Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) widening project hits one-year mark

Crews working to add new lanes between I-17 and 75th Avenue

PHOENIX - The Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) Improvement Project, which is adding new lanes and other improvements between Interstate 17 and 75th Avenue in the Northwest Valley, reaches the one-year mark this week.

Crews working on the Arizona Department of Transportation's $140 million project have made significant progress with earthwork, bridge work and planned frontage road improvements.

Work started in late Sept. 2024 as the project team set barricades along a 6.5-mile stretch of Loop 101. The entire project is scheduled for completion in spring 2027.

Initial tasks have focused on preparing areas that will hold the new lanes, widening freeway bridges, wall construction and reconstructing several on- or off-ramps.

So far crews have completed:

• 65% of earthwork and ground preparation for the new lanes
• 55% of the retaining and screen wall construction
• Installation of girders for widening freeway bridges at 31st and 51st avenues
• Installation of all of the new LED freeway lighting above the center median

Several on- or off-ramps closed for two months for reconstruction are scheduled to reopen to traffic in the coming weeks, including the westbound on-ramp at 51st Avenue and eastbound off-ramp at 59th Avenue.

Additional ramps will close for two months starting in October, including the westbound off-ramp at 59th Avenue and eastbound on-ramp at 67th Avenue. ADOT will continue to provide updates on ramp closures. Project information is available at azdot.gov/Loop101-75th-ave-I-17.

ADOT is managing the project in partnership with the cities of Phoenix and Glendale as well as the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), which serves as the metropolitan planning organization for the greater Phoenix region. The project is scheduled under MAG's Regional Transportation Plan and is funded through Proposition 400, which includes a countywide half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements approved by voters in 2004.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT's Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.govand via the AZ511 app (download free forAppleand Androiddevices). ADOT also provides highway condition updates via its X feed, @ArizonaDOT.