Controlled rock blasting for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway west of 32nd Lane began April 19, requiring brief closures of a road leading to a residential development currently under construction.

Periodic closures of Shaughnessey Road are expected to last approximately 30 minutes, as crews need to secure and clear the area before breaking large rock into smaller, more manageable pieces to create a path for the freeway through two ridges at the southwestern edge of South Mountain Park.

All controlled rock blasts will be scheduled during daylight hours through early 2019. Message boards will provide advance notice of any traffic restrictions.

There will be no more than one closure per day, and the work will comply with safety standards established by the city of Phoenix and the U.S. Bureau of Mines.

South Mountain Freeway construction in the Center segment, a 3-mi. portion of the freeway between 51st Avenue and 32nd Lane, began in March with work to install right-of-way fencing, salvage trees and cactuses and assess the soil, rock and depth of groundwater along the freeway alignment.

The South Mountain Freeway will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to I-10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.

For more information, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.