(https://i.imgur.com/M0Yfl3S.jpg)
Phoenix is soon to undergo a massive freeway expansion project. Over 11 miles, between the I-17 split and just north of the Loop 202 Interchange, I-10 is to be widened. South of the Superstition Freeway, one general purpose lane will be added in each direction, north of the Superstition, 2 GP lanes and one HOV lane will be added in each direction, bringing it up to a total of 16. And between baseline road and 48th street, new collector distributor roads will be added.
The aim is to widen a major bottleneck that currently exists on I-10 where I-17 merges going EB and US 60 merges going WB.
The project will cost $770 million, which is staggeringly low for an urban interstate rebuild of this scale. ADOT (https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/adot-issues-notice-to-proceed-for-construction-of-the-interstate-10-broadway-curve-improvement-project/) issued a notice to proceed just a few days ago and construction should wrap up by the end of 2024.
As far as I can tell, there is no serious opposition to this project, I'm guessing that ADOT already owns the ROW and won't need to demolish any houses.
Projects like this will help Phoenix maintain its very low levels of congestion.
I'm assuming this includes a full interchange with I-10/AZ 143? It would be nice to be able to directly use southbound AZ 143 to I-10 east.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 21, 2021, 08:22:47 PM
I'm assuming this includes a full interchange with I-10/AZ 143?
Probably
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 21, 2021, 08:22:47 PM
I'm assuming this includes a full interchange with I-10/AZ 143? It would be nice to be able to directly use southbound AZ 143 to I-10 east.
SB 143 to EB I-10 will be a 2 lane flyover ramp. There will also be a planned HOV connection from SB 143 to EB I-10 and WB I-10 to NB 143.
SM-G998U1
It looks like the University Dr. exit on AZ143 will no longer have connectivity to E/B I-10 (although both directions of I-10 will be able to access it and it will continue to have access to W/B I-10).
It's not a big deal but I'd imagine a decent amount of traffic entering S/B SR 143 from University Dr. ends up on E/B I-10 through the current loop ramp. Now that traffic will have to use 48th St. / Broadway to access I-10.
I'm very happy to see this project becoming a reality and it will be nice once it's finished. LA needs to take notes and copy this for the south bay curve 405.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on October 22, 2021, 07:35:43 AM
I'm very happy to see this project becoming a reality and it will be nice once it's finished. LA needs to take notes and copy this for the south bay curve 405.
AZDOT probably owns the ROW for widening I-10 to 16 lanes (20 lanes if you include C/D lanes). I'm guessing Caltrans doesn't have any more room to widen the 405 without major eminent domain.
Quote from: kernals12 on October 22, 2021, 07:47:09 AM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on October 22, 2021, 07:35:43 AM
I'm very happy to see this project becoming a reality and it will be nice once it's finished. LA needs to take notes and copy this for the south bay curve 405.
AZDOT probably owns the ROW for widening I-10 to 16 lanes (20 lanes if you include C/D lanes). I'm guessing Caltrans doesn't have any more room to widen the 405 without major eminent domain.
True but most of the properties near the freeway aren't that great anyways. Looking on aerial imagery as I don't pay attention when I'm driving through Torrence there seems to be a decent stretch of ROW that could accommodate a couple new lanes each way. They could always add 3 lanes each way underneath the interstate like 635 in Dallas. Make them free(NO TOLLS) express lanes.
This project was proposed back in 2006 but hadn't heard much about it until recently.
I think that's part of why there hasn't been much opposition, and ADOT had many years to acquire the ROW including during the period of depressed real estate values. I recall they had to remove/relocate a cemetery but overall why the cost isn't as crazy as one would expect.
I would say this is certainly the #1 most needed urban project in the entire state that needed to be done. The SB 143 backups have been an issue for 20 years now, as well as the I-10 traffic even after the 202 helped a little.
Quote from: kdk on October 29, 2021, 05:16:36 PM
This project was proposed back in 2006 but hadn't heard much about it until recently.
I think that's part of why there hasn't been much opposition, and ADOT had many years to acquire the ROW including during the period of depressed real estate values. I recall they had to remove/relocate a cemetery but overall why the cost isn't as crazy as one would expect.
I would say this is certainly the #1 most needed urban project in the entire state that needed to be done. The SB 143 backups have been an issue for 20 years now, as well as the I-10 traffic even after the 202 helped a little.
So why did they choose the much more controversial South Mountain Freeway to build first?
Quote from: kernals12 on October 29, 2021, 11:32:41 PM
Quote from: kdk on October 29, 2021, 05:16:36 PM
This project was proposed back in 2006 but hadn't heard much about it until recently.
I think that's part of why there hasn't been much opposition, and ADOT had many years to acquire the ROW including during the period of depressed real estate values. I recall they had to remove/relocate a cemetery but overall why the cost isn't as crazy as one would expect.
I would say this is certainly the #1 most needed urban project in the entire state that needed to be done. The SB 143 backups have been an issue for 20 years now, as well as the I-10 traffic even after the 202 helped a little.
So why did they choose the much more controversial South Mountain Freeway to build first?
The bypass of downtown hugely favored locally as a priority when I lived in Phoenix.
ADOT is attacking congestion on I-10 from all fronts. This widening is being supplemented by no less than 4 new freeways that bypass it, one of those, the South Mountain Freeway, is already finished. In the future, the Pinal North South Freeway will provide an alternative for travel between the East Valley and Tucson, the Tres Rios Freeway will relieve the Papago Freeway west of Downtown, and most ambitiously, I-11 will provide a total bypass of I-10 from Casa Grande to Buckeye.
Quote from: kernals12 on October 30, 2021, 12:03:41 PM
ADOT is attacking congestion on I-10 from all fronts. This widening is being supplemented by no less than 4 new freeways that bypass it, one of those, the South Mountain Freeway, is already finished. In the future, the Pinal North South Freeway will provide an alternative for travel between the East Valley and Tucson, the Tres Rios Freeway will relieve the Papago Freeway west of Downtown, and most ambitiously, I-11 will provide a total bypass of I-10 from Casa Grande to Buckeye.
Doesn't mean much if they can't come to some sort of agreement with the Gila Tribe in terms of getting I-10 widened north Casa Grande.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 30, 2021, 12:22:06 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on October 30, 2021, 12:03:41 PM
ADOT is attacking congestion on I-10 from all fronts. This widening is being supplemented by no less than 4 new freeways that bypass it, one of those, the South Mountain Freeway, is already finished. In the future, the Pinal North South Freeway will provide an alternative for travel between the East Valley and Tucson, the Tres Rios Freeway will relieve the Papago Freeway west of Downtown, and most ambitiously, I-11 will provide a total bypass of I-10 from Casa Grande to Buckeye.
Doesn't mean much if they can't come to some sort of agreement with the Gila Tribe in terms of getting I-10 widened north Casa Grande.
Doesn't the Pinal North South Freeway make that redundant?
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 30, 2021, 12:22:06 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on October 30, 2021, 12:03:41 PM
ADOT is attacking congestion on I-10 from all fronts. This widening is being supplemented by no less than 4 new freeways that bypass it, one of those, the South Mountain Freeway, is already finished. In the future, the Pinal North South Freeway will provide an alternative for travel between the East Valley and Tucson, the Tres Rios Freeway will relieve the Papago Freeway west of Downtown, and most ambitiously, I-11 will provide a total bypass of I-10 from Casa Grande to Buckeye.
Doesn't mean much if they can't come to some sort of agreement with the Gila Tribe in terms of getting I-10 widened north Casa Grande.
Have they still not come to an agreement? I thought that had been settled over a year ago and we were just waiting for ADOT to put out the bid...
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on October 30, 2021, 12:48:13 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 30, 2021, 12:22:06 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on October 30, 2021, 12:03:41 PM
ADOT is attacking congestion on I-10 from all fronts. This widening is being supplemented by no less than 4 new freeways that bypass it, one of those, the South Mountain Freeway, is already finished. In the future, the Pinal North South Freeway will provide an alternative for travel between the East Valley and Tucson, the Tres Rios Freeway will relieve the Papago Freeway west of Downtown, and most ambitiously, I-11 will provide a total bypass of I-10 from Casa Grande to Buckeye.
Doesn't mean much if they can't come to some sort of agreement with the Gila Tribe in terms of getting I-10 widened north Casa Grande.
Have they still not come to an agreement? I thought that had been settled over a year ago and we were just waiting for ADOT to put out the bid...
I was under the impression that they've started the EIS part, or at least some form of preliminary studying.
I always find it hilarious looking at the comments on ADOT's social media posts (especially Facebook) thinking that ADOT can just snap their fingers and widen I-10 and that they're only capable of working on one thing at a time (currently complaints of "you should finish the 101 before you start this", like it's the same 3 guys who do all the freeway construction).
Quote from: kernals12 on October 29, 2021, 11:32:41 PM
Quote from: kdk on October 29, 2021, 05:16:36 PM
This project was proposed back in 2006 but hadn't heard much about it until recently.
I think that's part of why there hasn't been much opposition, and ADOT had many years to acquire the ROW including during the period of depressed real estate values. I recall they had to remove/relocate a cemetery but overall why the cost isn't as crazy as one would expect.
I would say this is certainly the #1 most needed urban project in the entire state that needed to be done. The SB 143 backups have been an issue for 20 years now, as well as the I-10 traffic even after the 202 helped a little.
So why did they choose the much more controversial South Mountain Freeway to build first?
I-17 is going to need a rebuild (it's in progress now). Because of the Deck Park Tunnel, you needed an alternate path to route hazardous cargo.
And so it begins. ADOT is transitioning from pre-construction to construction.
https://communityimpact.com/phoenix/gilbert/transportation/2021/10/29/pre-construction-phase-ends-on-broadway-curve-project-in-phoenix/
Seriously, the lack any controversy is remarkable.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on October 30, 2021, 12:48:13 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 30, 2021, 12:22:06 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on October 30, 2021, 12:03:41 PM
ADOT is attacking congestion on I-10 from all fronts. This widening is being supplemented by no less than 4 new freeways that bypass it, one of those, the South Mountain Freeway, is already finished. In the future, the Pinal North South Freeway will provide an alternative for travel between the East Valley and Tucson, the Tres Rios Freeway will relieve the Papago Freeway west of Downtown, and most ambitiously, I-11 will provide a total bypass of I-10 from Casa Grande to Buckeye.
Doesn't mean much if they can't come to some sort of agreement with the Gila Tribe in terms of getting I-10 widened north Casa Grande.
Have they still not come to an agreement? I thought that had been settled over a year ago and we were just waiting for ADOT to put out the bid...
They did earlier this year, closest article I can find to reference is this one, mainly discusses widening the bridge but that's part of the project- https://www.pinalcentral.com/casa_grande_dispatch/area_news/ducey-moves-forward-with-funding-for-new-i-10-gila-river-bridge/article_7663a346-0efd-504b-b052-0239813562d6.html
The Gila River tribe was able to get the right to build a fourth casino and to expand their three others in their negotiations with the Governor. I can't say that the approval for the widening was directly tied to that but they did both come around the same time. The new casino is already under construction so it's been in the works for a while.
If only other cities could do this, but the uproar would be deafening almost everywhere else.
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 12, 2021, 02:21:10 PM
If only other cities could do this, but the uproar would be deafening almost everywhere else.
San Antonio and NoVA seem to be getting away with it.
Quote from: kernals12 on November 12, 2021, 02:48:48 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 12, 2021, 02:21:10 PM
If only other cities could do this, but the uproar would be deafening almost everywhere else.
San Antonio and NoVA seem to be getting away with it.
I haven't seen opposition to freeway expansion in OKC yet.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 12, 2021, 02:58:52 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 12, 2021, 02:48:48 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 12, 2021, 02:21:10 PM
If only other cities could do this, but the uproar would be deafening almost everywhere else.
San Antonio and NoVA seem to be getting away with it.
I haven't seen opposition to freeway expansion in OKC yet.
No offense, but OKC isn't really a major metro area and I was thinking of *big* cities
Quote from: kernals12 on November 12, 2021, 03:52:28 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 12, 2021, 02:58:52 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 12, 2021, 02:48:48 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 12, 2021, 02:21:10 PM
If only other cities could do this, but the uproar would be deafening almost everywhere else.
San Antonio and NoVA seem to be getting away with it.
I haven't seen opposition to freeway expansion in OKC yet.
No offense, but OKC isn't really a major metro area and I was thinking of *big* cities
How would you define "Major"? OKC is the 22nd largest city in the US according to the most recent census estimate.
Quote from: rte66man on November 12, 2021, 06:18:17 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 12, 2021, 03:52:28 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 12, 2021, 02:58:52 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 12, 2021, 02:48:48 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 12, 2021, 02:21:10 PM
If only other cities could do this, but the uproar would be deafening almost everywhere else.
San Antonio and NoVA seem to be getting away with it.
I haven't seen opposition to freeway expansion in OKC yet.
No offense, but OKC isn't really a major metro area and I was thinking of *big* cities
How would you define "Major"? OKC is the 22nd largest city in the US according to the most recent census estimate.
But it's only 41 if you go based on metro area.
Quote from: rte66man on November 12, 2021, 06:18:17 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 12, 2021, 03:52:28 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 12, 2021, 02:58:52 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 12, 2021, 02:48:48 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 12, 2021, 02:21:10 PM
If only other cities could do this, but the uproar would be deafening almost everywhere else.
San Antonio and NoVA seem to be getting away with it.
I haven't seen opposition to freeway expansion in OKC yet.
No offense, but OKC isn't really a major metro area and I was thinking of *big* cities
How would you define "Major"? OKC is the 22nd largest city in the US according to the most recent census estimate.
I usually think of largest city as metro area. There are a lot of cities with large metro areas where the core city/cities are not that big, like the older NE cities of Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and St Louis. OKC is only the 41st largest metro area. All are smaller than OKC yet their metro areas are larger.
ADOT says construction will begin in ernest in January to avoid causing traffic snarls over Thanksgiving and Christmas
https://www.abc15.com/news/operation-safe-roads/i-10-broadway-curve-project-to-expand-after-the-holidays
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on October 22, 2021, 07:51:12 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on October 22, 2021, 07:47:09 AM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on October 22, 2021, 07:35:43 AM
I'm very happy to see this project becoming a reality and it will be nice once it's finished. LA needs to take notes and copy this for the south bay curve 405.
AZDOT probably owns the ROW for widening I-10 to 16 lanes (20 lanes if you include C/D lanes). I'm guessing Caltrans doesn't have any more room to widen the 405 without major eminent domain.
True but most of the properties near the freeway aren't that great anyways. Looking on aerial imagery as I don't pay attention when I'm driving through Torrence there seems to be a decent stretch of ROW that could accommodate a couple new lanes each way. They could always add 3 lanes each way underneath the interstate like 635 in Dallas. Make them free(NO TOLLS) express lanes.
The plan to add just one lane in each direction to the 710 Freeway for 18 miles would cost $6 billion. Even if the people adjacent to the freeway are willing to give up their property, you still need pay to demolish the homes, then tear out the land underneath, put in retaining walls, and replace all the bridges. It's extremely expensive to add lanes if you don't have space in reserve for it.
If this project fixes nothing else, the lane continuity from the I-10 West to US 60 East will be a welcome improvement. From the time i first drove it, it felt incomplete/fudged and left a lot to be desired.
It'll also be nice to have the ability to get from Westbound I-10 to northbound 143 without having to slide across three lanes.