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PHOENIX – Multiple stretches of state highways were closed as of Thursday evening, Feb. 21, due to a powerful winter storm that continued across much of Arizona.
With heavy weather expected to last into Friday and snow forecast to extend into eastern and southeastern Arizona overnight, the safest option remained delaying travel to and through higher elevations until the Arizona Department of Transportation’s plows have cleared highways of snow and ice. Motorists in lower elevations may see some snow along with considerable rainfall.
Wherever they travel in whatever weather they face, motorists should slow down for safety and expect the unexpected. Those traveling in areas with snow and ice should give ADOT’s plows plenty of room to work, staying at least four vehicle lengths behind and never passing a working plow until the operator pulls over to let traffic pass.
As of 9:15 p.m. Thursday, these were the major highway closures around Arizona. Because the situation remains dynamic, the best ways to keep track of highway closures, restrictions and conditions are following ADOT’s Twitter account at (@ArizonaDOT), calling 511, using the freeADOT Alerts app available at ADOTAlerts.com and visiting the Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov. A pop-up alert on ADOT’s homepage, azdot.gov, has an updated list of major closures:
- I-17 northbound at State Route 179, milepost 298
- Both directions of State Route 87 between Payson and Winslow
- Both directions State Route 260 between Star Valley and Heber-Overgaard, mileposts 256-302, and eastbound State Route 260 east of milepost 228 near Interstate 17
- Both directions of SR 89A between Sedona and Flagstaff, mileposts 375-398
- US 60 between Superior and Miami and between State Route 73 and Globe
- State Route 77 between Globe and Winkelman
- State Route 177 between Superior and Hayden
If you decide to travel, slow down for safety, budget plenty of time and leave prepared for the possibility that you will be delayed by closures related to weather and crashes. Four-wheel-drive vehicles and chains are recommended in areas with heavy snow.
ADOT has winter-driving tips available at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.
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