Plan for lane restriction on Interstate 40 near Joseph City as ADOT begins rock-fall mitigation safety project

Westbound drivers: Prepare to merge and slow down in busy work zone

To protect driver safety, the Arizona Department of Transportation is moving a mountain on the north side of Interstate 40, about six miles west of Holbrook.

The I-40 Rock-Fall Mitigation Safety Project began this week on westbound I-40 near Joseph City. There, decades of erosion has undermined one of the rocky slopes that dates back to construction of the interstate in northeastern Arizona. Now it’s slowly crumbling onto the shoulder of the busy highway. While a temporary concrete barrier is preventing chunks of rocks and clay from falling into travel lanes, this safety project offers a permanent solution. The following lane restriction will be in place through March:

Westbound I-40 is narrowed to one lane at milepost 279 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. The lane closure will allow crews to work safely on the north shoulder.

Drivers should be prepared to merge into the left-hand travel lane and observe reduced speed limits in the work zone.

Over the next three months, crews will use heavy equipment to break up and haul away an estimated 45,000 tons of rocks, dirt and clay – enough to fill a space four feet deep, 900 feet long and 200 feet wide. Because work is occurring off the main highway, ADOT anticipates only minimal impacts to drivers; however, ADOT cautions motorists to drive carefully through the work zone and focus on the roadway instead of the construction activity.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions and closures, but it’s possible that unscheduled impacts might occur because of weather or other factors. For the most current information about highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511,except while driving. For more information, please contact the ADOT Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or emailProjects@azdot.gov.

Crews will use heavy equipment to break up and haul away an estimated 45,000 tons of rocks, dirt and clay from this rocky slope on westbound Interstate 40, about six miles west of Holbrook.