Scottsdale roadway to close for 3 months. Here's how to avoid traffic and delays
Scottsdale officials said both lanes of Chaparral Road, just east of Hayden Road, would be closed from June 3 until Sept. 1 for construction.
Crews will work on a pedestrian underpass connecting existing pathways and city parks.
On Wednesday, Scottsdale confirmed construction began on the Indian Bend Multiuse Path, an envisioned roadway for cyclists and pedestrians that bypassed the Hayden and Chaparral roads intersection and connected Camelback and Chaparral parks.
Scottsdale city spokesperson Erin Walsh said the closure of Chaparral Road would expedite the construction of the underpass.
Scottsdale already made use of two existing pedestrian underpasses under Chaparral Road and Hayden Road, with one south of Chaparral Road, and portions of the pathway closed as of May 20 until January 2025.
Underpasses like the one to be constructed offer a safe and predictable way for bicyclists and pedestrians to commute through Scottsdale, according to Scottsdale transportation planning manager Nathan Domme.
"At this location, the Indian Bend Wash Multiuse Path sees a lot of bicyclists and pedestrian crossings as they enter and exit the park. This results in a conflict point between turning vehicles and path users at the street level," Domme said.
Domme said the construction of the underpass will make "the intersection safer and more efficient for vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians.”
What should drivers do to detour around the closure?
As Chaparral Road was slated to close from June 3 until Sept. 1, Scottsdale officials recommended drivers going southbound on Hayden Road access Chaparral Road beyond the closure via Camelback Road and then take streets headed north, and northbound drivers can access Chaparral Road via Jackrabbit Road and then take streets headed south.
Pedestrians who use the Indian Bend Multiuse path could access the pathway beyond the underpass closure and construction by following the loop path around Chaparral Lake, or on surface streets.
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How much did the underpass project cost?
The construction of the underpass beneath Chaparral Road was organized through the city's transportation division and funded with a total of $5 million of federal grant money and from a 0.2% transportation sales tax.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Scottsdale will close this roadway for 3 months starting in June
