The Arizona Department of Transportation announced on April 27 that work to improve the pavement surface along a five-mile section of Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) between Shea Boulevard and Princess Drive/Pima Road in north Scottsdale is scheduled to start Wednesday night, April 29.
The project will use diamond grinding technology as a follow-up to an earlier expansion that added lanes in the same area. No full freeway closures are planned, but drivers should expect weeknight and weekend lane restrictions while crews complete the work. This week, southbound Loop 101 will be reduced to two lanes overnight between Princess Drive/Pima Road and Thunderbird Road from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday nights, and again between Princess Drive/Pima Road and Shea Boulevard from Friday night through early Monday morning.
According to the department, the $4 million project is expected to finish by late summer. Diamond grinding has been used since 2020 along several Phoenix-area freeways after removing older asphalt layers. Specialized machines with diamond-tipped blades remove a thin layer of concrete for smoother driving and quieter tire noise.
Funding for this project comes from the Maricopa Association of Governments’ regional freeway plan, which includes money from Proposition 400—a half-cent sales tax approved by county voters in 2004—and an extension passed by voters in 2024.
Arizona Department of Transportation manages facilities such as rest areas, snowplow operations with specialized equipment, and highway cameras for monitoring according to the official website. The agency aims to safely connect people across Arizona while supporting economic growth through its transportation initiatives according to the official website. Jennifer Toth serves as director of Arizona Department of Transportation, overseeing planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of state transportation systems according to the official website.
The department’s efforts extend statewide with projects across multiple districts—from Grand Canyon National Airport sites down to southern border ports according to the official website. It also works closely with regional partners on corridor studies and traveler information systems according to the official website, offering services like AZ511 traveler updates, motor vehicle support services, construction oversight and infrastructure enhancements at airports or ports according to the official website.
For more information about this project or real-time traffic conditions visit azdot.gov/Loop101PrincessToShea or check ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at AZ511.gov.
