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I-17 Parallel freeway plan

Started by kdk, March 26, 2016, 05:49:23 PM

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kdk

I saw some stories in the local news over the past few weeks about widening I-17 very soon.

I recall recently that funding was in place and they would be starting on adding a lane from Anthem up to New River Road very soon, which would help a little.  Now it appears they are making it a priority to add the lane up to Sunset Point.

I still think it needs to get up to the 69 interchange now, but every little bit helps.

https://www.abc15.com/news/roads/adot-hopes-to-widen-parts-of-i-17-to-reduce-crashes-north-of-phoenix?page=2



Zonie

That's an interesting MAG map in that ABC15 article - notice how SR 30 ties into I-17 near the Durango Curve, and the goofy path I-11 takes down to I-10.  Oh, and I-10 widening on the GRIC.

sparker

Quote from: Zonie on June 18, 2018, 05:13:51 PM
That's an interesting MAG map in that ABC15 article - notice how SR 30 ties into I-17 near the Durango Curve, and the goofy path I-11 takes down to I-10.  Oh, and I-10 widening on the GRIC.

That "goofy path" is the result of the southern part of the illustrated I-11 corridor (the part immediately north of I-10) being part of one of the original loop concepts (possibly 404); the loop veered east near the point that I-11 shows a sharp turn to the west -- ostensibly to follow the Hassayampa wash lowlands north to Wickenburg.  It was considered duplication to plan two separate corridors so close together, so the concepts were combined into (more or less) what is pictured in the TV report illustration.  Once the corridor alignment is finalized, the map will likely be a bit different.

kdk

Quote from: Zonie on June 18, 2018, 05:13:51 PM
That's an interesting MAG map in that ABC15 article - notice how SR 30 ties into I-17 near the Durango Curve, and the goofy path I-11 takes down to I-10.  Oh, and I-10 widening on the GRIC.

That's the first I have seen of SR30/I-17 in a long, long time.  I like it.

I think the widening of I-10 on the GRIC is just there because they should figure it out by 2040 so it's on a to-do list.  I don't think though any progress has been made still to actually do anything other than the aux lane to Riggs.

DJStephens

Quote from: sparker on June 19, 2018, 10:59:32 AM
Quote from: Zonie on June 18, 2018, 05:13:51 PM
That's an interesting MAG map in that ABC15 article - notice how SR 30 ties into I-17 near the Durango Curve, and the goofy path I-11 takes down to I-10.  Oh, and I-10 widening on the GRIC.

That "goofy path" is the result of the southern part of the illustrated I-11 corridor (the part immediately north of I-10) being part of one of the original loop concepts (possibly 404); the loop veered east near the point that I-11 shows a sharp turn to the west -- ostensibly to follow the Hassayampa wash lowlands north to Wickenburg.  It was considered duplication to plan two separate corridors so close together, so the concepts were combined into (more or less) what is pictured in the TV report illustration.  Once the corridor alignment is finalized, the map will likely be a bit different.

The I-11 conceptualizations of going out into the desert west of Phoenix and veering all over the place are ridiculous.   An effort should be made to place the designation on Grand Avenue and get it into downtown to connect to existing I-10 there.   Although that could take decades to accomplish, both due to the varying standards on Grand today, and pre-existing development along that corridor.     

ztonyg

Quote from: DJStephens on June 23, 2018, 06:01:06 PM
Quote from: sparker on June 19, 2018, 10:59:32 AM
Quote from: Zonie on June 18, 2018, 05:13:51 PM
That's an interesting MAG map in that ABC15 article - notice how SR 30 ties into I-17 near the Durango Curve, and the goofy path I-11 takes down to I-10.  Oh, and I-10 widening on the GRIC.

That "goofy path" is the result of the southern part of the illustrated I-11 corridor (the part immediately north of I-10) being part of one of the original loop concepts (possibly 404); the loop veered east near the point that I-11 shows a sharp turn to the west -- ostensibly to follow the Hassayampa wash lowlands north to Wickenburg.  It was considered duplication to plan two separate corridors so close together, so the concepts were combined into (more or less) what is pictured in the TV report illustration.  Once the corridor alignment is finalized, the map will likely be a bit different.

The I-11 conceptualizations of going out into the desert west of Phoenix and veering all over the place are ridiculous.   An effort should be made to place the designation on Grand Avenue and get it into downtown to connect to existing I-10 there.   Although that could take decades to accomplish, both due to the varying standards on Grand today, and pre-existing development along that corridor.   

I agree that Grand Ave. should be a full freeway but it's never going to happen. The best that that will ever happen are the grade separated interchanges that have been added over the last few decades. I believe that the state eventually wants to relinquish all of Grand Ave. east of Loop 303 to local control at some point.

Bobby5280

Grand Avenue from inside the Loop 303 corridor to I-17 near downtown is pretty much impossible as a future freeway corridor. Any new freeway through there would have to be elevated, and elevated pretty high due to the rail line running parallel to this glorified city street. We all know how people feel about elevated freeways these days.

I-11 could at least follow US-60 to Loop 303 and take Loop 303 down to I-10. That's really the most do-able scenario for building out I-11 between Phoenix and Las Vegas.

All these other stupid paths for I-11, far West of Phoenix, were influenced by developers if I recall correctly. Build the big new highway out in the middle of nowhere and maybe some development will sprout up alongside of it. I think the plans for I-11 going clear down to Nogales are a pipe dream. These crazy conceptual routes are one piece of evidence showing just how little leadership the federal government is providing anymore for highway infrastructure and route planning. The philosophy of leaving more of the planning and funding requirements to individual states or even cities and counties is leading to new roads being built with absolutely no "big picture" view of how they work in the overall national highway system.



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