I-11/US 93 - Boulder City Bypass

[nexus73]

Those pix in the article show some great views.  I also liked how there is artwork on the concrete that appears dedicated to the men who built Hoover Dam.  Seeing some concrete already down shows the progress is real.  Eliminating the Boulder City bottleneck will be huge.

So what are the plans for I-11 in Arizona shaping up to at least I-40?

Rick

[dfwmapper]

So what are the plans for I-11 in Arizona shaping up to at least I-40?

The only thing Arizona has any movement on between Nevada and I-40 is is the new West Kingman interchange between US 93 and I-40, which has a preferred alignment selected, but doesn't have a final EIS done, let alone any plan for funding, design, or construction.

There are 3 near-term projects for 4 laning other parts of US 93 in Arizona: "The Gap" section (which runs from the roundabout at Tegner St. (old US 93) north of Wickenburg to AZ 89) will be constructed in FY 2020; the Carrow Stephens section (from what is labeled on Google as Deluge Wash south to Luchia's Restaurant) in FY 2021, and Cane Springs, which is near Cane Springs, which has money for design in FY 2021 and will see construction sometime after that. That still leaves 23.5 miles through the Joshua tree forest and 3 more miles north of AZ 89, plus whatever ends up happening with Wikieup, which is 4 lanes with a TWLTL through town, but has 2 lane segments on both sides. Based on need, the first limited access section to be built (other than the I-40 interchange) will probably be a new-terrain bypass of Wickenburg.

[ilpt4u]

I know it would violate "The Grid" -- but wouldn't the Vegas/Phoenix Interstate make a better Interstate 21 than Interstate 11? Its not THAT far away from where an I-21 could be, and come on, its Vegas...

[sparker]

I know it would violate "The Grid" -- but wouldn't the Vegas/Phoenix Interstate make a better Interstate 21 than Interstate 11? Its not THAT far away from where an I-21 could be, and come on, its Vegas...

(1)  It's west of both I-17 & I-19.
(2)  I-13 wouldn't fly in the Vegas environs.
(3)  It's legally designated I-11 all the way to I-80 near Reno; it's grid-appropriate for
       that northerly segment (whether it's ever actually built is yet TBD), and it pretty
       much functions as a diagonal wherever it goes.
(4)  "11" is an instant-winner in craps (like "7").  Definitely Vegas-ready!

[ilpt4u]

True, 11/Yo wins at Craps, and that Ace in Blackjack is worth 11 also...so Interstate 11 isn't void of Gambling references

Even if it doesn't quite fit due to existing Interstates 17 and 19, I still like Interstate 21...21 to Gamble, 21 Winner @ Blackjack, 21 to Drink...21 just yells "Vegas" to me

And I agree, Interstate 13 would be horrible for Vegas!

I-21 wouldn't be nearly as Grid-offensive as I-99, but that is a low bar, granted

But, I-11 it is, barring some completely out of Left Field surprise

[kkt]

I-99 is not a bad choice of number.  You could argue that it shouldn't be an interstate at all, or that it should be a 3di, but once you've decided it needs a 2di number, 99 is the best you could do unless you want to renumber existing routes.

[sparker]

I still like Interstate 21...21 to Gamble, 21 Winner @ Blackjack, 21 to Drink...21 just yells "Vegas" to me

To those of us who attended colleges a few hours' drive from Vegas, 21's laughable; fake ID's were pretty easy to cobble up in the days of black-and-white CA drivers' licenses (especially with access to the school newspaper's photo lab!).  Hit there on spring break with several buddies when I was an 18-year-old freshman without any issues; repeated the process the next year (following year was a long road trip to NOLA, so the cycle was interrupted).  Not that I'm advising flouting the law that way -- it's just that in the pre-IT days, it was a lot easier to do so in this regard.   

[kdk]

So what are the plans for I-11 in Arizona shaping up to at least I-40?

The only thing Arizona has any movement on between Nevada and I-40 is is the new West Kingman interchange between US 93 and I-40, which has a preferred alignment selected, but doesn't have a final EIS done, let alone any plan for funding, design, or construction.

There are 3 near-term projects for 4 laning other parts of US 93 in Arizona: "The Gap" section (which runs from the roundabout at Tegner St. (old US 93) north of Wickenburg to AZ 89) will be constructed in FY 2020; the Carrow Stephens section (from what is labeled on Google as Deluge Wash south to Luchia's Restaurant) in FY 2021, and Cane Springs, which is near Cane Springs, which has money for design in FY 2021 and will see construction sometime after that. That still leaves 23.5 miles through the Joshua tree forest and 3 more miles north of AZ 89, plus whatever ends up happening with Wikieup, which is 4 lanes with a TWLTL through town, but has 2 lane segments on both sides. Based on need, the first limited access section to be built (other than the I-40 interchange) will probably be a new-terrain bypass of Wickenburg.

Glad to see these happening, I drive this route a lot and traffic bunches up a lot in "the Gap" area still, especially with the slower trucks.

I did notice that there is a project to widen the shoulders of 93 on the stretch north of I-40 that started south of the newer segment that runs through the Lake Mead National Park.
With the exception of one turnoff to nowhere the 11 miles through the park area from the state line down to about mile 11 is up to freeway standards already, and once these shoulder widening is finished the next section down to where the first group of gas stations are (Rosie's Den, etc) will be up to freeway standard.
Seems to look like once the new Kingman interchange is built, we'll see an I-11 that runs from I-515 down to I-40 at least.  There's probably at least 5 or 6 interchanges that will need to be built along that stretch still that are currently road crossings, but much less than the other stretches south of 40. 

[pderocco]

This suggests I-11:

https://www.nevadadot.com/uploadedFiles/NDOT/About_NDOT/Board_of_Directors/TB%203-10-14%20BC%20Bypass.pdf

Apparently the game plan (as of 2014) was not just to sign Phases 1 & 2 as I-11 from the start, but also to let a separate pure signing contract (which Nevada DOT does not do, as a rule) to change I-515 to I-11.

I predict that it will remain the second shortest 2di for a very long time.

[nexus73]

So what are the plans for I-11 in Arizona shaping up to at least I-40?

The only thing Arizona has any movement on between Nevada and I-40 is is the new West Kingman interchange between US 93 and I-40, which has a preferred alignment selected, but doesn't have a final EIS done, let alone any plan for funding, design, or construction.

There are 3 near-term projects for 4 laning other parts of US 93 in Arizona: "The Gap" section (which runs from the roundabout at Tegner St. (old US 93) north of Wickenburg to AZ 89) will be constructed in FY 2020; the Carrow Stephens section (from what is labeled on Google as Deluge Wash south to Luchia's Restaurant) in FY 2021, and Cane Springs, which is near Cane Springs, which has money for design in FY 2021 and will see construction sometime after that. That still leaves 23.5 miles through the Joshua tree forest and 3 more miles north of AZ 89, plus whatever ends up happening with Wikieup, which is 4 lanes with a TWLTL through town, but has 2 lane segments on both sides. Based on need, the first limited access section to be built (other than the I-40 interchange) will probably be a new-terrain bypass of Wickenburg.

Glad to see these happening, I drive this route a lot and traffic bunches up a lot in "the Gap" area still, especially with the slower trucks.

I did notice that there is a project to widen the shoulders of 93 on the stretch north of I-40 that started south of the newer segment that runs through the Lake Mead National Park.
With the exception of one turnoff to nowhere the 11 miles through the park area from the state line down to about mile 11 is up to freeway standards already, and once these shoulder widening is finished the next section down to where the first group of gas stations are (Rosie's Den, etc) will be up to freeway standard.
Seems to look like once the new Kingman interchange is built, we'll see an I-11 that runs from I-515 down to I-40 at least.  There's probably at least 5 or 6 interchanges that will need to be built along that stretch still that are currently road crossings, but much less than the other stretches south of 40. 

Maybe I-11 should just go from Vegas to I-40.  Any Phoenix-bound traffic can then take I-40 to I-17 to continue their freeway routing.

Rick

[sparker]

Maybe I-11 should just go from Vegas to I-40.  Any Phoenix-bound traffic can then take I-40 to I-17 to continue their freeway routing.

That's probably going to be the extent of I-11 signage in the short term.  However, there's enough political support (if not near-term funding) to get the corridor all the way to greater Phoenix at some time TBD.   I'll venture that there will be a full -- and signed -- I-11 freeway corridor between I-40 and Vegas by no later than 2024-25; but the segment south of there to Phoenix will proceed in bits & pieces, with signage on any significant freeway segments, for 10-15 years after that.   

[kkt]

Are they really suggesting I-11 might take a route other than US 93 at least as far as Wickenburg?

[sparker]

Are they really suggesting I-11 might take a route other than US 93 at least as far as Wickenburg?

No, I think what Rick is suggesting is the possibility of only building I-11 from Vegas to Kingman, then just letting drivers (a) head over east to I-17 if they want to stay on an Interstate to Phoenix or (b) use US 93 as is (nascent expressway) at less-than-Interstate standards -- primarily for the reason that the present road north of Kingman is a much simpler Interstate conversion.  However, that won't happen, as the corridor planners will eventually get their way and have a fully realized I-11 all the way to somewhere in the Phoenix area; there's too much clout behind that proposal for truncated plans to be considered at this point.  Enough influence, I daresay, to overcome the objections of those who blanch at the thought of spending money on such frivolous matters as new freeways (even by nominally conservative AZ political standards!).  It'll take time, but the odds are in favor of I-11 being built (although the south end, currently more or less up for grabs, may end up anywhere in the Salt River basin!).   

[nexus73]

Are they really suggesting I-11 might take a route other than US 93 at least as far as Wickenburg?

No, I think what Rick is suggesting is the possibility of only building I-11 from Vegas to Kingman, then just letting drivers (a) head over east to I-17 if they want to stay on an Interstate to Phoenix or (b) use US 93 as is (nascent expressway) at less-than-Interstate standards -- primarily for the reason that the present road north of Kingman is a much simpler Interstate conversion.  However, that won't happen, as the corridor planners will eventually get their way and have a fully realized I-11 all the way to somewhere in the Phoenix area; there's too much clout behind that proposal for truncated plans to be considered at this point.  Enough influence, I daresay, to overcome the objections of those who blanch at the thought of spending money on such frivolous matters as new freeways (even by nominally conservative AZ political standards!).  It'll take time, but the odds are in favor of I-11 being built (although the south end, currently more or less up for grabs, may end up anywhere in the Salt River basin!).   

Yes, you got my meaning right Sparker.  Looking at what I think traffic flows are like, Vegas to Valley Of The Sun flows would seem to be lower than Phoenix-SoCal.  With Federal money being limited, I'd rather upgrade and extend US 60 to California 62, then renumber that route as US 60 than build a southerly I-11 extension.  Why?  Remember the I-10 bridge washout?  LA is such a megapolis that it needs backup freeway/expressway routes to ensure the flow of goods and food.  LA County has more people than any state west of the Rockies has. 

Going towards Kingman from Hoover Dam shows the highway as pretty close to freeway standards.  When the Boulder City Bypass is completed in 2018, it would seem plausible to finish a shorter I-11 by 2020 or so it seems, thus basically accomplishing the mission of freeway to freeway connection between the two major southwestern cities.

Rick

[Bobby5280]

As far as any possible truncating of I-11 goes, I'm skeptical I-11 will run South of the Phoenix area. With current funding problems it may only get as far as the US-60, AZ-303 intersection.

I certainly see no justification of building a new route parallel to existing I-19. Does Nogales really have enough traffic to justify TWO North-South Interstates? All but the Northernmost mile of I-19 is 2 lanes in each direction, with plenty of ROW to add 3 or 4 lanes in each direction. Tucson is one of the largest cities in the country without an sort of freeway quality loop. But making I-11 go there alongside I-10 is overkill. And it's only going to be corny if I-11 is multiplexed on top of I-10 and I-19. Tucson can get by just as well by eventually building a 3di route from I-10.

[sparker]

As far as any possible truncating of I-11 goes, I'm skeptical I-11 will run South of the Phoenix area. With current funding problems it may only get as far as the US-60, AZ-303 intersection.

I certainly see no justification of building a new route parallel to existing I-19. Does Nogales really have enough traffic to justify TWO North-South Interstates? All but the Northernmost mile of I-19 is 2 lanes in each direction, with plenty of ROW to add 3 or 4 lanes in each direction. Tucson is one of the largest cities in the country without an sort of freeway quality loop. But making I-11 go there alongside I-10 is overkill. And it's only going to be corny if I-11 is multiplex on top of I-10 and I-19. Tucson can get by just as well by eventually building a 3di route from I-10.

I'm more or less in agreement with this viewpoint.  It's likely the I-11 extension that terminated near Casa Grande was proposed to serve the rapidly developing "infill" area between Phoenix and Tucson.  There's no need (or available money!) for anything south of there.  And if another recession hits in the meantime, that infill development might just be put on indefinite hold -- meaning the concept of simply taking I-11 SE along US 60 and using Loop 303 to finish the job would be logistically and fiscally appropriate.   Just as an aside -- I can't see the Border Patrol supporting a 2nd freeway paralleling I-19; twice as much corridor for them to deal with.  The "Sonoran" corridor connecting I-10 and I-19 south of Tucson is probably the only new roadway development that will actually be built in the near-to-medium term; whether that actually turns into a full Tucson bypass remains to be seen.

[MarkF]

I went out to the Hoover Dam area last week, here are some photos of the new construction:

Just past the Hoover Dam Lodge Casino, where the south end of the bypass comes into the current routing of US 93.  This is the exit tunnel for NV172 to the Hoover Dam.  NV172 is the old routing of US 93.


Just past the NV172 underpass of US 93, I think this shell may be for the future northbound I-11 lanes:


US 93 just south of NV172:


US 93 just north of Hoover Dam:

[roadfro]

I went out to the Hoover Dam area last week, here are some photos of the new construction:

Those last two appear to be the previously-constructed Hoover Dam Bypass, not the Boulder City Bypass currently under construction...

But the first two do appear to be construction at exit 2 where the bypass will tie in. Interesting in the second photo that they're using an arch style construction for this underpass. That style I've only ever seen in Nevada on wildlife crossings (where road passes under the arch). I know they're building a few wildlife crossings on this project, but this doesn't seem like a likely location for one.

[MarkF]

Here's a  closer shot of the arch:

[roadfro]

^ Investigating further, this arch appears to be situated at the SR 172 interchange just north of the existing US 93 overpass (built as part of the Hoover Dam Bypass project) between the northbound off ramp and the SR 172/northbound on ramp intersections.

If that's the case, then I think it's more likely that this will become a direct ramp from northbound US 93 to the old highway (which will be designated US 93 Business). I think the current bridge of US 93 over SR 172 will be retained for both directions of freeway travel, with the new bypass roadway tying in and the old highway being slightly realigned.

I saw a rendering video on the RTC's I-11 site showing some reconfiguration at this interchange, but that showed SR 172 tying into a realigned old US 93 without any new overpasses...


EDIT: Further thought: That exit tunnel did not exist before either. Perhaps that is how southbound old US 93 will tie into the SR 172 interchange, crossing under the bypass alignment...

[roadfro]

NDOT News update on Phase 1 (I-515 to US 95), posted 5/8/17

https://www.youtube.com/embed/PH3gZmPOVCk

[pderocco]

Maybe I-11 should just go from Vegas to I-40.  Any Phoenix-bound traffic can then take I-40 to I-17 to continue their freeway routing.

Just one problem: snow. I-40 just west of Flagstaff is three thousand feet higher than it is just west of where US-93 heads south. In the winter, it's not always passable.

And not just the winter: I had one of the most harrowing driving experiences of my life heading from the Grand Canyon South Rim down to Tucson one April, going through Flagstaff in a snowstorm. Took over six hours. Must have seen a hundred vehicles in the ditch off I-17. In the rest stop just north of Rimrock, the survivors all swapped war stories.

[nexus73]

Maybe I-11 should just go from Vegas to I-40.  Any Phoenix-bound traffic can then take I-40 to I-17 to continue their freeway routing.

Just one problem: snow. I-40 just west of Flagstaff is three thousand feet higher than it is just west of where US-93 heads south. In the winter, it's not always passable.

And not just the winter: I had one of the most harrowing driving experiences of my life heading from the Grand Canyon South Rim down to Tucson one April, going through Flagstaff in a snowstorm. Took over six hours. Must have seen a hundred vehicles in the ditch off I-17. In the rest stop just north of Rimrock, the survivors all swapped war stories.

How long is I-40's section that you referenced closed? 

Rick

[US 89]

When the freeway conversion through Boulder City is finished, are the I-515 exit numbers going to be changed from US 95 mileposts to US 93? Seems like that would be best, as 93 will be the through route, and it will be I-11 in the future.

[sparker]

When the freeway conversion through Boulder City is finished, are the I-515 exit numbers going to be changed from US 95 mileposts to US 93? Seems like that would be best, as 93 will be the through route, and it will be I-11 in the future.

Since both US 93 & 95 share the alignment with I-515 -- and the specific exit numbers linked to the 95 mileage have been around for about 30 years -- it's likely that only any section bearing the I-11 designation will utilize numbers based on I-11/US 93 mileage.  If down the line I-515 is redesignated as I-11, expect the change to come at that point.  That way, businesses and other properties (residential, etc.) have additional time to retain and eventually update their information re which exit accesses their location.