PHOENIX -- Officials said on Friday that the widening projects on Interstate 10 and Interstate 17 are nearing completion.

In a release, officials said they are hoping to have the projects -- which affect some of the busiest sections of freeways in the Valley -- finished before the holidays to ease travel.

For months, Valley drivers and others passing through have seen the construction of the new lanes. Now, the Arizona Department of Transportation is beginning the final push to finish the projects along I-10 in the west Valley and 1-17 in the north Valley in time for the holiday travel season.

ADOT has already opened new northbound lanes of I-17.

For the final phase, officials said the next two weekends are critical times to complete lane striping and other final preparations before the new lanes open; however, the work is weather-dependent.

Drivers are advised to plan for delays and extra travel time when passing through the work zones on this final push. Events that may be affected this weekend are the Arizona Cardinals and Phoenix Coyotes games and other events in the Glendale area.

Once the work is finished on I-10, there will be two new lanes in each direction along an 8-mile stretch between Loop 101 and Sarival Avenue, including a general purpose lane and a high-occupancy vehicle lane.

Two new lanes in both directions -- also one general and one high-occupancy -- are also being added to a 9-mile stretch of I-17 between Loop 101 and Carefree Highway.

Both of the widening projects were designed to increase capacity for the heavily-traveled freeways used for daily commuting and weekend getaways, ADOT said.