FHWA approves Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway

[swbrotha100]

I-10 has an extra wide median in Phoenix from 91st Ave to the I-17 split (excluding where there are current HOV exit ramps). I know there were plans for various types of mass transit going west of downtown, but was anything ever planned going east of downtown? Or is the median extra wide simply because it was built later than other sections of I-10 in the Phoenix area?

[blanketcomputer]

I-10 has an extra wide median in Phoenix from 91st Ave to the I-17 split (excluding where there are current HOV exit ramps). I know there were plans for various types of mass transit going west of downtown, but was anything ever planned going east of downtown? Or is the median extra wide simply because it was built later than other sections of I-10 in the Phoenix area?

I don't believe there is a plan to route the light rail through the median in the area around the split and the mini-stack. This valley metro map shows the proposed routes. The wide median starting at the split was probably for the purposes of HOV ramps. The HOV ramps from Loop 202 to I-10 were part of the original mini-stack in the early 90s, and the HOV exit for SR-51 was constructed around 2004.

[andy3175]

Update on the South Mountain Freeway from 11/9/2015:

http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=8e47a113-8a81-4094-835f-de890009ac15

Arizona Department of Transportation received proposals from all three short-listed teams vying to develop the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway Project. ... This $1.9 billion megaproject includes the design, construction and 30-year maintenance of the last section of the Loop 202 Freeway — a route which will stretch 22 miles from the Maricopa Freeway segment of I-10 to the Papago Freeway segment of I-10 in the southwestern quadrant of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area.  It is the single largest highway project ever undertaken by ADOT. ... The South Mountain freeway will break new ground as the first highway project procured under Arizona's P3 statute, and ADOT's first design-build-maintain project.  ADOT will fund the project capital costs with a combination of available federal funds, regional sales tax revenues and tax-exempt bonds. ... Proposal evaluations, involving scores of technical experts, are underway.  A best value determination and proposer rankings are expected by mid-January 2016.

But, opposition remains:

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2015/11/05/loop-202-south-mountain-freeway-schedule-continues.html

The Arizona Department of Transportation is continuing to move forward with construction of Loop 202 into the West Valley, despite some recent court wrangling and reports it had been put off until July 2016. The court case has not stopped demolition of homes along the proposed freeway's path nor rights-of-way acquisitions for the 22-mile route from Interstate 10 to the 59th Avenue alignment in Phoenix. A report circulating through media on Thursday had said the construction was put off from the initial start date, but ADOT officials said July was the intended start date regardless of the lawsuit.

http://www.ahwatukee.com/opinion/article_33b8f5f0-693c-11e5-ae16-ab8290aceac2.html

Currently, the proposed name for the 202 western extension is the South Mountain Freeway, a shortened version of the full name "The Destruction of South Mountain Freeway."  But I believe collectively we can come up with a better, more accurate name. My proposal is the "$2 billion-plus Boondoggle Freeway,"  a very accurate name describing the money sink that is this potential highway. With the rate ADOT (Arizona Department of Transportation) is already blowing through our tax dollars with a lawsuit in progress blocking the freeway from ever being built, it will undoubtedly cost $3 or $4 billion in the unlikely event that it actually proceeds. So the name is perfect, and adds the opportunity for a bit of local historical color along the highway.

http://mesalegend.com/mcc-mural-presents-native-strife/

Renee "˜Missy' Jackson, is member of the Tohono O'odham nation and one of the organizers of the South Mountain Freeway Resistance. She explained the current plan to extend the Loop 202 freeway through a portion of South Mountain, referred to by the O'odham as Moahdak Do'ag, a site that is held sacred by the tribe, as well as the Gila River and Salt River Indian Communities. "This project looks to desecrate not only the mountain,"  said Jackson "But prayer sites and burial area... Part of the mural is going to represent that struggle going on right now in the Gila River Indian Community"  Jackson explained that the project would only save Loop 202 commuters mere minutes at the cost of these holy sites being ruined.  Members of the tribes are currently awaiting the results of their lawsuits against the proposal and there is currently a plan to establish an around the clock protest and occupation at the proposed sights.

[pumpkineater2]

Looks like things are moving forward:http://www.azdot.gov/media/News/news-release/2015/12/28/south-mountain-freeway-to-be-constructed-as-public-private-partnership

The Arizona Department of Transportation has selected a preferred developer for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, which remains on track for construction to begin in summer 2016 as the largest-ever highway project in the state.

[Pink Jazz]

Since the South Mountain Freeway will not be tolled, I presume the logo sign revenue for it will go to Connect 202 Partners, who will maintain the freeway for 30 years.  This could be a good source of revenue for them without charging tolls.

[707]

I find it funny they're putting the South Mountain Freeway as a priority over... Oh I don't know, I-10 between existing 202 and Casa Grande (especially the SR 587 interchange which is a NIGHTMARE) or finishing the darned widening of US 93 before more people crash into each other.

Though on the other hand (someone correct me if I'm wrong), the projects in Phoenix are mostly paid for by Maricopa County through Proposition 400 which doesn't apply to other counties outside it, so it would make more sense.

[pumpkineater2]

Though on the other hand (someone correct me if I'm wrong), the projects in Phoenix are mostly paid for by Maricopa County through Proposition 400 which doesn't apply to other counties outside it, so it would make more sense.

Yep:http://www.azdot.gov/projects/phoenix-metro-area/loop-202-south-mountain-freeway/overview

The project has been a critical part of the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Freeway Program since it was first included in funding through Proposition 300 approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985. The freeway is also part of the Regional Transportation Plan funding passed by Maricopa County voters in 2004 through Proposition 400.

[kdk]

I-10 has an extra wide median in Phoenix from 91st Ave to the I-17 split (excluding where there are current HOV exit ramps). I know there were plans for various types of mass transit going west of downtown, but was anything ever planned going east of downtown? Or is the median extra wide simply because it was built later than other sections of I-10 in the Phoenix area?

I don't believe there is a plan to route the light rail through the median in the area around the split and the mini-stack. This valley metro map shows the proposed routes. The wide median starting at the split was probably for the purposes of HOV ramps. The HOV ramps from Loop 202 to I-10 were part of the original mini-stack in the early 90s, and the HOV exit for SR-51 was constructed around 2004.

Actually when I-10 was built in the early 90's west of downtown the wide median was created with the idea of a "future mass transit corridor".  Back then the city had no plans for any light rail other than hope that it could come one day.  In the late 90's when plans for the ballot proposition for the light rail, there were discussions of running it in the median going west as a possible route and it mentioned how the freeway was designed for it.  if you look at the "tunnel" on I-10 you can see a hole was created with the idea a train could run through it.  They did build the HOV exit at 79th Ave, but you can see how it could still work.

I am not aware of any plans for it going east of the tunnel along I-10 at all though.

[kdk]

I find it funny they're putting the South Mountain Freeway as a priority over... Oh I don't know, I-10 between existing 202 and Casa Grande (especially the SR 587 interchange which is a NIGHTMARE) or finishing the darned widening of US 93 before more people crash into each other.

Though on the other hand (someone correct me if I'm wrong), the projects in Phoenix are mostly paid for by Maricopa County through Proposition 400 which doesn't apply to other counties outside it, so it would make more sense.

You are correct about the Proposition 400- the I-10 Phx-Tucson project falls under ADOT not the Maricopa County project.  The hold up on this portion of the project has been the Gila River reservation.  The community was promised frontage roads and more access points when they originally allowed the freeway to be built through the reservation and that never happened.  They have the rights to allow or disallow widening on their land.  You can see here they had begun to allow it in this old article- http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/local/queen_creek/article_e7bdedca-c0b7-5fc7-978a-d5a51e23c7d7.html

The hold up now is they still want the roads and interchanges making this project a lot more costly than it would normally be.  That's why it widens again as soon as you get south of the reservation.  I avoid driving this stretch when I can, the heavy truck traffic makes it feel dangerous.

[coatimundi]

The hold up now is they still want the roads and interchanges making this project a lot more costly than it would normally be.  That's why it widens again as soon as you get south of the reservation.  I avoid driving this stretch when I can, the heavy truck traffic makes it feel dangerous.

I nearly always avoid this too and take 87 down to Picacho, right before it widens again.
What is the hold up on the section from Casa Grande/287 to Picacho? Just cost? I read an article from last year about ADOT balking at the price tag and pushing it back to 2020. Is that still the case? And why is this section so much more expensive? Just the extra interchanges and railroad crossing, or is there going to be some ROW acquisition needed to get it through Eloy?

[kdk]

The hold up now is they still want the roads and interchanges making this project a lot more costly than it would normally be.  That's why it widens again as soon as you get south of the reservation.  I avoid driving this stretch when I can, the heavy truck traffic makes it feel dangerous.

I nearly always avoid this too and take 87 down to Picacho, right before it widens again.
What is the hold up on the section from Casa Grande/287 to Picacho? Just cost? I read an article from last year about ADOT balking at the price tag and pushing it back to 2020. Is that still the case? And why is this section so much more expensive? Just the extra interchanges and railroad crossing, or is there going to be some ROW acquisition needed to get it through Eloy?

I do this too sometimes, especially if it's a heavier traffic time.

It's cost- the section near Pichaco where the 87 interchange is due to the cost of some bridges.  Here was the latest article I could find on it- http://tucson.com/news/local/adot-pushes-back-projects-to-widen-interstate/article_5adf19a7-acd1-5e7f-897a-b2b3e2e7ba47.html

[mapman1071]

South Mountain Freeway agreement delivers lower cost, shorter timeline
Construction to start this summer on largest highway project in state history
February 26, 2016

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation will deliver the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway three years sooner and at a cost savings topping $100 million by taking an innovative approach to selecting the team to design, build and maintain the highway.

"This is another example of government working at the speed of business to save taxpayer money and improve the lives of Arizonans,"  said Governor Doug Ducey. "Thanks to hard work and collaboration, the South Mountain Freeway will be completed under budget and faster than expected."

The Department of Transportation finalized a public-private partnership Friday with the project team — Connect 202 Partners — that will serve in all three roles.

"This first-of-its-kind highway contract in Arizona has not only reduced the overall cost but allowed ADOT to accelerate the entire project, meaning motorists will be able to benefit from this critical freeway sooner,"  ADOT Director John Halikowski said. "That's especially important in light of transportation needs today and into the future."

The 22-mile freeway, expected to open by late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved twice by Maricopa County voters, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system.

Connect 202 Partners will design and build the freeway corridor and provide maintenance for 30 years after construction. The team consists of Fluor Enterprises Inc., Granite Construction Co. and Ames Construction Inc., with Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc. as the lead designer.

The fixed $916 million contract for design and construction makes this the largest highway project in state history.

The amount required for the overall project is approximately $122 million less than anticipated because of innovative approaches Connect 202 Partners proposed for construction and engineering, as well as reducing the amount of property that must be acquired for the freeway.

While the phrase public-private partnership may evoke visions of a toll road, that isn't the case with the South Mountain Freeway. Instead, this agreement, ADOT's first for a highway project, provides the advantages of lower cost and shorter timeline that come from having one team not only design and build the freeway, but maintain it afterward.

The original plan called for construction of the freeway as nine individual projects. But after receiving an unsolicited proposal for a public-private partnership in 2013, ADOT decided to seek proposals using that approach.

Connect 202 Partners was selected as the "best value"  developer in December 2015 following an extensive review that led to a final list of three prospective developer teams in March 2015. ADOT encouraged these teams to propose innovative concepts that would save time and money while adhering to all environmental commitments.

Innovations proposed by Connect 202 Partners include optimizing the design of the freeway to reduce the amount of right-of-way needed and improving efficiency by reducing the amount of earth needing to be hauled by trucks. The project will include construction of a 15-foot-wide multi-use trail along the existing Pecos Road alignment from 40th Street to 17th Avenue.

Even with the lower cost made possible by a public-private partnership agreement, motorists will enjoy the same modern amenities they have been accustomed to for decades, including a high-capacity freeway with four lanes of traffic in each direction including HOV lanes, rubberized asphalt, access-controlled interchanges and aesthetics that reflect the nearby communities.

The South Mountain Freeway, which will be paid for with state, federal and voter-approved regional transportation funding, has been a critical part of the region's transportation plans since voters approved the Maricopa Association of Governments' Regional Freeway Program in 1985. It also was part of the Regional Transportation Plan that Maricopa County voters approved in 2004.

"The award provides cost certainty on the largest transportation project in the Regional Transportation Plan,"  said Scottsdale Mayor W.J. "Jim"  Lane, chair of the Maricopa Association of Governments. "We now know the range of savings we can put toward the rest of the freeway program."

Halikowski said support from the Maricopa Association of Governments, city of Phoenix and Federal Highway Administration has been essential to advancing the South Mountain Freeway.

Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2016. Pre-construction activities, including geotechnical and utility work and property acquisition and preparation, have been underway since spring 2015 after ADOT received final federal clearance to move forward.

For more information, visit azdot.gov/SouthMountainFreeway.

[kkt]

I love how they talk about how they got the project done faster than scheduled and under budget when it isn't actually done yet!

[coatimundi]

access-controlled interchanges

Well, lah-dee-dah, so fancy!

I'm a little surprised they're talking about an 8-lane freeway on this corridor with HOVs. Or is it 8 lanes including the HOVs? Even then, that seems like a bit overkill considering much of the corridor will never see development, with South Mountain Park and the GRIT on either side.
I wonder if Gila Bend will see a drop in traffic once this is completed, since most trucks (and even cars) take I-8 to 85 instead of slogging through Downtown Phoenix. Poor Space Age Lodge.

[Pink Jazz]

access-controlled interchanges

Well, lah-dee-dah, so fancy!

I'm a little surprised they're talking about an 8-lane freeway on this corridor with HOVs. Or is it 8 lanes including the HOVs? Even then, that seems like a bit overkill considering much of the corridor will never see development, with South Mountain Park and the GRIT on either side.
I wonder if Gila Bend will see a drop in traffic once this is completed, since most trucks (and even cars) take I-8 to 85 instead of slogging through Downtown Phoenix. Poor Space Age Lodge.

It is 8 lanes including the HOV lanes.

[JKRhodes]

3+1 HOV really isn't overkill if you consider the regional needs. What lies adjacent to just a few miles of the corridor is ultimately irrelevant.

[DJStephens]

The hold up now is they still want the roads and interchanges making this project a lot more costly than it would normally be.  That's why it widens again as soon as you get south of the reservation.  I avoid driving this stretch when I can, the heavy truck traffic makes it feel dangerous.

I nearly always avoid this too and take 87 down to Picacho, right before it widens again.
What is the hold up on the section from Casa Grande/287 to Picacho? Just cost? I read an article from last year about ADOT balking at the price tag and pushing it back to 2020. Is that still the case? And why is this section so much more expensive? Just the extra interchanges and railroad crossing, or is there going to be some ROW acquisition needed to get it through Eloy?

I do this too sometimes, especially if it's a heavier traffic time.

It's cost- the section near Pichaco where the 87 interchange is due to the cost of some bridges.  Here was the latest article I could find on it- http://tucson.com/news/local/adot-pushes-back-projects-to-widen-interstate/article_5adf19a7-acd1-5e7f-897a-b2b3e2e7ba47.html

This "cheaping" out is clearly visible on the widened section of I-10 northwest of Casa Grande, where the alignment "shifts" to the inside to go under some pre - existing four span bridges.  Demolition and replacement with two span, with greater vertical clearances would have been ideal.  At least they widened to the outside, preserving the median, which reduces glare from traffic during the night time.   

[NE2]

I hope they don't post any capitalist logo signs on it.

[pumpkineater2]

I hope they don't post any capitalist logo signs on it.

Do you want to go to jail?

[NE2]

I hope they don't post any capitalist logo signs on it.

Do you want to go to jail?

Only if they don't invite me.

[Pete from Boston]

I hope they don't post any capitalist logo signs on it.

Do you want to go to jail?

Jail?

[pumpkineater2]

Jail?

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=16422.0

And reply #16 of this thread

[Sonic99]

Any timeline on when the construction on the interchange with I-10 will get underway? That looks like it's going to be a massive task to shove that interchange in there.

[pumpkineater2]

Any timeline on when the construction on the interchange with I-10 will get underway? That looks like it's going to be a massive task to shove that interchange in there.

I assume they'll start on it when they start on the rest of the freeway, since the project is supposed to be built all at once.  I'm not sure how much demolition has occurred in that part of the right of way, if any.
I was planning on driving down there on Monday anyway, for the very reason of seeing how much demolition has happened. So I'll report what I see.
I imagine that the traffic situation is not going to be pretty around there during construction.

[DJStephens]

Any timeline on when the construction on the interchange with I-10 will get underway? That looks like it's going to be a massive task to shove that interchange in there.

Still the wrong location.  Should go through Tolleson, by any means possible to directly link to "Loop 101".