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Interstate 10 in Arizona

Started by 707, April 12, 2016, 09:41:24 PM

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707

Interstate 10 in Arizona between Exits 161 and 190 is extremely narrow when it comes to inter city traffic standards. It's only two lanes in each direction when it should be three in each direction. Exit 175 is the worst part. SR 587 terminates there and is a major artery for Chandler bound traffic. The interchange is designed as such so the short exit sand entrance ramps end at a stop sign on SR 587 rather than simply merging into the road like at US 93 and I-40 or SR 69 and I-17. This often creates a standstill style bottleneck and backup where cars are hardly moving or parked are blocking the right hand westbound lanes of I-10, forcing all through traffic between states and Tucson and Phoenix to merge all into one single lane. Cars are probably backed up just as badly on SR 587 at other times of the day trying to make a right or left turn into the I-10 entrance ramps. Has ADOT even thought about fixing this awful problem or will it ever be fixed? Also, I'd like to hear everyone else's opinion on this section and why the Casa Grande to Phoenix section of I-10 isn't getting as much needed attention as the one from Tucson to Casa Grande.


corco

I used to drive Phoenix-Tucson regularly in 2011-2012. The two lane part sucks but I know they are slowly working to widen it, so whatever.

Sonic99

That stretch goes through the Gila River Reservation who, to my knowledge, has to give approval for any widening. For some reason they have resisted allowing it.
If you used to draw freeways on your homework and got reprimanded by your Senior English teacher for doing so, you might be a road geek!

swbrotha100

Quote from: Sonic99 on April 13, 2016, 02:05:23 AM
That stretch goes through the Gila River Reservation who, to my knowledge, has to give approval for any widening. For some reason they have resisted allowing it.

This. There's a story out there that the Gila River Reservation wanted the state to build frontage roads along I-10 within the reservation years ago. They have clashed over that, and disputes about Loop 202 more recently.

Sonic99

I have to say that is amazing the difference in ADOT's relationship with the Gila River tribe versus the Salt River tribe and how the Loop 101 has benefited both parties. ADOT originally was going to have to buy and demolish hundreds, if not thousands of houses in Scottsdale to build the 101 on the west side of Pima Rd. The Salt River tribe made a deal with ADOT to build it out on the reservation on the east side of Pima, and the tribe has made it a massive corridor for business and entertainment. The tribe has been totally changed because of the 101.

It's really a shame that the Gila River hasn't seen the same positive potential for their economy.
If you used to draw freeways on your homework and got reprimanded by your Senior English teacher for doing so, you might be a road geek!

swbrotha100

Quote from: Sonic99 on April 15, 2016, 01:14:35 AM
I have to say that is amazing the difference in ADOT's relationship with the Gila River tribe versus the Salt River tribe and how the Loop 101 has benefited both parties. ADOT originally was going to have to buy and demolish hundreds, if not thousands of houses in Scottsdale to build the 101 on the west side of Pima Rd. The Salt River tribe made a deal with ADOT to build it out on the reservation on the east side of Pima, and the tribe has made it a massive corridor for business and entertainment. The tribe has been totally changed because of the 101.

It's really a shame that the Gila River hasn't seen the same positive potential for their economy.

Gila River will benefit from Loop 202 eventually being built near Vee Quiva Hotel and Casino. Right now it's pretty isolated from the rest of the valley.

kdk

Yeah, the Gila tribe seem to be much more anti- freeway compared to other tribes.  The 202 thing was a little different though because the mountain was considered to be sacred, and even then the votes were close.  Many of the tribes members are related to the Salt River tribe members who they knew received rent payments from the Loop 101 land lease and could have benefited by the freeway and actually wanted the 202 on their land.

But the main story on the I-10 was that they felt they have been short changed from what was originally promised.  The tribe was promised additional interchanges and frontage roads, which would have opened up the land for more development.  I agree there are very few interchanges in this stretch once you pass the casino area- only Riggs, 587, and the 387 have interchanges that lead into the reservation.  ADOT has said they don't have the budget for that- so this project is still on hold and I hate driving it myself too.

They did at least get the auxiliary lanes in last year from Wild Horse Pass to the 347/Maricopa exit, with that being on the reservation, that was about 10 years overdue.

DJStephens

Quote from: Sonic99 on April 13, 2016, 02:05:23 AM
That stretch goes through the Gila River Reservation who, to my knowledge, has to give approval for any widening. For some reason they have resisted allowing it.

So that includes the sixties era Gila River pair of dry wash bridges?  No R shoulders on those.   

Max Rockatansky

Didn't ADOT promise the Gila tribe frontage roads and never delivered?  I'm fairly certain that has a lot to do with the current state of affairs of the sub-standard four-lane section.  Hell at least it's actually kind of exciting...especially if you stop at the rest area in the middle of the reservation and try to launch yourself back onto the freeway trying to get to 80 MPH as fast possible.

DJStephens

Just about all of I-10 west of Tucson with the exception of a short section near (east) of Casa Grande is now six laned all the way up to the high point on the road (near those rest areas) SE of Phoenix.   

kdk

#10
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 24, 2016, 11:15:15 PM
Didn't ADOT promise the Gila tribe frontage roads and never delivered?  I'm fairly certain that has a lot to do with the current state of affairs of the sub-standard four-lane section.  Hell at least it's actually kind of exciting...especially if you stop at the rest area in the middle of the reservation and try to launch yourself back onto the freeway trying to get to 80 MPH as fast possible.

yes, that is what I recall as the issue too.  It was both frontage roads, and some additional interchanges that were promised to the tribe when the freeway was originally built but were never put in.  The hope was it could spur more development, although once you pass the Wild Horse Pass casino area they have several interchanges without development anyway.  As of now I don't believe there has been any progress on this still.

Although I did just see today that MAG is planning funding in the 5 year plan for the widening of an additional lane down to Riggs Road, which will help a little.  http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2016/05/31/mag-set-to-approve-billions-for-region.html

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: kdk on June 01, 2016, 05:49:06 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 24, 2016, 11:15:15 PM
Didn't ADOT promise the Gila tribe frontage roads and never delivered?  I'm fairly certain that has a lot to do with the current state of affairs of the sub-standard four-lane section.  Hell at least it's actually kind of exciting...especially if you stop at the rest area in the middle of the reservation and try to launch yourself back onto the freeway trying to get to 80 MPH as fast possible.

yes, that is what I recall as the issue too.  It was both frontage roads, and some additional interchanges that were promised to the tribe when the freeway was originally built but were never put in.  The hope was it could spur more development, although once you pass the Wild Horse Pass casino area they have several interchanges without development anyway.  As of now I don't believe there has been any progress on this still.

Although I did just see today that MAG is planning funding in the 5 year plan for the widening of an additional lane down to Riggs Road, which will help a little.  http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2016/05/31/mag-set-to-approve-billions-for-region.html

That would take care about 25% of that gap between Firebird Raceway and Casa Grande.  I suppose that's progress in the right direction.  I'm a little confused what development the Gila Tribe was hoping for back when I-10 is being built....but I guess with Sun Lakes and Maricopa backing up to their land that anything is possible now.  It actually worked out really well with the Salt River Tribe and the 101.  I was just at the Indian Bend Pavillions a couple months back, it was shocking to see how much that business district has really grown.

swbrotha100

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 01, 2016, 08:10:39 PM
Quote from: kdk on June 01, 2016, 05:49:06 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 24, 2016, 11:15:15 PM
Didn't ADOT promise the Gila tribe frontage roads and never delivered?  I'm fairly certain that has a lot to do with the current state of affairs of the sub-standard four-lane section.  Hell at least it's actually kind of exciting...especially if you stop at the rest area in the middle of the reservation and try to launch yourself back onto the freeway trying to get to 80 MPH as fast possible.

yes, that is what I recall as the issue too.  It was both frontage roads, and some additional interchanges that were promised to the tribe when the freeway was originally built but were never put in.  The hope was it could spur more development, although once you pass the Wild Horse Pass casino area they have several interchanges without development anyway.  As of now I don't believe there has been any progress on this still.

Although I did just see today that MAG is planning funding in the 5 year plan for the widening of an additional lane down to Riggs Road, which will help a little.  http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2016/05/31/mag-set-to-approve-billions-for-region.html

That would take care about 25% of that gap between Firebird Raceway and Casa Grande.  I suppose that's progress in the right direction.  I'm a little confused what development the Gila Tribe was hoping for back when I-10 is being built....but I guess with Sun Lakes and Maricopa backing up to their land that anything is possible now.  It actually worked out really well with the Salt River Tribe and the 101.  I was just at the Indian Bend Pavillions a couple months back, it was shocking to see how much that business district has really grown.

The Salt River Reservation has really benefited from Loop 101. An auto mall is under construction between the Indian School and Thomas exits. There's also all the development around Chaparral and going north into the Scottsdale city limits.

Zonie

Looks like Arizona is going to get $54 million grant money to help some spots:

- Realigning and widening four miles in the Picacho area to three lanes in each direction, and reconstructing the interchange with State Route 87.
- Widening four miles between Interstate 8 and Earley Road to three lanes in each direction, and upgrading ramps at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard near Casa Grande.
- Creating technology enhancements to improve traffic management and safety, including remote sensors to provide early warnings of approaching dust.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2016/07/06/federal-grant-could-improve-interstate-10-between-phoenix-tucson/86781602/

kdk

Quote from: Zonie on July 07, 2016, 03:13:16 PM
Looks like Arizona is going to get $54 million grant money to help some spots:

- Realigning and widening four miles in the Picacho area to three lanes in each direction, and reconstructing the interchange with State Route 87.
- Widening four miles between Interstate 8 and Earley Road to three lanes in each direction, and upgrading ramps at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard near Casa Grande.
- Creating technology enhancements to improve traffic management and safety, including remote sensors to provide early warnings of approaching dust.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2016/07/06/federal-grant-could-improve-interstate-10-between-phoenix-tucson/86781602/

I read that article too when it came out, was glad to see that.  Besides the Gila River reservation area there were the two other spots on I-10 where it cuts down to two lanes in each direction for a short distance and assumed it had something to do with bridges in those parts, etc but must have had more to do with the re-configuring of those interchanges.

Would be nice to see this going soon, I don't like driving those little sections as they seem dangerous with the amount of truck traffic on them too.

The dust sensor things are needed too in that section near Pichaco/Red Rock, glad to see that too.

coatimundi

Well, the existing 2-lane section between AZ 287 and I-8 is due to a railroad bridge.
Maybe part of that $54 million will be used to finally buy out that dead outlet mall. I was a little sad when that Wendy's finally gave up the ghost. It saved exiting at 287 and in Eloy.

kdk

Quote from: coatimundi on July 13, 2016, 02:34:02 AM
Well, the existing 2-lane section between AZ 287 and I-8 is due to a railroad bridge.
Maybe part of that $54 million will be used to finally buy out that dead outlet mall. I was a little sad when that Wendy's finally gave up the ghost. It saved exiting at 287 and in Eloy.

I'm sure they could buy it now for 1/100th of that money.  Although that Phoenix Mart development planned down there bought it for some reason, not sure what they are going to do other than using it for their offices and welcome center.



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