Phoenix area freeway projects in 2024 (Surprise, Kingman: transportation, design, cars)

[marinezac]

Originally Posted by adjusterjack

Here's a local project that's more important than a highway to Las Vegas.

https://azdot.gov/planning/transport...grand-35-study

Grand ave should have been an actually freeway from the start, like the 60 in the east Valley is. Ah well, still improvement for the West Valley guys

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by cjseliga

I'm not missing any point, ADOT's plan all along is/was to upgrade US 93 to interstate standards and build bypasses where needed (like around Kingman, Wikieup and Wickenburg), if it takes 500 years or 1,000 years, it is what it is!

500 to 1,000 years would seem like a quantum leap for ADOT. But you go right ahead and keep making excuses for them. Some of us who lived here a long time have witnessed their blunders all too often.

Originally Posted by marinezac

Grand ave should have been an actually freeway from the start, like the 60 in the east Valley is.

Agreed. The 35th Avenue & Grand project is small potatoes compared to others in the works. Grand Avenue has become largely an eyesore in most locations. We can only imagine how that could have been avoided, and perhaps even spurred new development if Grand had been converted into a freeway (as the original 1985 plan called for).

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

500 to 1,000 years would seem like a quantum leap for ADOT. But you go right ahead and keep making excuses for them. Some of us who lived here a long time have witnessed their blunders all too often.

I think ADOT is amazing, have you lived in any other state other than Arizona, maybe you're spoiled and don't realize how good you have it?

Since you're a "Valley Native", wouldn't you say what ADOT has constructed across the Valley over the last 50 years has been pretty remarkable?

I know many metroplexes across the US would love/die for a freeway system like the one the Phoenix metroplex has!

[locolobo13]

Originally Posted by marinezac

Grand ave should have been an actually freeway from the start, like the 60 in the east Valley is. Ah well, still improvement for the West Valley guys

Originally US 60 wasn't a freeway.

https://saltriverstories.org/items/show/265

I can remember driving east on Baseline Rd to Power Rd to avoid Apache Blvd back in the 70s. It took a while to get from west Phoenix to Apache Junction. Don't think they connected it to I10 until the 80s.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by cjseliga

I think ADOT is amazing, have you lived in any other state other than Arizona, maybe you're spoiled and don't realize how good you have it?

Since you're a "Valley Native", wouldn't you say what ADOT has constructed across the Valley over the last 50 years has been pretty remarkable?

I know many metroplexes across the US would love/die for a freeway system like the one the Phoenix metroplex has!

I've driven in many other places outside of Arizona, and can honestly say that some states have better transportation departments, some have worse. In the western U.S., CalTrans is the worst by far. Utah is among the best. Salt Lake City has a much better freeway system considering how much smaller their metro area is compared to Phoenix's. Quite frankly, I've never heard anybody say that ADOT is amazing (other than perhaps somebody who works for ADOT).

Look up the history of Prop 300 that passed in 1985. The Phoenix area was supposed to have over 230 miles of new freeways built by 2005 when the funding expired. MAG and ADOT didn't budget properly, and came up short on the funding needed to complete the freeways. There was also an audit which revealed that the funds were mismanaged. The Governor at the time was forced to remove some of the planned routes due to the funding issues, and that included converting Grand Avenue into a freeway. We received about half of what was originally promised, and Prop 400 that was passed in 2004 still hasn't delivered all that was promised either.

Overall, Phoenix's freeways are fairly good compared to other metro areas, but one reason for that is the newness. Most other places started their freeway networks 30 to 40 years earlier than we did. Another reason is the climate. Places that have a lot of inclement weather conditions also tend to have more issues with their roads. We're just lucky in that regard. It has little to do with how great you think ADOT is.

[Hschlick84]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I've driven in many other places outside of Arizona, and can honestly say that some states have better transportation departments, some have worse. In the western U.S., CalTrans is the worst by far. Utah is among the best. Salt Lake City has a much better freeway system considering how much smaller their metro area is compared to Phoenix's. Quite frankly, I've never heard anybody say that ADOT is amazing (other than perhaps somebody who works for ADOT).

Look up the history of Prop 300 that passed in 1985. The Phoenix area was supposed to have over 230 miles of new freeways built by 2005 when the funding expired. MAG and ADOT didn't budget properly, and came up short on the funding needed to complete the freeways. There was also an audit which revealed that the funds were mismanaged. The Governor at the time was forced to remove some of the planned routes due to the funding issues, and that included converting Grand Avenue into a freeway. We received about half of what was originally promised, and Prop 400 that was passed in 2004 still hasn't delivered all that was promised either.

Overall, Phoenix's freeways are fairly good compared to other metro areas, but one reason for that is the newness. Most other places started their freeway networks 30 to 40 years earlier than we did. Another reason is the climate. Places that have a lot of inclement weather conditions also tend to have more issues with their roads. We're just lucky in that regard. It has little to do with how great you think ADOT is.

At least we don't have toll roads like they do all over Denver and the front range. E-470 is the biggest and one of the most expensive in the western half of the US.

[Roadwarriors79]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

I hope they start diamond grinding I-17 north of Happy Valley Rd soon. That pavement is noisy and makes your teeth rattle.

Cross your fingers, ADOT may start working on this section in the spring:


https://azdot.gov/projects/central-d...vement-project

[Roadwarriors79]

About 5 miles of US 93 is being widened now, from just south of the US 93/AZ 89 intersection to just north of the US 60 intersection. Most of what will be the future southbound lanes are done.

[Valley Native]

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...e/72570618007/

The above article highlights some of ADOT's many downfalls. U.S. 60 and the 303 are not sufficient enough as they currently are to keep up with Surprise's rapid growth. If the article isn't fully accessible, here are a list of ADOT's "fixes" (which are weak Band Aid solutions at best):

* A third westbound lane was added along U.S. 60 between 163rd and Loop 303, and a second right turn lane was opened for westbound travelers switching to 163rd Avenue from Grand Avenue.

* Open a third left turn lane for southbound 163rd Avenue travelers transferring onto Grand Avenue.

* Add a third eastbound lane on Grand between Loop 303 and 163rd Avenue.

* Extend the recently added westbound lane on Grand so it goes past the 163rd Avenue intersection.

* Modify sidewalks and ramps in multiple locations around the related intersections to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

Nothing about making Grand into a full fledged freeway, which is what was planned more than 30 years ago, but was axed. On top of this, they want voters to approve an extension of the half cent transportation tax so that the public can receive more empty promises, or results that are slow to be achieved.

[singlegirlinaz]

As much as people love to go to Vegas, getting there from the Phoenix valley is a pain.

It's bad enough the scenery is ugly, the road is 2 lanes part of the way with a few passing lanes. It should have been a major freeway like 30 years ago.