FHWA approves Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway

[jakeroot]

Sorry, but however you may oppose frivolous lawsuits like this one, calling opponents "criminal leftists" for exercising their Consitutional rights is way over the line. Their case is bogus and should be thrown out of court, but they have that right to express their grievances. Plus, there are plenty of lefties who aren't radically anti-freeway...I'm one of them.

Seconded. What criminal acts are they performing? They want to protect their land, as would anyone.

[Scott5114]

Disagreeing with you isn't a crime.

[mapman1071]

Loop 202 - South Mountain Freeway has been on the ADOT/MAG regional freeway plan was funded in 1985 for 20 years and renewed in 2005 to 2025.
The community was only built as far West as Desert Foothills Parkway (10th Street) in 1985
Today the community is built as far West as 19th Avenue.

[swbrotha100]

Loop 202 - South Mountain Freeway has been on the ADOT/MAG regional freeway plan was funded in 1985 for 20 years and renewed in 2005 to 2025.
The community was only built as far West as Desert Foothills Parkway (10th Street) in 1985
Today the community is built as far West as 19th Avenue.

There is a residential area between the 27th Ave and 35th Ave alignments.

[noelbotevera]

I think it's safe to say that this will not be a canceled freeway, because the FHWA supports it, and construction has begun. Residents are starting to slightly move out east, but that's ok. I think Phoenix will have completely finished its freeway system (except I-11, but it's a supported project), with opposition only on the I-10 tunnel.

[dfwmapper]

Local opposition killed AZ 50/Paradise Parkway, which was to be an east/west freeway running from Loop 101 in Glendale to AZ 51 in Phoenix, about 4 miles north of I-10. There were also plans for the AZ 153 freeway to be extended south to meet I-10 at the 40th Street interchange, but it was never built and AZ 153 was converted to a surface street, decommissioned as a state route, and transferred to Phoenix.

[Pink Jazz]

Local opposition killed AZ 50/Paradise Parkway, which was to be an east/west freeway running from Loop 101 in Glendale to AZ 51 in Phoenix, about 4 miles north of I-10. There were also plans for the AZ 153 freeway to be extended south to meet I-10 at the 40th Street interchange, but it was never built and AZ 153 was converted to a surface street, decommissioned as a state route, and transferred to Phoenix.

The problem with SR 153 is that it was redundant with SR 143 from the start.  The road was underutilized the entire time it existed.

[dfwmapper]

Not entirely. The ramps connecting southbound AZ 143 and Sky Harbor Blvd are both relatively new. Getting from east Phoenix to the airport used to require taking AZ 153, and getting from the airport to Ahwatukee, Chandler and parts of Tempe required taking AZ 153 to University to AZ 143, which was a serious pain in the ass for everyone involved.

[The Ghostbuster]

When is the Loop 202 extension scheduled to be constructed?

[swbrotha100]

When is the Loop 202 extension scheduled to be constructed?

Construction is supposed to start in early 2016.

[Pink Jazz]

Looks like the Gila River Indian Community is filing a separate lawsuit to stop the freeway.  ADOT should file criminal countersuits against both and have the leaders of both organizations thrown in jail for life.

[myosh_tino]

Looks like the Gila River Indian Community is filing a separate lawsuit to stop the freeway.  ADOT should file criminal countersuits against both and have the leaders of both organizations thrown in jail for life.

Wow!  That's kind of harsh don't you think? 

[jakeroot]

Looks like the Gila River Indian Community is filing a separate lawsuit to stop the freeway.  ADOT should file criminal countersuits against both and have the leaders of both organizations thrown in jail for life.

Wow!  That's kind of harsh don't you think? 

I think Pink Jazz forgot the "" emoticon, because taken literally, he's not making any sense.

[CtrlAltDel]

Looks like the Gila River Indian Community is filing a separate lawsuit to stop the freeway.  ADOT should file criminal countersuits against both and have the leaders of both organizations thrown in jail for life.

Thrown in jail for what? Disagreeing with a government agency? Disagreeing with you?

[kkt]

Looks like the Gila River Indian Community is filing a separate lawsuit to stop the freeway.  ADOT should file criminal countersuits against both and have the leaders of both organizations thrown in jail for life.

Thrown in jail for what? Disagreeing with a government agency? Disagreeing with you?

They're lucky they don't get capital punishment!

[Pink Jazz]

Thrown in jail for what? Disagreeing with a government agency? Disagreeing with you?

Abuse of the legal system.  Malicious lawsuits like these should result in the arrest of the plaintiff.  Neither of these lawsuits have any merit and should be tossed immediately.

[corco]

http://www.city-data.com/forum/phoenix-area/2313570-fhwa-approves-loop-202-south-mountain.html

The lawsuit alleges federal and state agencies violated the National Environmental Policy Act and the Department of Transportation Act by failing to consider the harm the freeway would inflict on the environment and on historical and cultural resources. The lawsuit also alleges that the agencies ignored their obligations to avoid or mitigate harm to the environment and to community members.

is the lawsuit

http://azdot.gov/projects/phoenix-metro-area/loop-202-south-mountain-freeway/final-eis

is the EIS.

The preferred alternative (identified in the ROD - if you're unfamiliar with how this works, an EIS or Environmental Impact Statement has to be completed before federal funds can be used, and that EIS informs the ROD, or Record of Decision, which identifies the preferred alternative and the measures needed to properly implement) http://azdot.gov/docs/default-source/loop-202-south-mountain/sm-rod-vol-i-chapter-15.pdf?sfvrsn=2 is the one that has the most direct harm to cultural resources. No real measures are taken with the preferred alternative to minimize damage (http://azdot.gov/docs/default-source/loop-202-south-mountain/sm-rod-vol-i-chapter-4.pdf?sfvrsn=2).

You can disagree with the lawsuit, but it's hardly frivolous. A less expensive alternative that does more damage was chosen, and no real measures were taken to minimize the damage of that preferred alternative to those resources- whether or not that is the correct decision is something that should get a fair trial.

[CtrlAltDel]

Thrown in jail for what? Disagreeing with a government agency? Disagreeing with you?

Abuse of the legal system.  Malicious lawsuits like these should result in the arrest of the plaintiff.  Neither of these lawsuits have any merit and should be tossed immediately.

This is a terrible idea. And by terrible, I mean borderline evil. I get that you're upset, but throwing people in prison for filing a lawsuit, whatever the reason, is just too much.

[Scott5114]

Thrown in jail for what? Disagreeing with a government agency? Disagreeing with you?

Abuse of the legal system.  Malicious lawsuits like these should result in the arrest of the plaintiff.  Neither of these lawsuits have any merit and should be tossed immediately.

Anyone remember the Perkins Union?

[DJStephens]

Have they decided on an alignment as of yet?  One would think that a route skirting the reservation could be a win - win.  Funneling customers to an existing or future casino would be one major one i can think of.   

[blanketcomputer]

Have they decided on an alignment as of yet?  One would think that a route skirting the reservation could be a win - win.  Funneling customers to an existing or future casino would be one major one i can think of.

Yes, the FHWA decided on the Pecos Road and 59th Avenue alignment.



I have heard plans for future shopping centers on tribal land south of the Pecos alignment. Vee Quiva casino near 51st Avenue and Ray Road will be served by the 51st Avenue interchange.

[Concrete Bob]

I don't think jail/prison time should be associated with parties who file frivilous lawsuits that hold up major public works projects like Loop 202.  However, I would take great pleasure if those if those same parties were forced to pay all the court costs borne by ADOT, Maricopa County and all other related municipalities involved in Loop 202's final leg of construction.  Now, that would be justice !!!     

[DeaconG]

I don't think jail/prison time should be associated with parties who file frivilous lawsuits that hold up major public works projects like Loop 202.  However, I would take great pleasure if those if those same parties were forced to pay all the court costs borne by ADOT, Maricopa County and all other related municipalities involved in Loop 202's final leg of construction.  Now, that would be justice !!!     

Yep, once they start talking about taking REAL money out of their rear ends, they'll start considering it.  "Can I continue to make an ass of myself if I'm going to have to file Chapter 7 or 13 if I file another lawsuit? Hmmm, decisions decisions..."

[707]

How about this, knock off the lawsuits and just leave ADOT alone? As much as I don't like it that people are trying to sue ADOT for building a road, they're within their constitutional bounds to do it. I do believe however that reforms should occur, making sure frivolous lawsuits like these ones aren't accepted by the courts and that progress is allowed to continue its path. The way I see it is these lawsuits are anti-progress hippies who are just trying to very rudely and meanly destroy industry blindly hypnotized by old communists from the Soviet era who hate this country and want to watch the US fall in revenge for their failed tyrannical country's self created demise. "Why can't we have nice things?" That's why. Say what you want, but I'm standing my ground on this and support freeway construction to the end in Arizona.

[Rothman]

The way I see it is these lawsuits are anti-progress hippies who are just trying to very rudely and meanly destroy industry blindly hypnotized by old communists from the Soviet era who hate this country and want to watch the US fall in revenge for their failed tyrannical country's self created demise.