In Paradise Valley This November, One Closed Corner Sets the Schedule

Since Monday, October 26, nobody has been able to drive through the intersection of Invergordon Road and Mockingbird Lane. Achen-Gardner Construction is putting in storm drainage there for the Town, and the full closure is scheduled through Monday, November 23. Drivers are told to plan ahead, take another route and follow the detour signs.

The Phoenix 10K and Half Marathon will get more attention in November. It's loud and it's on a Sunday morning, but it's over by midday. The Invergordon closure lasts four weeks, and it sits in the middle of a corridor that has been under construction since spring. Nearly everything on the November calendar, from the vintage car show at Town Hall to the harvest dinner at LON's, falls inside that four-week window.

The Corner Is One Piece of a Longer Project

The intersection closure belongs to the Town's Mockingbird Lane Improvement Project. The project covers Mockingbird Lane from 56th Street to Invergordon Road, plus Invergordon from Mockingbird up to Horseshoe Road. The aim is to handle runoff from a 10-year storm and slow traffic down. The work includes drainage, resurfacing and reconstruction, traffic calming, bike lanes and ADA upgrades.

That explains why drivers on Invergordon have been dealing with changes for months:

The project's posted timeline has four phases. Utility relocation ran in spring and summer 2026. Drainage and underground work is listed for late 2026, which is the phase now underway at the corner. Roadway construction and paving follow in late 2026 and early 2027, and closeout comes in early 2027. According to the project FAQ, work started in April 2026 and should finish in January 2027, though that could change.

So the end of the intersection closure wraps up this phase but not the project. Expect paving crews on Mockingbird into the new year. For questions, the project hotline is 480-903-4838, and the email is [email protected]. The Paradise Valley Independent reported the closure on October 20 with the same instructions. Neither the Town nor the paper has published a turn-by-turn detour, so the signs on site are your guide.

The Same Week, More Crews Nearby

The intersection closure started while other road crews were working close by. In the Town's District 6, the northeast side of Mummy Mountain south of Mockingbird Lane and west of 68th Street, selected roads were milled starting October 19, with paving set to begin October 22. The Town warned that milled roads would be uneven and not suitable for bicyclists. Surface seal work in District 3 was scheduled to finish October 29, weather permitting. The Town asks drivers to stay off fresh seal and wet oil so it doesn't damage cars or driveways. The Town's Pavement Management Program page has the updated phasing maps.

For anyone who drives Mockingbird regularly, that means two projects in late October: paving on the streets south of Mockingbird, and the drainage work that closed the corner on October 26.

Something else changed around the same time. The Town went back to winter construction hours on October 15, and they stay in effect through April 30. Construction is allowed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Heavy equipment is not allowed at all on Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays. Other building and outdoor repair work can run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on those days. On Sundays, noise can't go above 75 decibels at the nearest property line. The rules come from Town Code Section 8-10-2(D), and the Town Manager's Weekly Update has the full text. This is general information, not legal advice, so if you're planning a project at your own home, confirm the details with the Town or your contractor.

November 8: The Race, Hour by Hour

On Sunday, November 8, the Life Time Phoenix 10K and Half Marathon starts at Biltmore Fashion Park. The course runs in the southbound lanes of 24th Street, the westbound lanes of Lincoln Drive and the southbound lanes of Tatum Boulevard. Here's how the morning goes:

1. 5:30 a.m. The road closures begin, and race-day packet pickup opens.
2. 6:30 a.m. Half marathon start.
3. 7:15 a.m. 10K start.
4. 8:30 a.m. 5K start.
5. 9:00 a.m. Mollen Mile start.
6. 10:00 a.m. Southbound Tatum reopens between Lincoln and Caida Del Sol Drive.
7. 11:00 a.m. Westbound Lincoln reopens between 24th Street and Tatum, and the courses close.
8. Noon Southbound 24th Street reopens between Camelback and Lincoln.

At Lincoln and Tatum, westbound Lincoln traffic has to turn north or south onto Tatum. Eastbound Lincoln traffic can keep going east or turn south, and southbound Tatum traffic can't turn onto Lincoln. Eastbound Lincoln stays open, along with Camelback Road in both directions, the 51 Freeway, 32nd Street, Stanford Drive and N. Palo Cristi Road. Police will meter traffic in and out of the neighborhoods at the northwest corner of Lincoln and Tatum. The race's road closure hotline is 623-252-2485.

What Fills the Calendar Inside the Window

Now line up November's events against those dates. Everything below except Sanctuary's Supermoon Circle on November 24 happens while the Invergordon corner is scheduled to be closed. So if one of these is on your list, plan your route before you plan your outfit.

November 14 is the busiest day of the month. The Town's Veterans' Appreciation Vintage Car Show is back for its 21st year. It's free to view from 8:30 to 11:15 a.m. Owners of pre-1986 cars, trucks and motorcycles can register a vehicle for $50, and the money goes to two veterans' charities, the Military Assistance Mission and Sentinels of Freedom. While you're at Town Hall, step inside to see work by Martin Galbut, a Paradise Valley resident who is the 2026-2027 Featured Artist in Residence. His pieces are on view through September 2027. The same day, the Food & Wine Pairing seminar at Mountain Shadows is the next class in its Spirited Sipping series.

The next night, November 15, belongs to LON's. LON's at The Hermosa Inn, at 5532 N. Palo Cristi Road, is hosting a garden harvest dinner with Executive Chef Brian Peterson and Bob Boze Bell, editor of True West. Seating begins at 6 p.m., dinner is at 6:30, and tickets are $195 per person plus tax and gratuity. The following Saturday morning, November 21, LON's runs Mimosa & Monet from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. for $120. That covers instruction, supplies, a mimosa, coffee and pastries.

The closure's last weekend ends on the rooftop. Mountain Shadows has listed Mellow Moon Yoga & Sound Healing for November 22, with Camelback Mountain as the backdrop. On the same calendar: live music at the bar every Friday and Saturday night, and Sunset Short Game sessions every Wednesday and Saturday. The resort's Fall Golf Pass costs $750 plus tax, and then each round is $10. It's good Sunday through Friday from October 9, 2026, to January 22, 2027, which happens to end around the time the Mockingbird project is expected to finish. Resort calendars change, so check tickets and times with each venue before you go.

Resort Projects Still Taking Shape

Two big resort properties are still settling into their next chapters. The Phoenix Business Journal reported on September 28 that Five Star's bankruptcy plan covers the unfinished Ritz-Carlton hotel, unsold villas and land set aside for a luxury shopping center. A sale is under consideration, and a vote on the plan is scheduled for November.

Kimpton Miralina is already open. Travel Market Report reported that the former Scottsdale Plaza Resort reopened under the Miralina name after a $42 million transformation. The resort's website promotes a Villa First Look offer and lists Katsuya as "opening in 2027."

The intersection is on a firmer schedule. The full closure at Invergordon and Mockingbird is scheduled through Monday, November 23, weather permitting, and southbound-only traffic on Invergordon is posted to continue through the end of November.

If road work near your street has you thinking about what nearby construction means for your own home's timing, Annie Cole has lived in Scottsdale for 26 years and is glad to talk it through. Let's Connect.