The northbound lanes of the southernmost stretch of Loop 101 will close this weekend as crews take on another rubberized asphalt project.
The Price Freeway lanes will close from Chandler Boulevard to Elliot Road from 9 p.m. today to 5 a.m. Monday.
A detour will shift drivers onto northbound Price Road, but officials expect traffic will clog it. That area of the Loop 101 averages about 35,000 cars a day per direction — far more than the frontage road can handle.
"Anything close to the Price Freeway is going to be congested," said Jim Phipps, a Chandler streets spokesman.
He encouraged drivers to use McClintock Drive or Dobson Road.
Drivers should expect the same situation next weekend, when the Arizona Department of Transportation plans to pave southbound lanes on the same section.
Also this weekend, crews will close or restrict the following sections of state Route 51 in Phoenix to allow for paving:
• Southbound Route 51 will be closed from Cactus Road to 32nd Street 11 p.m. today to 5 a.m. Sunday.
• Southbound Route 51 will be closed from 32nd Street to Bethany Home Road 11 p.m. today to 8 a.m. Saturday.
• Southbound Route 51 will be restricted to one lane from 32nd Street to Northern Avenue 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday.
• Southbound Route 51 will be restricted to one lane from Cactus to Northern 5 a.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday. Exit ramps in this section will be closed during this time.
• The southbound Route 51 on-ramp at 32nd Street will be closed 9 p.m. today to 8 a.m. Saturday.
