If you hadn't noticed, there were significant traffic backups in north Phoenix over Mother’s Day weekend.

A portion of I-17 was shut down to accommodate construction crews, turning some streets into virtual parking lots.

The closure affected southbound lanes along I-17 between SR 74/Carefree Highway and Loop 303.

Due to pavement work, drivers were redirected onto detours, resulting in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

ADOT advised on its website, "Please set aside extra travel time and try to avoid peak driving times when closures are scheduled for a pavement improvement project that’s starting in that area."

This closure began Friday night, May 10, and ended early Monday morning, May 13. However, more closures are expected to complete the project.

Eventually, the project will extend further south to Happy Valley Road.

"In all, this project stretches along 6 miles of I-17 between Happy Valley Road and SR 74. The early work will primarily involve removing the top layer of older, worn asphalt paving along the highway. The other major work element involves the use of specialized equipment to diamond grind the concrete pavement," ADOT explained.

Drivers FOX 10 spoke with asked, "Why Mother’s Day weekend?"

ADOT responded: "There is no good time to close a freeway, especially in an area with few detour routes available."

Winnie Gutierrez, an NAU graduate, was heading south from Flagstaff when she encountered the traffic.

"It usually only takes me two hours to get back home from Flagstaff," she said. This time it took her more than three hours.

"We've been here now for about 30 minutes because of that restroom break. I don't know what's going to happen next. So we're kind of stuck here, actually," Kelly Dancer from Chandler said.

A north Phoenix resident mentioned encountering impatient drivers.

"Yes, a lot of people cutting off and some people don't know how to drive really. A lot of impatience," Nikki Knadler said.

Another driver coming from Sedona described the traffic as stop-and-go.

"Bumper to bumper," Eric Hansen said. "Go a few hundred feet, bumper to bumper, and now we're just stuck."

Some families in surrounding neighborhoods were unable to leave their homes due to the influx of cars.

"Unfortunately, we're sitting here instead," Zac Storey said. "We are in a situation where the entire freeway has been dumped into this tiny little neighborhood. They're trying to get 12 different streets merged into basically one intersection. It's not working well at all."

With nowhere to go, some neighbors lent a helping hand to stranded drivers.

"We're just trying to make the most of it. Passing out water and trying to help people. Letting them use the bathroom when they need to, things like that," Storey said.

He also had a message for ADOT: "ADOT, please don't do this on Mother's Day weekend ever again."

The impact of the closure extended beyond just traffic delays. Local businesses also felt the strain as customers found it difficult to access shops and restaurants, leading to a decrease in foot traffic and sales. Community leaders are urging ADOT to consider the broader implications of such closures in the future.

As the community copes with the inconvenience, ADOT continues to work on the project to improve the highway infrastructure, aiming to minimize future disruptions and enhance travel safety. Local officials are calling for better communication and planning to prevent similar issues during future construction projects.