PHOENIX — The eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 will be closed this weekend between State Route 51 and the US 60 for a traffic shift.
The closure starts June 21 at 10 p.m. and ends June 24 at 4 a.m.
Drivers in the far West Valley needing to get to Chandler or Gilbert can use the Loop 202 as an alternate route to get to Chandler Boulevard, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
The designated detour route for motorists traveling east on I-10 is to take eastbound Loop 202 to southbound Loop 101 and then westbound US 60.
Access to the following ramps will also be restricted during this weekend's closure:
- Loop ramp from southbound SR-143 to eastbound I-10.
- The ramp from southbound Interstate 17 to eastbound I-10.
- The westbound Loop 202 ramp to eastbound I-10.
- The ramps from southbound SR 51 to eastbound I-10.
- The HOV ramp from eastbound I-10 to eastbound Loop 202.
UP TO SPEED
What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
