The $77 million SR 24 project, which started in December, will add an interim four-lane divided roadway for 5 mi. between Ellsworth Road and Ironwood Drive.

Initial construction is under way on two East Valley freeway projects designed to open more travel options for drivers in the east Mesa and south Gilbert areas.

Crews have set up work zones and are making early progress on the Arizona Department of Transportation's projects to extend State Route 24 (Gateway Freeway) east of Ellsworth Road and also add a new interchange along Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) at Lindsay Road.

The $77 million SR 24 project, which started in December, will add an interim four-lane divided roadway for 5 mi. between Ellsworth Road and Ironwood Drive. ADOT worked with the Federal Highway Administration and regional planners to arrange funding for the project years ahead of when a full freeway could be built. The SR 24 extension, providing drivers with a new route to ease growing traffic demands, is scheduled to open by late 2022.

A dirt hauling operation will require several weekend closures of a freeway ramp. The westbound SR 24 on-ramp at Ellsworth Road is scheduled to be closed from 9 p.m. Fridays to 5 a.m. Mondays on weekends from Feb. 19 to March 29. Drivers can use detours on Ellsworth, Ray or Elliot roads. Overnight restrictions along Ellsworth Road will be needed at times over the next four months when heavy equipment has to cross the road near SR 24.

Meanwhile, crews broke ground in January on the $21.7 million project to add a new Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) interchange at Lindsay Road. Crews have established work zones for the construction of on- and off-ramps to connect Lindsay Road with Loop 202. A new westbound Loop 202 frontage road will be added between Lindsay and Gilbert roads. Completion is scheduled in early 2022. The town of Gilbert took the lead in efforts to arrange funding for the project.

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