Northern Parkway

[707]

Is the project dead? I've looked everywhere for news updates and on the official Maricopa County site for the project and have found thus far, no mention of the Northern Parkway project still under construction.

[Max Rockatansky]

Doesn't say it's dead according to the website:


http://www.mcdot.maricopa.gov/northernparkway/projects.htm

[The Ghostbuster]

Have patience. It will probably be completed as scheduled, or am I being overly optimistic?

[swbrotha100]

Haven't seen anything other than stakes on the side of the road to mark utilities over by Dysart Rd and El Mirage Rd. I assumed that Maricopa County was working from west to east on this project. If anything is actually worked on in the near future that the average driver can see, it will be the Dysart to El Mirage section.

[Sonic99]

Doesn't say it's dead according to the website:


http://www.mcdot.maricopa.gov/northernparkway/projects.htm

Interesting to see the dates though, many say 2014/2015 for completion, and 2016 for the Northern/101 interchange, and the project is seemingly stalled out.

[Max Rockatansky]

Doesn't say it's dead according to the website:


http://www.mcdot.maricopa.gov/northernparkway/projects.htm

Interesting to see the dates though, many say 2014/2015 for completion, and 2016 for the Northern/101 interchange, and the project is seemingly stalled out.

Probably running shorting on funding I would assume?

[707]

Doesn't say it's dead according to the website:


http://www.mcdot.maricopa.gov/northernparkway/projects.htm

Interesting to see the dates though, many say 2014/2015 for completion, and 2016 for the Northern/101 interchange, and the project is seemingly stalled out.

Probably running shorting on funding I would assume?

No idea, but I wish they'd say something. There's nothing built out there despite a "2015" completion date and its already April of 2016.

[Max Rockatansky]

Doesn't say it's dead according to the website:


http://www.mcdot.maricopa.gov/northernparkway/projects.htm

Interesting to see the dates though, many say 2014/2015 for completion, and 2016 for the Northern/101 interchange, and the project is seemingly stalled out.

Probably running shorting on funding I would assume?

No idea, but I wish they'd say something. There's nothing built out there despite a "2015" completion date and its already April of 2016.

Problem is that the bulk of the funding is coming from MCDOT and all those local cities.  What they might have available could be fairly wonky in comparison to a statewide agency like ADOT.  I'm actually kind of surprised that this wasn't pursued as Arizona State Highway or at least get ADOT partially interested but it was kind of the same thing with AZ 303 before it was a freeway.

[Sonic99]

Doesn't say it's dead according to the website:


http://www.mcdot.maricopa.gov/northernparkway/projects.htm

Interesting to see the dates though, many say 2014/2015 for completion, and 2016 for the Northern/101 interchange, and the project is seemingly stalled out.

Probably running shorting on funding I would assume?

No idea, but I wish they'd say something. There's nothing built out there despite a "2015" completion date and its already April of 2016.

Problem is that the bulk of the funding is coming from MCDOT and all those local cities.  What they might have available could be fairly wonky in comparison to a statewide agency like ADOT.  I'm actually kind of surprised that this wasn't pursued as Arizona State Highway or at least get ADOT partially interested but it was kind of the same thing with AZ 303 before it was a freeway.

It does seem like it would be a very natural part to be part of the valley freeway system and get an AZ route number. The 303 was built as the two-lane road by Maricopa County to hold the space, then the upgrade to freeway was done by ADOT. Maybe MCDOT would do the bulk of the initial construction, then ADOT come in later and take over maintenance and incorporate it into the system saving the municipalities the upkeep costs of a full freeway?

[swbrotha100]

The project is currently on hold, according to the city of El Mirage:

http://www.cityofelmirage.org/index.aspx?nid=1659

http://www.cityofelmirage.org/DocumentCenter/View/1618

[Max Rockatansky]

Project programming reads like lack of funding to me.

[The Ghostbuster]

That's the problem! There's never enough money to fund everything you want to be built.

[707]

That's the problem! There's never enough money to fund everything you want to be built.

I'm just amazed they built the freeway to Dysart. It's really a shame they didn't finish it though. It's a pretty little freeway too.

[kdk]

Doesn't say it's dead according to the website:


http://www.mcdot.maricopa.gov/northernparkway/projects.htm

Interesting to see the dates though, many say 2014/2015 for completion, and 2016 for the Northern/101 interchange, and the project is seemingly stalled out.

Probably running shorting on funding I would assume?

No idea, but I wish they'd say something. There's nothing built out there despite a "2015" completion date and its already April of 2016.

Problem is that the bulk of the funding is coming from MCDOT and all those local cities.  What they might have available could be fairly wonky in comparison to a statewide agency like ADOT.  I'm actually kind of surprised that this wasn't pursued as Arizona State Highway or at least get ADOT partially interested but it was kind of the same thing with AZ 303 before it was a freeway.

It does seem like it would be a very natural part to be part of the valley freeway system and get an AZ route number. The 303 was built as the two-lane road by Maricopa County to hold the space, then the upgrade to freeway was done by ADOT. Maybe MCDOT would do the bulk of the initial construction, then ADOT come in later and take over maintenance and incorporate it into the system saving the municipalities the upkeep costs of a full freeway?

I think the 303 was a little different.  It was originally part an ADOT project, but then when funding was cut it was transferred to MCDOT and managed by them for years until funding was restored and transferred back to ADOT.  Which is why it had a state route.

As for Northern Parkway, if it does become an ADOT highway if it ever gets finished, AZ 50 would sort of make sense since that was the original number for this planned alignment, although the original portion wasn't ever built anyway.

[Max Rockatansky]

I kind of see Northern Parkway like the Pioneer Parkway up in Prescott Valley.  The portion that carries 89A got finished a long time ago but it took forever to upgrade Fain Road to Expressway standards.  I just wish Yavapai County would eliminate that one big grade intersection where 89A comes in south west out of Jerome.  I don't think you'll find too many examples elsewhere in the country other than Nevada and Arizona where segments of freeway are literally at best county routes.

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe if the parkway is completed as proposed, they can bring back the AZ 50 designation.

[Sonic99]

I kind of see Northern Parkway like the Pioneer Parkway up in Prescott Valley.  The portion that carries 89A got finished a long time ago but it took forever to upgrade Fain Road to Expressway standards.  I just wish Yavapai County would eliminate that one big grade intersection where 89A comes in south west out of Jerome.  I don't think you'll find too many examples elsewhere in the country other than Nevada and Arizona where segments of freeway are literally at best county routes.

That would be Robert Rd, and I believe I saw an estimated build year for a grade-separated crossing around 2021.

[Max Rockatansky]

Been awhile since we've talked about Northern Parkway.  Wrote up something since I flew over the corridor last week:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2023/06/northern-parkway.html?m=1

[JKRhodes]

Been awhile since we've talked about Northern Parkway.  Wrote up something since I flew over the corridor last week:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2023/06/northern-parkway.html?m=1

I don't make it out there often or really have it on my radar as far as road projects go, so it's surprising to see how much Maricopa County has chipped away at it. There's a ton of warehouses going up in the area which are/will be well served by it.

From Agua Fria River and Loop 101 is going to be a doozy. Wonder if they'll doze a few dozen homes or try to squeeze it in. At current real estate prices I could see it going either way.

between 101 and Grand it is so densely developed that I would be very surprised to see any sort of parkway/freeway-ization in my lifetime.

[Sonic99]

Been awhile since we've talked about Northern Parkway.  Wrote up something since I flew over the corridor last week:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2023/06/northern-parkway.html?m=1

I don't make it out there often or really have it on my radar as far as road projects go, so it's surprising to see how much Maricopa County has chipped away at it. There's a ton of warehouses going up in the area which are/will be well served by it.

From Agua Fria River and Loop 101 is going to be a doozy. Wonder if they'll doze a few dozen homes or try to squeeze it in. At current real estate prices I could see it going either way.

between 101 and Grand it is so densely developed that I would be very surprised to see any sort of parkway/freeway-ization in my lifetime.

I think the next phase over to near the 101 is going to be standard "parkway" with limited or no left turns. So no grade separations or ramps that need more RoW. Just a fairly free-flowing surface street.

Looking at Google Maps, only place that looks like they might need to take any homes is right at 108th Ave. Maybe one or two homes. Everywhere else seems to have buffer to either the north or south side.