Here’s one less headache for Maricopans traveling to and from Phoenix this week.

This week’s dreaded lane restrictions on State Route 347 — dubbed “Maricopageddon” by some on social media — will only apply to southbound traffic today and tomorrow from 6 a.m. to noon, the Arizona Department of Transportation said today.

All other planned lane restrictions have been removed. Those would have meant shutdowns in both directions from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday.

ADOT will ease restrictions because additional safety measures were not required, said ADOT spokesperson Steve Elliott.

“Safety is our number one priority and the northbound restriction was scheduled with that in mind,” he wrote in an email to InMaricopa. “The team arriving today determined that the northbound paving could be accomplished safely without the lane restriction and the associated impact on northbound travel.”

Southbound traffic backed up to Casa Blanca Road this morning as construction crews paved left turn lanes into Rancho El Dorado. Drivers are advised to slow down and use caution while crews work.

For more information on John Wayne Parkway improvements, visit ADOT’s website.

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