Two full freeway closures will disrupt West Valley travel from Friday night, Oct. 2, through Monday morning, Oct. 5, with westbound Loop 101 closing in north Glendale and westbound Loop 303 closing near Interstate 17.
The Arizona Department of Transportation’s updated Loop 101 notice says the planned closure direction was changed from eastbound to westbound. Drivers who saw an earlier notice should check the revised schedule before traveling.
Both closures are scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. Friday and end by 5 a.m. Monday. ADOT says schedules can change because of weather or other conditions.
Westbound Loop 101 closes from 51st to 75th Avenue
Westbound Loop 101 will close between 51st and 75th avenues from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday. The westbound on-ramps at 27th and 35th avenues also will close.
The ramps from both northbound and southbound I-17 to westbound Loop 101 will be closed. Drivers approaching the Agua Fria Freeway from I-17 should expect to use surface streets, with Union Hills Drive serving as the primary east-west alternative through the area.
ADOT initially listed an eastbound closure for the same segment and dates. Its updated notice now identifies westbound Loop 101 as the closure direction. Because the direction changed after the initial announcement, drivers should follow posted detour signs and verify the restriction on AZ511 before leaving.
The work is part of ADOT’s $140 million Loop 101 widening project between I-17 and 75th Avenue. The project is adding a general-purpose lane in each direction and making interchange, bridge, lighting and drainage improvements. Construction began in September 2024 and is scheduled for completion in spring 2027.
Westbound Loop 303 closes from I-17 to 43rd Avenue
Westbound Loop 303 will close between I-17 and 43rd Avenue from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday. The closure continues work on the new I-17/Loop 303 interchange.
ADOT’s Loop 303 restriction notice directs northbound I-17 drivers to use the frontage road to westbound Dove Valley Road, then travel south on 43rd Avenue to reach Loop 303. Southbound I-17 drivers can exit at Dove Valley Road, travel west and turn south on 43rd Avenue.
Westbound Loop 303 is also narrowed to one lane between I-17 and 43rd Avenue through October, with a posted 45 mph work-zone speed limit. After the weekend closure, nightly westbound closures are scheduled from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday morning, Oct. 9.
The $129 million interchange project is building direct freeway-to-freeway ramps between I-17 and Loop 303 and adding one lane in each direction on Loop 303 between I-17 and 51st Avenue. ADOT expects the overall project to be completed in 2028.
West Valley Post previously explained the Loop 303 closure sequence and interchange construction. The broader corridor timeline is maintained in the Loop 303 Development & Infrastructure Tracker.
Check conditions before traveling
Drivers should allow extra time on Union Hills Drive, Dove Valley Road, 43rd Avenue and other nearby surface streets. Current closure status is available at AZ511.gov, through the AZ511 mobile app or by calling 511.
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