Drivers who use the intersection of Smith-Enke Road and Desert Greens Drive should plan for nighttime lane closures through much of October while crews install traffic-signal poles.
The City of Maricopa says the work is scheduled to begin the week of Monday, Oct. 5, and continue through the end of October. Construction hours are expected to run from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.
The intersection will remain open. The City's Sept. 30 notice says drivers should expect lane closures in the work area but no full road closure.
What the new notice confirms
The work is the next visible phase of the traffic-signal project at Smith-Enke and Desert Greens, just west of Porter Road. The City's current notice identifies one specific task: installing the signal poles.
It does not identify an exact first night within the week of Oct. 5, list which lane will close on a given night or announce when the new signal will begin operating. Drivers should treat the 7 p.m.–5 a.m. window as the planned work period and watch posted signs at the intersection for the nightly traffic pattern.
This project has been moving in phases. In a June update, the City said the earlier phase would include a dedicated westbound right-turn lane from Smith-Enke onto Desert Greens, along with a signal cabinet and meter pedestal. That same update anticipated a second phase in October for poles and related equipment. The Sept. 30 notice now supplies the overnight hours for that October work.
The new notice does not say that every element described in June is complete, and OurMaricopa has not independently inspected the site. The precise statement today is that pole installation is scheduled and overnight lane closures are expected.
How to plan a trip through the intersection
Drivers approaching the area after 7 p.m. can make the trip easier with a few practical steps:
Allow extra time between Smith-Enke and Porter Road.
Slow down before the work zone and follow the temporary lane markings and flagger instructions.
Expect the open lane to change as crews move equipment.
Avoid relying on an old daytime drive through the intersection as a guide to the nighttime pattern.
Residents heading toward State Route 347 can check OurMaricopa's live SR-347 traffic page before leaving. The SR-347 commuter guide also collects official cameras and trip-planning resources. Weather can change construction schedules, so the Maricopa forecast is useful on nights when rain or high wind is possible.
Why this intersection is changing
The City's earlier project announcement tied the signal and turn-lane work to increasing traffic from nearby homes and businesses. A dedicated right-turn lane is intended to separate drivers waiting to turn onto Desert Greens from through traffic on westbound Smith-Enke. The signal is also intended to give drivers crossing or entering Smith-Enke a controlled movement during busier periods.
That is the project goal, not a promise that every delay will disappear. Signal timing, the final turn-lane configuration and the actual opening date will matter once construction is complete.
What to watch next
The next useful update will be a firm activation date for the signal or a notice that the October work is finished. Until then, drivers should assume the intersection remains an active construction zone during the posted overnight hours.
OurMaricopa will also watch for a lane-by-lane schedule, a change to the end-of-month target or any full closure that would materially change this plan. None of those was announced in the Sept. 30 notice.
Sources
City of Maricopa: Overnight Construction Planned at Smith Enke and Desert Greens. Published Sept. 30, 2026; accessed Oct. 1, 2026.
City of Maricopa: Update: Desert Greens Roadwork Begins June 15. Published May 28, 2026; updated June 8, 2026; accessed Oct. 1, 2026.