Road Guy Rob on the History of Phoenix Freeways

[Sonic99]

And it will allow motorists to bypass congestion in Phoenix between Casa Grande and Buckeye on I-10.

Also, a good portion of I-10 between 202 and Casa Grande is still 4 lanes, maybe widen that before building a parallel freeway?

That's been a Gila River Indian Community problem for decades. The GRIC held ADOT hostage for years on any expansions of I-10 through the Reservation. Recently, leadership has changed though and they've allowed ADOT to begin preliminary impact studies of the corridor to widen it. That being said, all it takes is another "regime change" in Tribal leadership, and they can pull the rug right out from ADOT. Same reason the SR347 is such a mess between I-10 and Maricopa. It's a State highway, but ADOT can't lay a pebble on it without Tribal approval.

[DJStephens]

Its southern terminus has yet to be determined, however.  Anything south of Wickenburg is still many years away.  Actually, anything south of I-40 is still many years away, other than 4-laning the remaining 2-lane sections of US 93.  Allowing access to the three dozen or so ranches that now connect directly to US 93 between Wickenburg and I-40 may be impossible, other than continuing with the current at-grade intersections.

If rural interstates in western Texas can have at-grade access to ranches, I don't see a reason why the same can't be done here.

There are also a few ranch gates visible on/along I-10 between Benson and the E side of Tucson.   

[rower155]

Its southern terminus has yet to be determined, however.  Anything south of Wickenburg is still many years away.  Actually, anything south of I-40 is still many years away, other than 4-laning the remaining 2-lane sections of US 93.  Allowing access to the three dozen or so ranches that now connect directly to US 93 between Wickenburg and I-40 may be impossible, other than continuing with the current at-grade intersections.

If rural interstates in western Texas can have at-grade access to ranches, I don't see a reason why the same can't be done here.

There are also a few ranch gates visible on/along I-10 between Benson and the E side of Tucson.   

Which gates are you referring to?  Gates to private property are rare on an Interstate. For the most part, frontages roads were built to connect up all private property to an interchange. There are a few exceptions, but many gates you see were exceptions for maintenance or a utility.  FHWA has to approve of all exceptions.

[DJStephens]

Its southern terminus has yet to be determined, however.  Anything south of Wickenburg is still many years away.  Actually, anything south of I-40 is still many years away, other than 4-laning the remaining 2-lane sections of US 93.  Allowing access to the three dozen or so ranches that now connect directly to US 93 between Wickenburg and I-40 may be impossible, other than continuing with the current at-grade intersections.

If rural interstates in western Texas can have at-grade access to ranches, I don't see a reason why the same can't be done here.

There are also a few ranch gates visible on/along I-10 between Benson and the E side of Tucson.   

Which gates are you referring to?  Gates to private property are rare on an Interstate. For the most part, frontages roads were built to connect up all private property to an interchange. There are a few exceptions, but many gates you see were exceptions for maintenance or a utility.  FHWA has to approve of all exceptions.

They are there, along the EB "Virginia twinned" section of I-10, between Exit 281 and 291.   The EB lanes are the original two lane Benson Hwy alignment, and the WB lanes are the "newer" circa 1970  lanes.   

[kernals12]

And it will allow motorists to bypass congestion in Phoenix between Casa Grande and Buckeye on I-10.

Also, a good portion of I-10 between 202 and Casa Grande is still 4 lanes, maybe widen that before building a parallel freeway?

That's been a Gila River Indian Community problem for decades. The GRIC held ADOT hostage for years on any expansions of I-10 through the Reservation. Recently, leadership has changed though and they've allowed ADOT to begin preliminary impact studies of the corridor to widen it. That being said, all it takes is another "regime change" in Tribal leadership, and they can pull the rug right out from ADOT. Same reason the SR347 is such a mess between I-10 and Maricopa. It's a State highway, but ADOT can't lay a pebble on it without Tribal approval.

I wonder where the Native Americans learned about not negotiating property transactions in good faith

[rower155]

Its southern terminus has yet to be determined, however.  Anything south of Wickenburg is still many years away.  Actually, anything south of I-40 is still many years away, other than 4-laning the remaining 2-lane sections of US 93.  Allowing access to the three dozen or so ranches that now connect directly to US 93 between Wickenburg and I-40 may be impossible, other than continuing with the current at-grade intersections.

If rural interstates in western Texas can have at-grade access to ranches, I don't see a reason why the same can't be done here.

There are also a few ranch gates visible on/along I-10 between Benson and the E side of Tucson.   

Which gates are you referring to?  Gates to private property are rare on an Interstate. For the most part, frontages roads were built to connect up all private property to an interchange. There are a few exceptions, but many gates you see were exceptions for maintenance or a utility.  FHWA has to approve of all exceptions.

They are there, along the EB "Virginia twinned" section of I-10, between Exit 281 and 291.   The EB lanes are the original two lane Benson Hwy alignment, and the WB lanes are the "newer" circa 1970  lanes.

Thanks, that is where I assumed this is referring to.  It is almost entirely state land in that area. The gates were not for ranch access. The gates that remained were originally for AT&T or El Paso Gas, I believe.

[JKRhodes]

Its southern terminus has yet to be determined, however.  Anything south of Wickenburg is still many years away.  Actually, anything south of I-40 is still many years away, other than 4-laning the remaining 2-lane sections of US 93.  Allowing access to the three dozen or so ranches that now connect directly to US 93 between Wickenburg and I-40 may be impossible, other than continuing with the current at-grade intersections.

If rural interstates in western Texas can have at-grade access to ranches, I don't see a reason why the same can't be done here.

There are also a few ranch gates visible on/along I-10 between Benson and the E side of Tucson.   

Which gates are you referring to?  Gates to private property are rare on an Interstate. For the most part, frontages roads were built to connect up all private property to an interchange. There are a few exceptions, but many gates you see were exceptions for maintenance or a utility.  FHWA has to approve of all exceptions.

They are there, along the EB "Virginia twinned" section of I-10, between Exit 281 and 291.   The EB lanes are the original two lane Benson Hwy alignment, and the WB lanes are the "newer" circa 1970  lanes.

Thanks, that is where I assumed this is referring to.  It is almost entirely state land in that area. The gates were not for ranch access. The gates that remained were originally for AT&T or El Paso Gas, I believe.

Definitely for the gas line. One of the many oddities I remember seeing in that area pre-2013 rebuild. Gate's still there, but the rest of the freeway is unrecognizable since UPRR track was rerouted and Marsh Station interchange was replaced.

There's also 2 gates at I-10 W near willcox. This one's for an electrical sub:
https://goo.gl/maps/Lsq4VkidbBj5LieA7

And this one's for the Kinder Morgan (El Paso Gas) line:
https://goo.gl/maps/C2QRBJ2gn3k1kWEF7
If you follow that one on the satellite view, there's a gas line underlying a doubletrack dirt road that veers off quite a ways north then turns due west at the Graham/Cochise county line.