PHOENIX – Drivers with travel plans through the Phoenix area this weekend (May 10-11) are urged to avoid a closure of Interstate 10 in the downtown area due to an Arizona Public Service Co. power line project.

Westbound I-10 will be closed between the I-17 ‘Split’ near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Seventh Avenue while eastbound I-10 will be closed between the I-17 ‘Stack’ interchange and the Loop 202/State Route 51 interchange from 2 a.m. Saturday to 11 p.m. Sunday (May 11).

The westbound Loop 202 and southbound SR 51 ramps to westbound I-10 also will be closed.

Drivers, including those with travel plans in or out of Sky Harbor Airport, can expect heavy traffic congestion in areas approaching the I-10 closure. The Arizona Department of Transportation recommends drivers plan ahead, allow plenty of extra travel time and use alternate routes if at all possible.

I-10 traffic will be detoured to Interstate 17 south and west of the downtown area, but heavy delays can be expected.

The I-10 closure is required to allow crews working on the APS project to safely remove three older power lines and replace them with six new power lines in the area of the Seventh Street overpass. According to APS, the work will add a second circuit to the Seventh Street power-line system to meet higher electrical demands and ensure greater reliability in the Phoenix area.

The weekend of May 10-11 was selected for the closure to allow APS to get the necessary work done before much-hotter summer weather arrives and before electric power demand climbs this summer. The weekend was also chosen for the closure because the Arizona Diamondbacks will be playing out of town in Chicago.

While the APS power-line work is underway, ADOT also will have crews conducting maintenance work in and near the I-10 Deck Park Tunnel.