State Route 87 closure: When, where and why

The full closure, which is scheduled to begin at 9pm Sunday and end by 8am Monday, July 15.

PUBLISHED JUL 10, 2024

Weekend traffic is going to be slow-moving, so plan ahead.

Phoenix, Arizona: Both directions of State Route 87 will be closed overnight starting Sunday, July 14, between Bush Highway and State Route 188 (mileposts 199-236) so crews can remove boulders and debris from a rockslide next to the northbound lanes, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The full closure, which is scheduled to begin at 9pm Sunday and end by 8am Monday, July 15, is needed to accommodate large equipment and because of the potential for the work to trigger rockfall onto the highway. Crews will use a specialized excavator with a 125-foot boom, along with loaders and dump trucks.

Drivers using SR 87 through the area should plan on traveling before or after the closure. During the full closure, drivers can detour on SR 188 and US 60 through Globe or State Route 260 and Interstate 17 through Camp Verde. Those traveling to the White Mountains, including Show Low, can take US 60. The slide borders NB 87 at milepost 228, about 9 miles north of Sunflower.