The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has increased the speed limit on State Route 24 in the Southeast Valley from 45 mph to 55 mph. The new signs were installed Thursday night.
This change affects a five-mile segment of SR 24 between Ellsworth Road and Ironwood Drive. The decision was made after ADOT conducted a speed study, which determined that raising the speed limit would help most drivers travel at similar speeds and improve safety.
SR 24 currently operates as a divided four-lane interim roadway, which opened in 2022 between Ellsworth Road and Ironwood Drive. There are plans to upgrade this section into a six-lane access-controlled urban freeway beginning in 2027. This project is part of the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan for metro Phoenix and will be partially funded by Proposition 479, a half-cent sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2024.
According to ADOT, “A key function of speed limits is to encourage most drivers to travel closer to the same speed, which enhances safety.”
More information about how ADOT sets speed limits can be found at azdot.gov/SpeedLimits.
