Broadway Curve Upgrade Stalled: Flooding and State Restrictions Hamper Progress, ADOT Reports

PHOENIX — The Broadway Curve Improvement Project, an extensive overhaul of an 11-mile stretch of Interstate 10 through Phoenix, is exiting its construction phase but still faces several months until completion. Initially slated for a late 2024 finish, the timeline has shifted due to various delays.

More than 300,000 vehicles navigate this corridor daily. ADOT spokesperson Marcy McMacken assured that the project will meet its new target. “Everything will be all done and completed by this spring,” she stated, highlighting a hopeful turnaround.

The project, which runs between the Loop 202 and Interstate 17 near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, has significantly broadened I-10 to six lanes and two HOV lanes. Additional features include collector-distributor roads and the widening and replacement of several bridges.

While congestion has eased due to these improvements, the project’s cost has escalated. Initially estimated at $615 million when construction commenced in fall 2021, the current projection has surged to approximately $832 million. This change reflects upgrades such as smarter traffic signal systems and the installation of wrong-way detection systems.

Delays have plagued the project, including those caused by prior flooding from the Salt River, which hindered progress for four months. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has been cautious about closing the freeway during peak travel seasons to minimize impacts on motorists, especially tourists during spring training.

McMacken noted that weekend and holiday road closures are limited to further accommodate traffic flow. Funding for this ambitious project stems from federal sources and a half-cent sales tax approved by voters, confirming its significance as ADOT’s largest urban freeway reconstruction effort.