PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation continues to make considerable progress on an improvement project to widen and upgrade a five-mile segment of US 93 between State Route 71 and State Route 89, just north of Wickenburg.

On Thursday, Oct. 1, crews are scheduled to switch both directions of traffic to the newly constructed southbound lanes. As crews make preparations for the planned traffic switch, motorists may be stopped intermittently for up to 15 minutes at a time between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Oct. 1.

While one travel lane will remain open in both directions, motorists should continue to be prepared to allow 10 to 15 minutes extra travel time through this segment (mileposts 185-190).

Once the traffic switch is complete, ADOT will begin work to repave and restripe the existing northbound lanes.

ADOT began this expansion project in February to widen US 93 from two lanes to a modern, four-lane divided highway. The $12.5 million project is expected to be completed in November.

Once completed, ADOT will move one step closer to the agency’s ultimate goal of transforming the entire 200-mile stretch from Wickenburg to the Hoover Dam bypass bridge into a modern, four-lane divided highway.

Since 1998, ADOT has invested more than $350 million in projects to upgrade the US 93 corridor, which stretches from Kingman to the Nevada state line and Wickenburg to Interstate 40 (a 23-mile segment of I-40 east of Kingman connects the north and south sections of US 93).

Currently, all but 46 miles of the 200-mile drive (more than 75 percent) from Wickenburg to the Nevada state line has been upgraded to a four-lane divided highway in an effort to improve traffic flow, support the movement of freight and enhance safety through this heavily traveled area.