Most pro and anti freeway states & cities.

[jakeroot]

As for Tucson, they continuously vote down every road bond that would help build new freeways and improve existing freeways.

Is traffic flow in Tucson deteriorating? Or is just poor, but not getting worse? I feel like Tucson is playing it smart by not building freeways like Phoenix, instead opting for high-capacity arterial roads. This will become advantageous in the future, as these wide roads will have space to implement BRT lanes, and median width to support elevated metro lines (if that ever becomes necessary).

I honestly think it's getting better. I remember 15 years ago when rush hour traffic on the north side was horrendous, but the network of arterial roads has been built up nicely since then.

I drove for Uber for a few weeks, and picked up a lot of fares from the airport. I was generally impressed at how the roads tie the airport into pretty much every part of town, despite very few actual freeways.

This is hardly scientific, but here's a map of typical traffic in Tucson vs Phoenix at 7:45 AM. Seems like Tucson's doing pretty good! It's nowhere near the size of Phoenix, of course. But that's kind of the point. There's very little reason for freeways. Things are just fine....




Odd thing about the map. Google's "typical traffic" meter only goes back to 0600. Rush hour here in Seattle starts around 5!

[silverback1065]

san fran only needed what they built, plus filling the gap on us 101.

[kkt]

As for Tucson, they continuously vote down every road bond that would help build new freeways and improve existing freeways.

Is traffic flow in Tucson deteriorating? Or is just poor, but not getting worse? I feel like Tucson is playing it smart by not building freeways like Phoenix, instead opting for high-capacity arterial roads. This will become advantageous in the future, as these wide roads will have space to implement BRT lanes, and median width to support elevated metro lines (if that ever becomes necessary).

I honestly think it's getting better. I remember 15 years ago when rush hour traffic on the north side was horrendous, but the network of arterial roads has been built up nicely since then.

I drove for Uber for a few weeks, and picked up a lot of fares from the airport. I was generally impressed at how the roads tie the airport into pretty much every part of town, despite very few actual freeways.

This is hardly scientific, but here's a map of typical traffic in Tucson vs Phoenix at 7:45 AM. Seems like Tucson's doing pretty good! It's nowhere near the size of Phoenix, of course. But that's kind of the point. There's very little reason for freeways. Things are just fine....




Odd thing about the map. Google's "typical traffic" meter only goes back to 0600. Rush hour here in Seattle starts around 5!

The 7:45 AM Tucson map looks better than if it was on a Sunday morning here.

[Pink Jazz]

I wonder how was the Red Mountain Freeway in Mesa before widening.  There had to be a reason why ADOT prioritized it over the SanTan Freeway even though the map shows the Red Mountain in Mesa free-flowing at 7:45 AM.

[jakeroot]

This is hardly scientific, but here's a map of typical traffic in Tucson vs Phoenix at 7:45 AM. Seems like Tucson's doing pretty good! It's nowhere near the size of Phoenix, of course. But that's kind of the point. There's very little reason for freeways. Things are just fine....

http://i.imgur.com/Q1E6P9Y.png

Odd thing about the map. Google's "typical traffic" meter only goes back to 0600. Rush hour here in Seattle starts around 5!

The 7:45 AM Tucson map looks better than if it was on a Sunday morning here.

Not morning, but still...

[JJBers]

Well, here's the Hartford Traffic on a Tuesday at 7:40 am

[Revive 755]

I think that the Chicago area is pretty anti-freeway.  Look at the BS with the IL 53 extension, the Prairie Parkway, the Illiana, and of course, the crosstown

I would lean towards Chicagoland being a mixed bag - but anymore slightly anti-freeway.  There are the numerous cancellations and/or dormant routes such as - and some have been mentioned before:

* I-494/Crosstown
* Extensions of Lake Shore Drive to the north and south
* South Suburban Expressway (I-355 southeast of I-80)
* Illiana Expressway (combination of a successful court challenge and change in governor, may be in the dormant category)
* Fox Valley Freeway
* Prairie Parkway (killed by a court challenge, possibly dormant?)
* US 41 freeway upgrades in Lake County
* IL 137/Amstutz Expressway extensions
* IL 53 in Lake County (trying to come back to life)
* IL 120 in Lake County (may be built as an arterial)
* Elgin O'Hare west to the Elgin Bypass (if built, will most likely be an arterial)
* Expressway for the IL 64/North Avenue corridor
* Evanston - Harvard Freeway
* Completion of the Palatine Road upgrades

The current upgrades on the tollways are what in my opinion keeps Chicagoland from being completely anti-freeway

[JKRhodes]

As for Tucson, they continuously vote down every road bond that would help build new freeways and improve existing freeways.

Is traffic flow in Tucson deteriorating? Or is just poor, but not getting worse? I feel like Tucson is playing it smart by not building freeways like Phoenix, instead opting for high-capacity arterial roads. This will become advantageous in the future, as these wide roads will have space to implement BRT lanes, and median width to support elevated metro lines (if that ever becomes necessary).

I honestly think it's getting better. I remember 15 years ago when rush hour traffic on the north side was horrendous, but the network of arterial roads has been built up nicely since then.

I drove for Uber for a few weeks, and picked up a lot of fares from the airport. I was generally impressed at how the roads tie the airport into pretty much every part of town, despite very few actual freeways.

This is hardly scientific, but here's a map of typical traffic in Tucson vs Phoenix at 7:45 AM. Seems like Tucson's doing pretty good! It's nowhere near the size of Phoenix, of course. But that's kind of the point. There's very little reason for freeways. Things are just fine....




Odd thing about the map. Google's "typical traffic" meter only goes back to 0600. Rush hour here in Seattle starts around 5!

Well, Google's pretty smart. So I'll allow its corroboration of my personal observations.

[DeaconG]

Don't be so sure about Florida being so pro-freeway, especially in the Tampa Bay Metro Area. The upgrade of Gandy Boulevard was stalled for decades before FDOT 7 finally decided to get off their asses and build the thing at least between I-275 and SR 697. They cancelled the proposal to extend the Veterans Expressway east of Dale Mabry Highway, and like many other NIMBYists, they think they've saved their communities from traffic jams and suburban sprawl. They didn't.  SR 56 is still incomplete, Pasco CR 524 is still incomplete, the Suncoast Parkway is still incomplete, the proposed interchange for SR 54 and US 41 sucks balls, because it forces the same problems that people on SR 54 west of US 41 have now onto people who will drive on the proposed eastbound on-ramp and westbound off-ramp.

Orlando killed the Central Expressway that would have linked the East-West and the Beachline (which would have lightened the load on Semoran Blvd) and they dragged out the final piece of the toll beltway around Orlando for 10 years, they're just now getting up to speed on the Wekiva Parkway section.

[bing101]

South Pasadena and Pasadena over the CA-710 gap that was supposed connect to I-710 in Los Angeles county. They are probably one of a few areas in Southern California that's anti-freeway
Plus the Beverly Hills Freeway CA-2 and that's because certain businesses and residents from Echo Park to Beverly Hills were against the move due to income reasons of the opposition.

These are example of anti-freeway sections of Los Angeles county.

The CA-170 extension from the CA-134 to sections of Western Los Angeles county was going to have the La Cinega Blvd become a freeway to I-105 possibly to I-405 as a bypass. I saw articles about this one time though.

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-aa2-snapshot-failed-freeways-20141029-story.html

[silverback1065]

woah, they were seriously going to build an interstate straight through the heart of downtown? that's crazy!  that's the only piece that shouldn't have been built

[D-Dey65]

Orlando killed the Central Expressway that would have linked the East-West and the Beachline (which would have lightened the load on Semoran Blvd)...

Any chance that road would've also linked the Orlando International Airport with the Orlando Executive Airport?

[D-Dey65]

I recently stumbled upon this stupid anti-highway blog by some young lady from Los Angeles:
https://la.curbed.com/2018/1/5/16854828/los-angeles-freeways-pollution-solution

I like this one reply by Hans Laetz;

https://la.curbed.com/2018/1/5/16854828/los-angeles-freeways-pollution-solution#460088219

"There's stupid, industrial grade stupid, and breathtaking stupid.
This transcends all.
I guess all those trucks using the freeways can be replaced by pollution-free Uber skateboards?"

[RobbieL2415]

I recently stumbled upon this stupid anti-highway blog by some young lady from Los Angeles:
https://la.curbed.com/2018/1/5/16854828/los-angeles-freeways-pollution-solution

I like this one reply by Hans Laetz;

https://la.curbed.com/2018/1/5/16854828/los-angeles-freeways-pollution-solution#460088219

"There's stupid, industrial grade stupid, and breathtaking stupid.
This transcends all.
I guess all those trucks using the freeways can be replaced by pollution-free Uber skateboards?"

This same lady probably complains about gridlock on a daily basis. Hypocrite.

[Hurricane Rex]

I recently stumbled upon this stupid anti-highway blog by some young lady from Los Angeles:
https://la.curbed.com/2018/1/5/16854828/los-angeles-freeways-pollution-solution

I like this one reply by Hans Laetz;

https://la.curbed.com/2018/1/5/16854828/los-angeles-freeways-pollution-solution#460088219

"There's stupid, industrial grade stupid, and breathtaking stupid.
This transcends all.
I guess all those trucks using the freeways can be replaced by pollution-free Uber skateboards?"

Sounds similar to one we have in Portland except its an activist group. Thread for it in Northwest: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=21158.0
Link to group: https://nomorefreewayspdx.com/

Obviously, my vote has to be Portland. The recent transportation Oregon passed had 4 Portland area projects:
Interstate 205 widening to 6 lanes between MP 3-9 (its a rural area)
Interstate 5 Rose Quarter Project added an auxiliary lane (If it goes through). While I don't think the project goes far enough, I'm not against building it like the activist group is.
Interstate 205 extra auxiliary lane between MP 19-21
OR 217 extra auxiliary lane southbound MP 2-6 Nortbound MP 4.5-6
All of these (except I-205) aren't capacity increase which is what we badly need OR express lanes projects. Instead, ODOT has Option 1 as tolling our busiest freeways (I-5/I-205) on ALL lanes to reduce congestion.

We also have freeway revolts galore here and whenever a new project comes up, it is almost guaranteed to be shut down by these activists.

Then again, ODOT is anti-roadway in my opinion except where there is no other option.

[tradephoric]

San Fran seems straight up anti-car.  The city approved a plan to ban private cars, including Uber and Lyft, on busy Market Street.

Plan approved to ban private cars on San Francisco's busy Market Street
http://abc7news.com/traffic/plan-approved-to-ban-private-cars-on-sfs-busy-market-street/2268956/

[andrepoiy]

Toronto was pretty anti-freeway...

The Spadina Expressway was only halfway built.
The Richview Expy, the 400 extension, Crosstown Expy, Scarborough Expy, and the East Metro Expy. were never built.

This is why Toronto has some large interchanges that seem unnecessary, because those interchanges were meant to connect to one of these cancelled freeways.

This was supposed to connect to Richview Expy:


This stub of Highway 2A was supposed to connect to the Scarborough Expy:


And these were cancelled:


There's even a Wikipedia article dedicated to cancelled expressways in Toronto: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancelled_expressways_in_Toronto

[bing101]

San Francisco Proper has to be the most Anti-freeway city in the country. plus population density is a factor here.


Dang San Francisco has the same number of 3 freeways as Vallejo, CA a nearby city though. Except Vallejo is only 1/8 the population size of San Francisco but and area is the same.


I-80, US-101 and I-280 (San Francisco)


I-80, I-780 and CA-37 Vallejo.


But in the case of San Francisco gentrification debates are also a factor here.

[jakeroot]

San Fran seems straight up anti-car.  The city approved a plan to ban private cars, including Uber and Lyft, on busy Market Street.

Plan approved to ban private cars on San Francisco's busy Market Street
http://abc7news.com/traffic/plan-approved-to-ban-private-cars-on-sfs-busy-market-street/2268956/

I don't think that's completely unprecedented. In Seattle, Vancouver (BC), and Portland, it's very common for roads to lose GP lanes in favor of bus or bike lanes. This could be viewed as anti-car. But the ideology is more pro-high-quality transit.

Seattle's 3rd Ave, the other main artery through Seattle that carries both north- and south-bound traffic besides 1st Ave, is basically bus-only during rush hour. Cars can use it for one-block at a time, to allow business access and provide Uber/Lyft/Taxi/Limo with drop-off points, but cars are still technically allowed to use it 24/7. With the Washington State Convention Center bus terminal going under construction in 2019, almost 600 more buses than usual will be using 3rd (more than 2500 use it today). The idea of a 24/7 ban on all traffic along 3rd is being considered, which would make 3rd bus-only. Discussions to ban traffic from Pike Place (upon which the market is located) have taken place, I believe, but have not yet come to fruition.

[sparker]

I recently stumbled upon this stupid anti-highway blog by some young lady from Los Angeles:
https://la.curbed.com/2018/1/5/16854828/los-angeles-freeways-pollution-solution

I like this one reply by Hans Laetz;

https://la.curbed.com/2018/1/5/16854828/los-angeles-freeways-pollution-solution#460088219

"There's stupid, industrial grade stupid, and breathtaking stupid.
This transcends all.
I guess all those trucks using the freeways can be replaced by pollution-free Uber skateboards?"

This same lady probably complains about gridlock on a daily basis. Hypocrite.

Look -- there will always be a smattering of just-out-of-college urban dwellers who haven't yet gained enough experience with life, the surroundings in which they exist (and not just the immediate), the realities of existence in a quasi-market-based economy, and the fact that what they learned in HS civics class about how a bill becomes a law is merely an exercise in naivete'.   If they haven't acquired a car yet (and haven't gone whining to Daddy about that situation), it's because they've self-selected into a particular mindset that begins thought processes with the phrase "We should......" or, at least as common "They should....."; these tend to start with an idealized situation and work backwards.   They're living a relatively cloistered life defined by self-bounded rationalities -- and they view that lifestyle as universally "transportable" and applicable to the citizenry in general.  They see facilities and means that promote mobility and broad choice of living situation as irrelevant and often disruptive to their routines (like having to share the streets with cars & trucks).  And if they were journalism or English majors in college, they're certainly capable of sharing their views -- and do, with an eye toward the prize but lacking one for real research.  Part of that I have to blame on my own early-baby-boomer generation -- particularly the ones who never ventured outside academia and are now the professors recycling the fervor of their own youth -- and who have foisted this ideology-over-reality idiom onto a new batch of wide-eyed believers.   

I see the advent of less-and-non polluting cars hasn't fazed these folks much; now they're latching onto brake dust and other particle shedding as a sign that automotive travel is intrinsically poisonous (obviously they've never stepped in horse shit on the streets!).  Add that to the endless citations about tearing down the Embarcadero Freeway in SF and the spurs in Milwaukee et. al. and how it didn't significantly affect the whole area -- again, lack of research -- and, more telling, lack of context!!!.  But context is the mortal enemy of ideology, so don't expect to see it pop up in op-ed pieces!  In part, I blame Amazon and Ebay for much of the lack of interest in commercial reality -- all a person, including these ideologically-driven young folks, need to do is click on "enter" and miraculously something they want shows up at their apartment or condo doorstep (unless they have larcenous neighbors!).  They see the feared and despised cars and trucks criss-crossing their neighborhoods, but they don't seem to comprehend that much of that traffic is for their particular benefit -- how would they get that package of assorted jams & nut butters except for the fact that before it was in their hands it was a shipment aboard a truck or other delivery vehicle. 

Oh well -- maybe Ms. Walker, in reading the more literate disagreeing replies to her article, might just have some second thoughts (an epiphany would likely be too much for which to ask) -- or at least, if she's intelligent (she does write better than most screed authors), she can take the responses seriously and endeavor to do a bit more digging before coming to the ludicrous conclusions she elucidated.   

[kkt]

San Francisco Proper has to be the most Anti-freeway city in the country. plus population density is a factor here.


Dang San Francisco has the same number of 3 freeways as Vallejo, CA a nearby city though. Except Vallejo is only 1/8 the population size of San Francisco but and area is the same.


I-80, US-101 and I-280 (San Francisco)


I-80, I-780 and CA-37 Vallejo.


But in the case of San Francisco gentrification debates are also a factor here.

Sure, but SF has a number of other ways to get around besides freeways...

[tradephoric]

I wouldn't say Detroit is anti-freeway, but the city closed down a block of Woodward Avenue between Jefferson and Larned in June 2017 for the Spirit of Detroit pedestrian plaza.  It was originally meant to be a 90-day pilot program but it's now staying till at least April 2018.  It sounds like the city's planning department wants to make the plaza permanent while city counsel is fighting it.  Also, MDOT just recently approved plans to rip out I-375 and convert it to a Michigan style boulevard.  Of course MDOT is also in the process of modernizing I-94 and widening I-75 through Oakland County so the freeways aren't going anywhere.

[silverback1065]

San Fran seems straight up anti-car.  The city approved a plan to ban private cars, including Uber and Lyft, on busy Market Street.

Plan approved to ban private cars on San Francisco's busy Market Street
http://abc7news.com/traffic/plan-approved-to-ban-private-cars-on-sfs-busy-market-street/2268956/

that road gets pretty bad traffic wise.  the original freeway plan for SF was crazy.  they should have just built a freeway for us 101, ca 1, and have i-80 terminate at us 101, 280 east of 101 should go away too.

[silverback1065]

Within Arizona, Tucson is definitely anti-freeway.  They only have two freeways and they always vote down road improvement bonds.

do you know what's going on with 44th st near the airport in pheonix?  It looks like they tried to build a SPUI, then gave up.  was this supposed to be a freeway?

[Perfxion]

The most pro freeway city/Metro area is Houston. 15 freeways in the city area with 12 active expansion and/or extension projects going on.