I17 Improvement Project

The 23-mile section of Interstate 17 (I-17) between Anthem Way and Sunset Point is one of the most heavily utilized roadways in Arizona, seeing more than 1 million travelers each year.

Currently, I-17 has two travel lanes in each direction between Anthem Way, north of Phoenix, and Flagstaff. The highway passes through rolling terrain in the southern and northern segments and mountainous terrain with steep, narrow lanes between Black Canyon City and Sunset Point.

We look forward to improving this stretch of I-17 north of Phoenix. The work includes widening 15 miles of roadway, replacing two bridges and widening 10 others, and constructing approximately eight miles of flex lanes.

What are Flex Lanes?

The flex lane system is a proven technology to alleviate traffic congestion during peak travel times, or if an unplanned incident creates delays. The flex lanes will operate as an additional two-lane roadway that carries one direction of traffic at a time and can alternate between north- and southbound depending on the greatest need due to capacity.

Construction began in 2022 and ADOT anticipates it will take approximately three years to complete. This timeline makes it possible for the project team to minimize impacts on the traveling public while work is underway. Because much of the travel and congestion on I-17 occurs on weekends, lane closures will primarily be limited to weeknights from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. However, travelers should remain cautious in the construction zone, which will be active seven days a week. No weekend lane closures will be scheduled for construction, which allows you to use I-17 during peak travel days and times with limited construction impacts or restrictions. (A closure might occur on a weekend because of an emergency or unplanned incident.)

(Information provided by ADOT - improvingi17.com)