Westbound I-10 weekend closure in west Phoenix

Westbound 1-10 will be closed from Friday, May 18, to Sunday, May 20, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Motorists traveling to the west valley this weekend should allow extra travel time and plan ahead due to expected heavy traffic and delays.

These closure are expected between 51st and 67th avenue and will allow crews to pour concrete for a structure, known as a straddle bent, that will support one of the flyover bridges connecting I-10 with the South Mountain Freeway.

During the closure, westbound I-10 traffic will be able to exit the freeway at 51st Avenue, detour either north to McDowell Road or south to Van Buren Street and return to westbound I-10 at 67th Avenue. The newly-built westbound I-10 access road between 51st and 67th avenues will also remain open during construction.

The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway, expected to open by late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to I-10 through downtown Phoenix.