Loop 101 Eastbound Closure and Rush-Hour Rallies Impacting Friday Commute

Commute Overview for Friday, February 13

Commuters in the Valley should prepare for a mix of infrastructure-related closures and localized traffic disruptions today. While most major arteries will remain open during the peak morning and afternoon windows, a significant weekend-long closure on the Loop 101 is scheduled to begin late tonight. Additionally, several advocacy rallies planned during rush hour may cause minor delays at specific intersections in North and West Phoenix.

Major Freeway Alert: Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway)

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has announced a full mainline closure of the eastbound Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) in the Northwest Valley. The closure spans from 51st Avenue to Interstate 17 and is set to begin at 10 p.m. tonight, Friday, February 13, lasting until 5 a.m. Monday, February 16. This work is part of a major widening project to enhance capacity in the North Valley.

During this period, the following ramps will also be unavailable:

• Eastbound Loop 101 on-ramps at 75th, 67th, and 59th avenues.
• Periodic HOV lane closures on the westbound Loop 101 between 35th and 51st avenues.

Commuters heading home late tonight should plan to use Bell Road or Union Hills Drive as primary detours to reach I-17 or destinations further east.

Rush-Hour Resistance Rallies

Commuters should exercise caution at two specific locations today due to planned rallies that may impact traffic flow. In the morning, a rally at 25th Avenue and Happy Valley Road is expected between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. Later this afternoon, a separate gathering is scheduled at 35th Avenue and Bethany Home Road from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. While these events are intended to be peaceful, the presence of participants near these high-traffic intersections may cause rubbernecking or minor lane obstructions.

Ongoing Construction and Long-Term Projects

In North Phoenix, the Loop 303 improvement project continues near the I-17 interchange. Drivers can expect heavy equipment movement and narrowed lanes as crews work on the new freeway-to-freeway ramps. In the East Valley, widening work on the Loop 202 between Loop 101 and Val Vista Drive remains active. Although no full closures are scheduled for today, transit speeds may be lower than usual through these work zones.

Public Transport and Valley Metro Updates

Valley Metro has issued several rider alerts for this evening. Starting at 7 p.m., the Mars and Mercury bus routes will experience detours in the Tempe area near Terrace Road/Lemon Street and Dorsey Lane/Lemon Street due to local construction. Commuters using Route 45 and the Roosevelt Storm Drain corridor should also allow for extra travel time as ongoing multi-phase projects continue to impact bus stop locations and schedules.

For those planning ahead for the weekend, please be aware that the Mesa Marathon will cause extensive bus detours across multiple routes in the East Valley on Saturday, February 14.