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Arizona Loop 303

Started by swbrotha100, March 13, 2013, 09:07:25 PM

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blanketcomputer

#25
I am curious when ADOT plans on adding the cable barrier in the median of Loop 303. If I remember correctly, there is no median barrier between I-10 and Cactus Road. North of Cactus there is the usual ADOT cable barrier. Crossover crashes in the 1990s were big news after the 101 and 202 first opened and cable barriers were added as a response so I am surprised that the 303 is without one.


Sonic99

#26
This is what caught my eye, just north of Broadway.

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!

blanketcomputer

#27
Quote from: Sonic99 on January 23, 2015, 01:19:23 AM
This is what caught my eye, just north of Broadway.

This area of SR 85 was upgraded to a divided highway in 2010. A future freeway upgrade was definitely in mind during design and construction. The area in the photo probably got extra work done sooner rather than later for the future Broadway overpass because of the canal bridge construction. I can't say this for certain, but SR 85 will eventually become a full freeway and will have a freeway interchange with SR 30 as that route continues west to I-11.

Sonic99

#28
I remember the Price Freeway set up just like that when I was a kid growing up in the East Valley. Price Road was divided with a super wide median area several years before the freeway ultimately got built.
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!

dfwmapper

And before that it was divided with a canal running down the middle, in a much narrower ROW. I want to say it was widened to the frontage road configuration in Tempe sometime around 1992?

Sonic99

Sounds like around the timeframe for when they did the section south of the 60. The first section of the 101 to open was from Southern to University. It didn't even connect with either the 60 or the 202, just two miles of freeway. I want to say the 101/60 interchange opened first, maybe 1993 or 1994? Then the 202 around 94 or 95?
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!

dfwmapper

It was done as far as Baseline when the first ramps to/from 60 opened. South of Baseline wasn't even started until 98 or 99 though.

blanketcomputer

The ramp from Loop 101 South to US 60 East was opened as early as 1995. There were no connections to or from US 60 west of Loop 101 besides a regular signaled on/off ramp at Price Rd. Southbound Price Rd today uses this original overpass but obviously without the west-half interchange it had with US 60.

In 1996, the Loop 101/202 interchange had opened connections from eastbound Loop 202 to southbound Loop 101, southbound Loop 101 (Pima) to westbound Loop 202, and from northbound Loop 101 (Price) to westbound Loop 202.

Neither interchange was completed in all directions until 2000.

707

For those wondering why no cable fence in the AZ 303 median, the freeway has an incredibly wide median able to fit at least two more lanes on each end and still retain an average sized median. My guess is they're anticipating future expansion with the growing population of Phoenix and all.

blanketcomputer

Quote from: 707 on March 12, 2015, 09:35:40 PM
For those wondering why no cable fence in the AZ 303 median, the freeway has an incredibly wide median able to fit at least two more lanes on each end and still retain an average sized median. My guess is they're anticipating future expansion with the growing population of Phoenix and all.

Besides the portions just north of the I-10 interchange Loop 303 has a dirt median just as wide as Loop 101 did originally and Loop 202 has now. Loop 202 has an even wider median than Loop 303 in east Mesa from Power Road to Brown Road and had a cable barrier until HOV lane construction started a few months ago. I haven't been out on Loop 303 in a few months now so it's possible cable barriers have been installed now. It just seems odd to me that ADOT wouldn't install them after all the controversy there was from cross over crashes in the past.

swbrotha100

I cruised along Loop 303 recently. There are now cable barriers from Thomas to Camelback, Northern Ave to Peoria, and Cactus to the north end of the current freeway.

707

I've got news, along with the construction at the US 60 interchange and the future El Mirage interchange, it seems the I-17 interchange will receive some construction as well. Currently, the county (or the city) has been constructing Sonoran Desert Drive to finally bridge the gap between the dead end piece at the end of 303 and the already existing segment. ADOT says they'll be closing parts of I-17 on Sunday and Monday due to construction. Hopefully this means they're finally building the true freeway parts of the AZ 303/I-17 interchange.

blanketcomputer

Quote from: 707 on March 21, 2015, 05:51:46 AM
I've got news, along with the construction at the US 60 interchange and the future El Mirage interchange, it seems the I-17 interchange will receive some construction as well. Currently, the county (or the city) has been constructing Sonoran Desert Drive to finally bridge the gap between the dead end piece at the end of 303 and the already existing segment. ADOT says they'll be closing parts of I-17 on Sunday and Monday due to construction. Hopefully this means they're finally building the true freeway parts of the AZ 303/I-17 interchange.

The Loop 303 and I-17 interchange is not going to be constructed any time soon unfortunately. Probably when the rest of Loop 303 built to freeway standards from Happy Valley Parkway to I-17. Currently a lot of the freeway is using what will clearly be future on and off ramps after the freeway bridges are built.

707

Quote from: blanketcomputer on March 21, 2015, 07:38:13 AM
Quote from: 707 on March 21, 2015, 05:51:46 AM
I've got news, along with the construction at the US 60 interchange and the future El Mirage interchange, it seems the I-17 interchange will receive some construction as well. Currently, the county (or the city) has been constructing Sonoran Desert Drive to finally bridge the gap between the dead end piece at the end of 303 and the already existing segment. ADOT says they'll be closing parts of I-17 on Sunday and Monday due to construction. Hopefully this means they're finally building the true freeway parts of the AZ 303/I-17 interchange.

The Loop 303 and I-17 interchange is not going to be constructed any time soon unfortunately. Probably when the rest of Loop 303 built to freeway standards from Happy Valley Parkway to I-17. Currently a lot of the freeway is using what will clearly be future on and off ramps after the freeway bridges are built.

Bummer. Even still, work has commenced on Sonoran Desert Drive and seems to be going well. Wonder what extra construction around Loop 303 will be limiting I-17 traffic?

dfwmapper

I just took a quick look at the MAG 2035 plan and I don't think the L303/I-17 interchange has any changes planned in that timeframe. Building out the overpasses and widening to 6 lanes are planned in the later part, but that's it. And even that is subject to some funding being identified. Proposition 400 expires in 2025, so if that doesn't get renewed well in advance or replaced with some other source of money, that will be the end of any serious freeway (and transit) construction in Phoenix.

The Ghostbuster

I think it was a dumb idea to start the exit sequence where it is. The exits should have been numbered from it's (distant)future terminus at Interstate 11.

roadfro

Has the I-11 alignment in Arizona even been officially determined?
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

707

Quote from: roadfro on March 27, 2015, 11:37:24 AM
Has the I-11 alignment in Arizona even been officially determined?

Yes. Congress recently approved I-11 to southern Arizona (Tucson/Nogales). That was sent to me by an ADOT update via text message. As for construction, that is still years down the road (no pun intended). ADOT just began a three year environmental study for the Hassayampa Freeway.

AsphaltPlanet

Has anybody taken any up to date photos of 303 since its finally opened to traffic?
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

roadfro

Quote from: 707 on March 27, 2015, 03:51:03 PM
Quote from: roadfro on March 27, 2015, 11:37:24 AM
Has the I-11 alignment in Arizona even been officially determined?

Yes. Congress recently approved I-11 to southern Arizona (Tucson/Nogales). That was sent to me by an ADOT update via text message. As for construction, that is still years down the road (no pun intended). ADOT just began a three year environmental study for the Hassayampa Freeway.

The Ghostbuster stated that Loop 303 should have had its exit numbers start at a future terminus with I-11. They can't do that if the actual physical alignment (I.e. The line on the map) of the new Interstate has not yet been determined. It is one thing to say the I-11 corridor will extend to a place, but completely different to determine a reference distance (I.e. Exit numbers) based on an intersection with a dotted line on a map that may still change.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

swbrotha100

Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on March 27, 2015, 04:58:57 PM
Has anybody taken any up to date photos of 303 since its finally opened to traffic?

ADOT actually has some photos during and near the end of construction:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/arizonadot/sets/72157644094620255/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/arizonadot/sets/72157646399069732/

swbrotha100

I'm wondering if anyone knows when ADOT decided to change a few of the Loop 303 interchanges. Specifically, at I-10, Northern Parkway, and US 60. I assume cost might have had something to do with the changes.

--Loop 303 was supposed to have frontage roads connecting from Thomas Road to Van Buren St. I assume this could still be done later, but a two-way Cotton Lane now exists between Thomas and McDowell Roads.

--Loop 303 was supposed to have a multi-level stack at Northern Parkway, with frontage roads from Northern Ave to Peoria Ave. Instead, 303 and Northern Parkway is a trumpet interchange.

--Loop 303 and US 60 were supposed to have a 3 level SPUI, with all the left turn movements meeting under both 303 and 60. Instead, a partial cloverleaf is under construction.

dfwmapper

The Northern Parkway and US 60 interchanges were both listed as "interim" designs in ADOT's materials. Cost is the entire reason - ADOT has already delayed as many projects as they can get away with and has shifted as much of their budget as possible to pavement preservation projects. Arizona got hit pretty hard by the recession and by their own decision to chase a bunch of illegals out of the state. Turns out that people here illegally still pay sales and property tax, and often income tax, and when you lose those dollars, it makes it hard to make ends meet.

The Ghostbuster

I still think Loop 303 should not have exit numbers in the 100s, unless it will be extended for 100 or more miles in some direction.

Sonic99

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on May 14, 2015, 06:33:33 PM
I still think Loop 303 should not have exit numbers in the 100s, unless it will be extended for 100 or more miles in some direction.

Isn't the big reason for that that they don't know the exact future routing of the 303 to the south, so they couldn't figure out exactly where the current exits would line up after the ultimate completion of the whole thing? So they started at 100?
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!



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