valley may need to plan around more than one work zone.
Westbound Loop 101 closure near Glendale
ADOT says westbound Loop 101 will close between 51st and 75th avenues from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. The northbound and southbound I-17 ramps to westbound Loop 101 will also close, along with the westbound Loop 101 on-ramps at 27th and 35th avenues.
ADOT suggests westbound Union Hills Drive as a detour for motorists who need to travel around the closure or reconnect with Loop 101.
The work is part of the $140 million Loop 101 widening project between 75th Avenue and I-17. The project is adding a general-purpose lane in each direction, widening bridges and making ramp, drainage, lighting and pavement improvements. Construction began in September 2024 and is scheduled for completion in spring 2027.
A fourth westbound lane opened between 51st and 75th avenues after a late-August closure, but other parts of the corridor project remain under construction.
Northbound Loop 101 closure north of I-10
Farther south, northbound Loop 101 will close from I-10 to Thomas Road from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. The eastbound and westbound I-10 ramps to northbound Loop 101 will also be closed.
ADOT suggests using 83rd, 91st or 99th avenues to reach Loop 101 north of the closure. Drivers traveling between I-10 communities and the Northwest Valley should allow extra time, particularly if their route would also encounter the westbound closure near 75th Avenue.
This southern closure is part of a separate Loop 101/I-10 system-interchange project. Work began in mid-May 2026 and is expected to continue for about three years. Planned improvements include a direct high-occupancy-vehicle ramp connecting northbound Loop 101 with eastbound I-10, freeway widening, a new south-to-east slip ramp to 91st Avenue and changes to ramps near McDowell Road.
Schedules can change
The closures are scheduled as of Tuesday, Sept. 8. ADOT notes that construction schedules can change because of weather or other factors. Drivers can check current conditions through AZ511 before leaving.
Featured image: Archival photo of Loop 101 at Interstate 17 in north Phoenix, photographed Sept. 11, 2010 by Alan Stark. The image does not depict the current construction work. Source: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image resized for publication.
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