Phoenix Area Highways

[Pink Jazz]

Looks like ADOT will be accelerating its East Valley road projects:
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/news/billion-dollar-windfall-boosts-east-valley-freeway-upgrades/article_f02d75ba-3ce1-11e7-b747-a7384b35a916.html

Here is a list of the projects:

• Expansion of I-10 between Pecos Road and the I-17 split.
• Widening the Loop 101 Price Freeway by one lane each way between US 60 and the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway.
• Extension of the third lane and HOV lane on the US 60 Superstition Freeway from Crismon Road to Meridian Road.
• Adding one lane each way on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway between Gilbert Road and SR 24.
• Extending the third lane on the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway from Broadway to US 60.
• Construction of a new interchange on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway at Lindsay Road.
• Extension of SR 24 from Ellsworth to Ironwood.

Note that the initial design for SR 24 will in fact not be a full freeway, but will be a super-arterial. It may be converted into a full freeway some time in the future.

[howlincoyote2k1]

Looks like ADOT will be accelerating its East Valley road projects:
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/news/billion-dollar-windfall-boosts-east-valley-freeway-upgrades/article_f02d75ba-3ce1-11e7-b747-a7384b35a916.html

Here is a list of the projects:

• Expansion of I-10 between Pecos Road and the I-17 split.
• Widening the Loop 101 Price Freeway by one lane each way between US 60 and the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway.
• Extension of the third lane and HOV lane on the US 60 Superstition Freeway from Crismon Road to Meridian Road.
• Adding one lane each way on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway between Gilbert Road and SR 24.
• Extending the third lane on the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway from Broadway to US 60.
• Construction of a new interchange on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway at Lindsay Road.
• Extension of SR 24 from Ellsworth to Ironwood.

Note that the initial design for SR 24 will in fact not be a full freeway, but will be a super-arterial. It may be converted into a full freeway some time in the future.

My family and I lived in Ahwatukee back in 1996-97 when the initial widening of I-10 was taking place. Up until 1997, that stretch was just two lanes in each direction. Perfectly conveniently, we all moved away about a month after the project was finished. And now they're going to widen it again. Not saying it's not needed, but it makes me feel old, that's for sure.

Glad to see some of these other projects get going, too. Some of the 3 lane/3+HOV lane freeways really get backed up pretty bad these days and that extra through lane will be super helpful. The sooner they can get that L202 South Mountain interchange finished with I-10, the better, because that is going to be an absolute disaster in the meantime while it gets built.

[mapman1071]

Looks like ADOT will be accelerating its East Valley road projects:
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/news/billion-dollar-windfall-boosts-east-valley-freeway-upgrades/article_f02d75ba-3ce1-11e7-b747-a7384b35a916.html

Here is a list of the projects:

• Expansion of I-10 between Pecos Road and the I-17 split.
• Widening the Loop 101 Price Freeway by one lane each way between US 60 and the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway.
• Extension of the third lane and HOV lane on the US 60 Superstition Freeway from Crismon Road to Meridian Road.
• Adding one lane each way on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway between Gilbert Road and SR 24.
• Extending the third lane on the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway from Broadway to US 60.
• Construction of a new interchange on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway at Lindsay Road.
• Extension of SR 24 from Ellsworth to Ironwood.

Note that the initial design for SR 24 will in fact not be a full freeway, but will be a super-arterial. It may be converted into a full freeway some time in the future.

The I-10 plan has been in the works for a few years, the plan  Local/Express/HOV 6/5/1/1/5/6 with a redesign of Exits 153, 153A & 153B 48th Street SB/AZ 143NB/Broadway Road-52nd Street

[Pink Jazz]

An update on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway FMS project, the new dynamic message signs are actually now in their System Acceptance Test according to an email that I got from ADOT.  This means that they are operational, but for the first 30 days of operations the orange signs remain on the posts to check for any problems in day-to-day operations.  A minor problem stops the clock until the problem is fixed and adds one day to the test after the clock is resumed, while a major problem restarts the clock to day zero.  The previous test from February through April when they were displaying the "SIGN UNDER TEST" messages was actually the Subsystem Acceptance Test, which was testing the signs individually for problems.  Once the System Acceptance Test is complete (which should be very soon unless there was a major problem), the orange signs on the posts will be taken down.

Also, I got confirmation that there are plans to display travel times on some of the DMS on the SanTan Freeway, however, the email didn't give me a timeframe on when we should start seeing them.

[Sonic99]

So I found this interesting. Apparently Main St/Apache Trail (old US 60 before the Superstition was complete for you long time Arizonans) is referred to by ADOT as US 60X. What exactly that means, I have no idea.

https://www.azdot.gov/mobile/media/news/2017/06/06/public-meetings-scheduled-on-study-of-us-60x-in-mesa

[Max Rockatansky]

So I found this interesting. Apparently Main St/Apache Trail (old US 60 before the Superstition was complete for you long time Arizonans) is referred to by ADOT as US 60X. What exactly that means, I have no idea.

https://www.azdot.gov/mobile/media/news/2017/06/06/public-meetings-scheduled-on-study-of-us-60x-in-mesa

ADOT still owns some of the mileage of the surface alignment of US 60 and hasn't signed it as anything since it isn't enough to make it a decent signed route.  I'd still like to see maybe a US 60 BS signed on the old US 60/70/80/89 alignment one day since it isn't broken up by freeway development.

[Pink Jazz]

There are in fact two discontinuous segments of unsigned US 60X.  The western segment is located on Grand Avenue between Thomas Road and 18th Avenue, while the eastern segment is located on Main Street/Apache Trail between Sossaman Road and Meridian Drive (the Pinal County Line).

[Pink Jazz]

I just came back from Puerto Rico today, and I have noticed that the orange "SIGN UNDER TEST" signs on the posts of the dynamic message signs on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway have finally been taken down, which means the System Acceptance Test is complete and that the signs are fully operational.  Unfortunately still no travel times being displayed on them.


The next phase of installation of DMS on Loop 202 will be between Ray and Broadway.  They will be full matrix models made by Daktronics.

[Pink Jazz]

Somewhat related, here is a video about ADOT's DMS retrofit program:

https://www.facebook.com/AZDOT/videos/1557064511031913/

[Sonic99]

Has anyone taken any pictures of the construction progress on the South Mountain Freeway? Or does ADOT have an album that they update?

[ztonyg]

Looks like ADOT is finally going to replace the bridges and interchanges at I-17 and Pinnacle Peak Rd and I-17 and Happy Valley Rd.

I-17 and Happy Valley will get the first Diverging Diamond in the Phoenix area.

https://www.azdot.gov/projects/central-district-projects/i-17-ti-reconstruction-happy-valley-rd-and-pinnacle-peak-rd

[Pink Jazz]

The Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway is also getting a DDI.

Also, for the new interchange at the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway and Lindsay, it is now being recommended to be built as a full diamond interchange, instead of the previous proposal as a west half diamond interchange.

[Sonic99]

About 20 damn years too late!! I've always wondered if there was some back story as to why these two always got skipped with everything else on 17 being rebuilt and expanded both north and south of here.

Also, underpass bridges? As in they will go under 17? That sounds like a hell of a project if that's the case. Also the removal of the Happy Valley roundabouts is interesting. Those were the first in the entire Phoenix area if not all of Arizona if I remember correctly.

Looks like ADOT is finally going to replace the bridges and interchanges at I-17 and Pinnacle Peak Rd and I-17 and Happy Valley Rd.

I-17 and Happy Valley will get the first Diverging Diamond in the Phoenix area.

https://www.azdot.gov/projects/central-district-projects/i-17-ti-reconstruction-happy-valley-rd-and-pinnacle-peak-rd

[Zonie]

A little more on the roundabout replacement at I-17/Happy Valley.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-traffic/2017/07/19/adot-may-replace-roundabouts-diverging-diamond-design-interchange/490345001/

[frozen]

Speaking of Phoenix Highways, anyone got any news or information about Northern Parkway east of Dysart? It has been delayed so much I m starting to think Maricopa County is slacking off...

[compdude787]

A little more on the roundabout replacement at I-17/Happy Valley.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-traffic/2017/07/19/adot-may-replace-roundabouts-diverging-diamond-design-interchange/490345001/

How will the DDI be able to accommodate traffic going straight on the frontage roads?

[Sonic99]

Speaking of Phoenix Highways, anyone got any news or information about Northern Parkway east of Dysart? It has been delayed so much I m starting to think Maricopa County is slacking off...

Pretty sure that project is pretty much dead for anytime in the next 10 years. The cities don't want to put the money up. Curious if ADOT might someday see value in it and pick it up?

[kdk]

Speaking of Phoenix Highways, anyone got any news or information about Northern Parkway east of Dysart? It has been delayed so much I m starting to think Maricopa County is slacking off...

Pretty sure that project is pretty much dead for anytime in the next 10 years. The cities don't want to put the money up. Curious if ADOT might someday see value in it and pick it up?

I know they haven't done much on it, and I haven't found a more recent article other than some showing it in the budgets for FY 2018, but it appears construction will resume in September of this year-

http://www.glendalestar.com/news/article_d3dd6c92-c0bf-11e6-bec8-27e0df551d02.html

[JKRhodes]

A little more on the roundabout replacement at I-17/Happy Valley.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-traffic/2017/07/19/adot-may-replace-roundabouts-diverging-diamond-design-interchange/490345001/

How will the DDI be able to accommodate traffic going straight on the frontage roads?

Could have an extra phase like some SPUI's with frontage roads do... Based on the visualization ADOT Borrowed from Illinois for its news release, however, it appears frontage road traffic will be forced to turn.

A recent DDI near Austin, Texas, OTOH, incorporates U-Turn lanes and Frontage Road Bypass lanes into the design, but that's Texas. They're known for that kind of stuff:  http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/projects/studies/austin/rm1431-intersection.html

[hm insulators]

Looks like ADOT is finally going to replace the bridges and interchanges at I-17 and Pinnacle Peak Rd and I-17 and Happy Valley Rd.

I-17 and Happy Valley will get the first Diverging Diamond in the Phoenix area.

https://www.azdot.gov/projects/central-district-projects/i-17-ti-reconstruction-happy-valley-rd-and-pinnacle-peak-rd

I was exercising my bad shoulder at the physical therapist's office the other day (never dislocate your shoulder and/or tear a rotator cuff) and the TV was tuned to Channel 10 and I saw how the DDI was going to work. The sound was off, but I was able to ascertain enough that I think I would like a diverging-diamond better than roundabouts.

[JKRhodes]

I responded to ADOT's announcement on Facebook, and asked if the new DDI will accommodate thru traffic on the frontage roads, to which they replied "Yes, that is the plan."

So I'm interested in seeing a schematic of what will actually be built if one is available. So far I've been unable to find anything on AZDOT.gov

[blanketcomputer]

So I'm interested in seeing a schematic of what will actually be built if one is available. So far I've been unable to find anything on AZDOT.gov

The plans for both interchanges can be seen on this ADOT page.

[Sonic99]

I know many of us road geeks can understand the concept of how these things work, but wow, those drawings did nothing to dissuade the mouth-breathers that have complained about literally every aspect of this since unveiled last week.

"Oh my god, there's so many wrong way drivers, this will make it worse!" (Despite a DDI actually making it more difficult to go the wrong way)
"This is so complicated, ADOT!"
"OMG, just build a normal freaking interchange! The design since the 50's has worked just fine!"

Reading the comments section of the Facebook posts related to this makes my head explode. And looking at these drawings, I can imagine the public is just going to scream even louder.

So I'm interested in seeing a schematic of what will actually be built if one is available. So far I've been unable to find anything on AZDOT.gov

The plans for both interchanges can be seen on this ADOT page.

[JKRhodes]

So I'm interested in seeing a schematic of what will actually be built if one is available. So far I've been unable to find anything on AZDOT.gov

The plans for both interchanges can be seen on this ADOT page.

Thanks!

Well, the Happy Valley design seems pretty innovative in the way it facilitates frontage road thru traffic.

[Roadwarriors79]

Notes from around the Phoenix area.

The Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway has its own Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/SouthMountainFreeway/

Checking out the actual construction zones, most of the current work is around I-10 between 51st Ave and 67th Ave, and current Pecos Rd in Ahwatukee.

There's also the south side of the I-10/Loop 303 interchange being worked on. Future Loop 303 and its frontage roads will transition into Cotton Lane south of Van Buren St. ADOT has some construction pics on its website, and I saw a few mentions on the ADOT Facebook page.

For those of you who love, hate, or love to hate Clearview, I have seen some newer ADOT signs put up around the Phoenix area. The only Clearview signs I noticed were around the I-10/Loop 303 area. I saw that signs on SB AZ 51 just before the Ministack were being replaced this past weekend.