Apache Trail Paving Work Will Continue Through Late March

Drivers on one of Central Arizona's best-known roads will want to build some extra time into their travel plans over the next few weeks.

The Apache Trail (State Route 88), which runs northeast from the Phoenix area to Tortilla Flat and three popular lakes, is undergoing pavement improvements starting this week, the Arizona Department of Transportation announced. The work began Monday, February 26, in the Canyon Lake Marina and Tortilla Flat areas, and it's expected to continue until late March, ADOT said.

Mondays through Thursdays during daylight hours, crews will be paving sections of SR 88, a winding road that passes Canyon Lake, Apache Lake and Theodore Roosevelt Lake before curving southeast to the Globe area. On Friday mornings, milling work will be done to remove old pavement from the highway, ADOT said.

Flagging crews and a pilot car will guide traffic through work zones in one direction at a time, the department said, and vehicles wider than 10 feet will not be allowed in the work zones. Drivers should anticipate delays and allow extra travel time.

ADOT said the work is part of a $6.5 million project to improve the Apache Trail between Apache Junction and Tortilla Flat. That project should be done by late summer, the department said.