^^^^^^^^^^^^
Unless the Interstate conversion process for I-11 is "incentivized", that conversion will be done gradually over the next couple of decades; as long as the corridor remains on the books as a designated entity, it'll always be hovering over the process. At least the 4-lane conversion to Interstate geometry generally results in a nice safe high-speed roadway for commercial and recreational travelers to use regardless of the color of the shields. Somehow, I don't think we've heard the end of the southern end issues; the EIS for the corridor at least as far south as Casa Grande has been issued, so it's likely the Hassayampa/Buckeye routing will remain in consideration. IMO, it should head straight down to Loop 303 and hence to I-10, but regional planners seem to be much more ambitious than that (they've probably drunk the developers' Kool-Aid!) -- but it'll probably come down to the aggregate cost of the extended corridor -- and to projections regarding just how much more exurban housing is needed in the region. If the Hassayampa option is selected -- and those projections are less than robust -- I wouldn't be at all surprised if I-11 heads down to I-10, crosses it, and then curves over to merge with AZ 85 down to Gila Bend. That's the second most logical and rational corridor option, IMO.
I think the roadgeek world's opinion of the future prospects for US 101, at least L.A.-S.F., change with first-hand knowledge of the corridor in question. Seen on a map, there's a largely completed freeway connecting several metro areas without colorful shields -- and it looks like an obvious system addition (and actually farther away from I-5 than the similarly touted CA 99 corridor). But if one is familiar with the terrain, the towns, and just what would be involved in such upgrades, a different POV would likely emerge. I for one wrote the Interstate prospects off for 101 when the state's Coastal Commission was formed -- at about the time the original wave of freeway protests peaked ('70's). That being said -- I could conceivably see L.A.-to-Santa Barbara as a 3di now that the Rincon section has been breached and the segment through Montecito upgraded (although not for capacity). But north of there -- not so much.