As the Interstate 17 Improvement Project moves along, Arizona Department of Transportation officials are unveiling new details about a major part of the updates: the flex lanes.
The flex lanes will run adjacent to the existing southbound lanes between Black Canyon City and Sunset Point, offering more lanes for travel when needed.
ADOT expects the flex lanes to be open for northbound travel Monday through Saturday, while the lanes will transition to southbound on Sundays.
“The flex lanes will open, as needed, to whichever direction has the heaviest traffic,” ADOT said.
Project officials talked with ABC15 about how “automated swinging arm gates” and a “Vehicle Arresting Barrier” will prevent vehicles from entering the flex lanes in the wrong direction.
Watch an overview of the project and how the lanes work here:
Other safety considerations include concrete barriers separating the flex and normal lanes, steel gates in multiple locations for emergency vehicles, cameras to monitor operations, and signage to alert drivers about what direction the flex lanes are operating.
Learn more about the project and how the flex lanes will work here.