I-40/US 93 West Kingman Interchange Project

[Plutonic Panda]

I thought there was a dedicated thread on this but I guess not. As many know a large new interchange is going to be built in West Kingman connecting I-40 to US-93(future I-11) which will bypass the notoriously congested Beale Street.

Bids have officially been awarded and major work will start this summer and wrap up in fall of 2026.



https://azdot.gov/projects/northwest-district-projects/i-40us-93-west-kingman-traffic-interchange?fbclid=IwAR0_Jrew4IA_ZZOC2DTmVSIiAU-CFL12XfnqtlqLd0iJYAp3hVuxeoGI4GE_aem_AZcxC1yxJvK2NT6h3SFsB4aCrbod-8DhSzKrgJNXRg08fKm5MRD9tA8rwx3XeGXKiwI

[Plutonic Panda]

Project Description
New US 93 segment will connect directly to I-40.
Creates a free-flowing connection between I-40 and US 93 without having to stop at a traffic signal.
New connection ramps will be constructed at US 93 to maintain access to Beale Street.
Increase capacity for I-40.

[Plutonic Panda]

Facebook link with some renderings: https://www.facebook.com/100068725377132/posts/pfbid0iFMQ4fH3CmtkqNJN18aDgqDxz2v9y2vT97L3bYHRWBHYFds99taW8ygTNiLbyxdDl/?mibextid=adzO7l

[ilpt4u]

But...but...but...all those poor businesses in Kingman that are getting bypassed! Say "No" to the free flow! It has been working for Breezewood PA for decades!

[ARMOURERERIC]

How well is the ROW protected on 93 north of the new connection?

[Anthony_JK]

But...but...but...all those poor businesses in Kingman that are getting bypassed! Say "No" to the free flow! It has been working for Breezewood PA for decades!

Until those direct US 93/Future I-11 N to/from I-40 W directional movements are built, they at least have a "half" Breezwood. Should be enough for now, right?

[mrsman]

But...but...but...all those poor businesses in Kingman that are getting bypassed! Say "No" to the free flow! It has been working for Breezewood PA for decades!

Until those direct US 93/Future I-11 N to/from I-40 W directional movements are built, they at least have a "half" Breezwood. Should be enough for now, right?

Yes, those movements will still need to use Beale Street.  Just like the movements on the missing I-15, I-40 connection have to use Main Street in Barstow, CA.  But as those are relatively minor movements, traffic overall will be much improved.

[triplemultiplex]

You can see where the future EB -> NB ramp will pass under the new freeway.  It looks like a bridge over nothing for now.
Also can see the r/w to accommodate those future ramps.
Be nice to have it all built right from the get-go, but considering the glacial pace of the I-11 corridor as a whole in AZ, I can see it won't be an issue for a long time.
Like I think this is the first actually freeway project for I-11 since they came up with I-11.

[The Ghostbuster]

Once the free-flow interchange with Interstate 40 is completed, I'm sure Beale St. will become a local street, and not become a Business 93 (or an eventual Business 11).

[Henry]

You can see where the future EB -> NB ramp will pass under the new freeway.  It looks like a bridge over nothing for now.
Also can see the r/w to accommodate those future ramps.
Be nice to have it all built right from the get-go, but considering the glacial pace of the I-11 corridor as a whole in AZ, I can see it won't be an issue for a long time.
Like I think this is the first actually freeway project for I-11 since they came up with I-11.

It certainly won't be easy trying to squeeze in a ramp after the diamond interchange with Beale Street. I don't think it would be too bad having that street be a transition point for EB-NB and SB-WB traffic, especially since the majority of nonstop traffic would be either going SE to Phoenix or NW to Las Vegas once the connection is in place.

[SSR_317]

Glad to see this long-delayed and much needed system interchange project (well, at least HALF of it) finally getting underway! Now they just need to get the few remaining portions of US 93 South of the Round Valley Interchange (at the east end of the US 93/I-40 multiplex) upgraded, and that interchange itself get rebuilt for future I-11 project and it will make the LAS-PHX journey much safer and smoother for everybody.

[vdeane]

Glad to see this long-delayed and much needed system interchange project (well, at least HALF of it) finally getting underway! Now they just need to get the few remaining portions of US 93 South of the Round Valley Interchange (at the east end of the US 93/I-40 multiplex) upgraded, and that interchange itself get rebuilt for future I-11 project and it will make the LAS-PHX journey much safer and smoother for everybody.

And what of the part north of this interchange?  There's even a traffic light.

[SSR_317]

And what of the part north of this interchange?  There's even a traffic light.

That signalized intersection will (eventually) be replaced by an interchange. I was talking about the part from US 95's East Junction with I-40 south through Wikieup to just north of Wickenburg.

[vdeane]

And what of the part north of this interchange?  There's even a traffic light.

That signalized intersection will (eventually) be replaced by an interchange. I was talking about the part from US 95's East Junction with I-40 south through Wikieup to just north of Wickenburg.

You mentioned the whole corridor at the end of your post and seemed to imply that this interchange was the only thing preventing I-11 from being signed from I-40 to the Nevada border.  To get that finished, they would also need to address the stuff north of I-40, and quite a few more things to the south, not "just" the ones you listed.

[Plutonic Panda]

And what of the part north of this interchange?  There's even a traffic light.

That signalized intersection will (eventually) be replaced by an interchange. I was talking about the part from US 95's East Junction with I-40 south through Wikieup to just north of Wickenburg.

You mentioned the whole corridor at the end of your post and seemed to imply that this interchange was the only thing preventing I-11 from being signed from I-40 to the Nevada border.  To get that finished, they would also need to address the stuff north of I-40, and quite a few more things to the south, not "just" the ones you listed.

AZDOT needs to fucking get with it, IMHO.

[Sonic99]

It's a battle for the funding. There's some HUGE projects all across the state that could all be argued "should be next up" without even getting into the pavement projects that are so desperately needed everywhere (that the rural Arizonan's SCREAM about on every ADOT Social Media post).

Currently underway:
I-10 Broadway Curve
I-17 between Anthem and Sunset Point

Starting soon:
This US 93/I-40 partial interchange
I-10 between Chandler and Casa Grande

Desperately needed:
SR 30 across Southwest Valley
US 93/I-11 between Lake Mead and Phoenix
Completion of the 303/I-17 interchange

ADOT only has a finite amount of money each year, so figuring out which giant project gets the $$ for that year is a fight that there's no winning.

[roadfro]

And what of the part north of this interchange?  There's even a traffic light.

That signalized intersection will (eventually) be replaced by an interchange. I was talking about the part from US 95's East Junction with I-40 south through Wikieup to just north of Wickenburg.

You mentioned the whole corridor at the end of your post and seemed to imply that this interchange was the only thing preventing I-11 from being signed from I-40 to the Nevada border.  To get that finished, they would also need to address the stuff north of I-40, and quite a few more things to the south, not "just" the ones you listed.

I think SSR_317 wasn't implying that those mentioned upgrades are preventing I-11 from being signed, but rather that upgrades to the I-40 interchanges and getting the last two-lane sections of US 93 widened would improve the safety of the LAS-PHX drive. Those efforts would likely have a greater impact than the eventual full conversion of US 93 to I-11.

[pderocco]

I think SSR_317 wasn't implying that those mentioned upgrades are preventing I-11 from being signed, but rather that upgrades to the I-40 interchanges and getting the last two-lane sections of US 93 widened would improve the safety of the LAS-PHX drive. Those efforts would likely have a greater impact than the eventual full conversion of US 93 to I-11.

I agree. There's an awful lot of road mileage that would be perfectly adequate for the next thirty years if it was fourlaned, even if it wasn't full freeway. I don't really itch for I-11 down to Kingman; I yearn more for four lanes from I-40 down to Wickenburg. As a roadgeek, it often feels to me like an upgrade to full freeway is a loss of character and interest. If it's in a heavily trafficked area, then it's worth the trade, but out in the vast countryside, not so much.