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Arizona

Started by Alps, March 04, 2015, 08:28:34 AM

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Sonic99

Quote from: kernals12 on November 14, 2023, 09:56:46 AM
Why do the roads serving Sky Harbor Airport cross over like this?

My hypothesis is that they want the parking garage to be accessible with right-hand ramps. Any other theories?

That's actually EXACTLY why they cross over. The Arrival and Departure curbside for both Terminal 3 and 4 (Terminal 2 was demolished in 2019/2020) is set up to be on the passenger side of the car. Most airports (which is exactly 4, KLAS, KPHX, KBWI, and KIAD) I've been to have a traffic pattern that's similar, curbside is on the right.
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!


kernals12

Quote from: Sonic99 on November 14, 2023, 09:03:24 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 14, 2023, 09:56:46 AM
Why do the roads serving Sky Harbor Airport cross over like this?

My hypothesis is that they want the parking garage to be accessible with right-hand ramps. Any other theories?

That's actually EXACTLY why they cross over. The Arrival and Departure curbside for both Terminal 3 and 4 (Terminal 2 was demolished in 2019/2020) is set up to be on the passenger side of the car. Most airports (which is exactly 4, KLAS, KPHX, KBWI, and KIAD) I've been to have a traffic pattern that's similar, curbside is on the right.

But no other airport I know of uses such a bizarre road layout to achieve that. Usually they just have a loop road

Max Rockatansky

Functionally you can loop Terminal 3 and 4 very easily in indefinite circles if so inclined.

kernals12

Arizona really likes to make people drive on the wrong side of the road. They have similar set ups on SR 87 at Rincon Pass and I-8 in Yuma, although in those case I'm guessing they did that due to terrain limitations.

Max Rockatansky

The northbound lanes of AZ 87 in Rincon Pass is the original highway and surprisingly steep.  Rincon Pass doesn't have a ton of room to build which is why the southbound lanes crossover.  The Beeline Highway in general is criminally underrated as an engineering feat and scenic highway.  I used to drive it several times a week on my way to Payson and Show Low. 

kernals12

#230
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 15, 2023, 10:25:43 AM
The northbound lanes of AZ 87 in Rincon Pass is the original highway and surprisingly steep.  Rincon Pass doesn't have a ton of room to build which is why the southbound lanes crossover. The Beeline Highway in general is criminally underrated as an engineering feat and scenic highway.  I used to drive it several times a week on my way to Payson and Show Low.

That's the exact same story with I-5 north of Castaic.

Max Rockatansky

Correct, there is still some evidence of how the lane transition into Golden State Highway (AKA Ridge Route Alternate) approaching Piru Gorge north of the crossover transition.   

Plutonic Panda

Very happy to see this. Arizona is planning a big increase in truck parking. Not sure about I-10 but traveling I-40 quite frequently I see truck parking always packed. Good to see more added.

https://ktar.com/story/5552021/transportation-officials-to-expand-commercial-truck-parking-along-arizona-interstates/

JKRhodes

Quote from: kernals12 on November 15, 2023, 10:30:02 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 15, 2023, 10:25:43 AM
The northbound lanes of AZ 87 in Rincon Pass is the original highway and surprisingly steep.  Rincon Pass doesn't have a ton of room to build which is why the southbound lanes crossover. The Beeline Highway in general is criminally underrated as an engineering feat and scenic highway.  I used to drive it several times a week on my way to Payson and Show Low.

That's the exact same story with I-5 north of Castaic.

To my understanding, the original four lanes of I-5 used to run along the northbound alignment.

California, having the explosive growth that it does, had to add more lanes.

Rather than tear down a bunch of businesses, they built a second carriageway for southbound traffic, and subsequently removed the median in the original freeway.

kernals12

Quote from: JKRhodes on December 09, 2023, 08:36:30 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 15, 2023, 10:30:02 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 15, 2023, 10:25:43 AM
The northbound lanes of AZ 87 in Rincon Pass is the original highway and surprisingly steep.  Rincon Pass doesn't have a ton of room to build which is why the southbound lanes crossover. The Beeline Highway in general is criminally underrated as an engineering feat and scenic highway.  I used to drive it several times a week on my way to Payson and Show Low.

That's the exact same story with I-5 north of Castaic.

To my understanding, the original four lanes of I-5 used to run along the northbound alignment.

California, having the explosive growth that it does, had to add more lanes.

Rather than tear down a bunch of businesses, they built a second carriageway for southbound traffic, and subsequently removed the median in the original freeway.

That doesn't explain why they put the southbound carriageway on the opposite of the usual side of the northbound: If they had put the northbound carriageway there, it would've created a dangerously steep incline. By putting the Southbound there instead, that incline becomes a decline and the problem is solved.



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