The Arizona Department of Transportation is starting some roadwork in early March on a nearly 10-mile stretch of State Route 51 from Interstate10 to Shea Boulevard.
This means drivers will encounter a series of weekend road closures, overnight and lane restrictions.
"Yes, there are going to be some tough decisions that drivers are going to have to make. When the freeway is closed, they're going to have to use alternate routes. And whether it is surface streets such as 16th Street or Tatum Boulevard, or we'll probably be getting the word out to think about using Interstate 17," said ADOT spokesperson Doug Nintzel.
Nintzel says the rubberized asphalt on that section of the 51 has outlived its anticipated lifespan, and ADOT is turning to diamond grinding the surface rather than putting down another layer of rubberized asphalt. He says diamond grinding the concrete pavement has a lifespan of 30 or more years.
Nintzel says the contractors have set aside about six months for the work to be completed, though he says they hope to get it done sooner.
What is diamond grinding?
In recent years, ADOT has started using the diamond grinding pavement treatment rather than resurfacing stretches of Valley freeways with rubberized asphalt. Diamond grinding, which involves using blades to remove about a quarter-inch of roadway surface, is designed to help limit tire noise reflecting from the pavement surface.
It is also more effective from a maintenance cost standpoint. While rubberized asphalt overlays have a lifespan of approximately 10 years, a diamond-ground concrete surface is expected to last for several decades.
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