Phoenix Area Highways

[The Ghostbuster]

A Business 60 designation along old the old US 60 (and old US 70/80/89) alignment through Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Apache Jct. was probably considered unnecessary. There was once a Business 10 in Phoenix: https://www.aaroads.com/interstate-guide/business/ir-010/#arizona, although it seems to have been decommissioned around the time the last segment of Interstate 10 was completed in 1990.

[kernals12]

I sincerely hope ADOT plans repave the SanTan Freeway in Gilbert soon. The noise is just deafening.

[KeithE4Phx]

A Business 60 designation along old the old US 60 (and old US 70/80/89) alignment through Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Apache Jct. was probably considered unnecessary. There was once a Business 10 in Phoenix: https://www.aaroads.com/interstate-guide/business/ir-010/#arizona, although it seems to have been decommissioned around the time the last segment of Interstate 10 was completed in 1990.

IIRC, ADOT turned Van Buren St. (Phx), Mill Ave/Apache Blvd (Tempe), and Main St (Mesa) to their respective cities at the time.  It still maintains and signs US 60 on Grand Ave. northwest of I-17.  If ADOT doesn't maintain it, ADOT doesn't sign it. 

One gratuitous example:  Country Club Drive/Arizona Ave. through Mesa and Chandler, other than the interchange at US 60 and between the Loop 202 and McKellips Rd.  They are the only segments of AZ 87 still signed south of the 202 Red Mountain Fwy to the Pinal County line.  Yes, there are signs for AZ 87 for Arizona Ave. on the 202 Santan Fwy, but once you hit the off-ramps, there are none.  Arizona Ave. is not signed as 87 anywhere in Chandler, even though there are still a few ADOT mileposts on it between the county line and a couple miles north of the 202.

[KeithE4Phx]

I sincerely hope ADOT plans repave the SanTan Freeway in Gilbert soon. The noise is just deafening.

They repaved and striped the entire Red Mountain Fwy segment of the 202, east of the 101, a couple weeks ago.  I would think they'll do the Santan Fwy segment soon.  The segment between the 10/51 and 101 needs it as well.

[Sonic99]

They seem to be trying to work their way around the Valley ripping up all the rubberized asphalt that's falling apart. Hoping before too long they'll have it all gone and we'll be back to concrete the way the Highway Gods intended.

[Sonic99]

Also, ADOT has further finalized plans for the completion of the Loop 303/I-17 interchange, and is waiting on funding. Prop 479 (a continuation of the Transportation tax going back to 1985 that's funded basically the entire Phoenix freeway system). will be on the November ballot and will be the main source of funding if it passes (and I hope like hell the voters don't screw this up). I would presume that the SR 30 Tres Rios freeway will also be dependent on Prop 479 passing, so I'd strongly suggest making sure people are properly educated about that Prop so the groups that cry about every penny possible don't misinform people and kill what's funded everything we've got so far.

https://azdot.gov/projects/central-district-projects/loop-303-lake-pleasant-parkway-i-17-improvements

[RaulMtz]

I sincerely hope ADOT plans repave the SanTan Freeway in Gilbert soon. The noise is just deafening.

I might be a bit late to respond to this but they have no intention of fixing the pavement on this section until they start the big widening project on Loop 202 between 101 and Val Vista Rd later this year. I remember reading Q4 2024 but I am not 100%. Looks like they are going to be adding two additional general purpose lanes in each direction between 101 and Gilbert Rd and one additional general purpose lane between Gilbert and Val Vista.

[Sonic99]

I sincerely hope ADOT plans repave the SanTan Freeway in Gilbert soon. The noise is just deafening.

I might be a bit late to respond to this but they have no intention of fixing the pavement on this section until they start the big widening project on Loop 202 between 101 and Val Vista Rd later this year. I remember reading Q4 2024 but I am not 100%. Looks like they are going to be adding two additional general purpose lanes in each direction between 101 and Gilbert Rd and one additional general purpose lane between Gilbert and Val Vista.

Hopefully they're extending the HOV lane further out past Gilbert?

[RaulMtz]

I don't think they are. The project scope ends at Val Vista but you're right. I would have hoped they would have at least extended the HOV lanes to Williams Field. I actually find it maybe a little excessive to add two extra lanes per direction (I thought they were adding one). But I guess they are really trying to future proof the area which I can appreciate.

Here's the project details:
https://azdot.gov/projects/central-district-projects/loop-202-santan-freeway-loop-101-val-vista-drive

[Pink Jazz]

I actually wonder why the Loop 202 Red Mountain widening east of Loop 101 was prioritized over the SanTan. I never thought the Red Mountain east of Loop 101 ever really got serious traffic backups.

[RaulMtz]

It's the Santan portion they are widening though, not Red Mountain. At least thats why I understood from the site.
Santan Freeway gets really bad during rush hour between Loop 101 and Val Vista. My daily commute takes me from that area to the airport. Once they finish the Broadway curve project, I expect the Santan Freeway to be the last "bad" part of my commute *crosses finders*

[KeithE4Phx]

It's the Santan portion they are widening though, not Red Mountain. At least thats why I understood from the site.

Santan Freeway gets really bad during rush hour between Loop 101 and Val Vista. My daily commute takes me from that area to the airport. Once they finish the Broadway curve project, I expect the Santan Freeway to be the last "bad" part of my commute *crosses finders*

The 202 HOV lanes between Gilbert Rd. (Santan) and Broadway Rd. (Red Mountain) was supposed to have been done 10+ years ago.  Why it wasn't, I have no idea.  Maybe it was an issue with building ramps on the HOV lanes to/from the 60.  I'm just guessing here, but in any case, it hasn't been done.

[kernals12]

Looks like ADOT has some property in the path or at least very close to the future Tres Rios Freeway.

[DJStephens]

Believe that aerial is of the "Durango Curve" which was the original planned connection spot for I-10 coming in from the W.    SB 17 is elevated in that stretch, as there was supposed to be a LEFT exit from 10/17 WB to the never built stretch.   Another thread here documents how they "filled" in the over pass, to make it appear as a continuous embankment.   

[Sonic99]

Believe that aerial is of the "Durango Curve" which was the original planned connection spot for I-10 coming in from the W.    SB 17 is elevated in that stretch, as there was supposed to be a LEFT exit from 10/17 WB to the never built stretch.   Another thread here documents how they "filled" in the over pass, to make it appear as a continuous embankment.   

This is why the "road geek" in me REALLY wants the Tres Rios to get built all the way through to I-17. The SR 30 would essentially be the "original" I-10 plan finally built out into reality 60 years later.

[DJStephens]

So then there were at least three scenarios for 10 in Phoenix.
a] the original modest connection to the late fifties 17 Durango curve
b] the elevated viaduct through downtown with the circular "turbine" exit ramps
c] what was eventually built - the depressed alignment and tunnel   

[The Ghostbuster]

Does anyone think the original Interstate 10 alignment would have worked better than the present-day Interstate 10 alignment? The relocation of Interstate 10 between the two Interstate 17 interchanges spelled the end of the proposed Interstates 410 and 510.

[Max Rockatansky]

Not really, what we ended up was fine I thought. 

[ztonyg]

Does anyone think the original Interstate 10 alignment would have worked better than the present-day Interstate 10 alignment? The relocation of Interstate 10 between the two Interstate 17 interchanges spelled the end of the proposed Interstates 410 and 510.

I've thought about it. The I-10 alignment is fine. The issue is where the 90 degree turns are located.

I'd argue it would've been better to have the 90 degree turns be located at the Broadway Curve, the Durango Curve and the Stack as opposed to the current setup of the Broadway Curve, the I-10 / I-17 split, and the Mini Stack. I-17 should end at the Stack and the portion of I-17 between the two I-10 interchanges should have simply remained I-10 with AZ 510 heading N/S from the "Split" and I-410 or Loop 202 heading E/W from the current "Stack" location with the "Mini Stack" being more of a traditional stack interchange.

This would've accomplished routing the long distance truck traffic south of downtown and allowing the heaviest volume movements through the "Mini Stack" from having the correct number of lanes allocated to them as opposed to being forced to exit.

[Sonic99]

Perhaps bordering on "fictional" territory, but I personally would like to see SR 30 brought in at the Durango Curve and the road realigned and the E/W part of 17 rebuilt into an extension of SR30. So the "split" would be between SR30 and I-10, and I-17 gets truncated to the Durango curve. Would be a much more obvious "west metro area reliever" and letting that freeway flow out west.

[KeithE4Phx]

Does anyone think the original Interstate 10 alignment would have worked better than the present-day Interstate 10 alignment? The relocation of Interstate 10 between the two Interstate 17 interchanges spelled the end of the proposed Interstates 410 and 510.

I've thought about it. The I-10 alignment is fine. The issue is where the 90 degree turns are located.

I'd argue it would've been better to have the 90 degree turns be located at the Broadway Curve, the Durango Curve and the Stack as opposed to the current setup of the Broadway Curve, the I-10 / I-17 split, and the Mini Stack. I-17 should end at the Stack and the portion of I-17 between the two I-10 interchanges should have simply remained I-10 with AZ 510 heading N/S from the "Split" and I-410 or Loop 202 heading E/W from the current "Stack" location with the "Mini Stack" being more of a traditional stack interchange.

This would've accomplished routing the long distance truck traffic south of downtown and allowing the heaviest volume movements through the "Mini Stack" from having the correct number of lanes allocated to them as opposed to being forced to exit.

Everybody on this board has a better chance of winning PowerBall at the same time than ADOT does of resurrecting 3DIs.  That horse left the corral over 50 years ago, and ain't coming back.

[Sonic99]

ADOT is planning a major closure of EB I-10 this coming weekend as part of the Broadway Curve project, and could be the first significant look at the final layout. Currently, EB has a "lane split" at the 48th St overpass where one part of the split jumps over to what will eventually be the SB 143 to EB C/D ramp. Based on the wording in their alert, they are ready to start completing the SB 143 flyover and will be shifting all EB traffic back to the "main" lanes. The current cloverleaf ramp from SB 143 to EB 10, which has been in place since I-10 originally opened in 1968, is also ready to be removed. Also, the final girder for the flyovers was placed last month and thus all major bridge work is now in the final stretch. 3 years into the Broadway Curve project, and it appears to be approaching the final phase.

New traffic configuration: The southbound SR 143 ramp to eastbound I-10 will permanently close at 8 p.m. Friday, June 21. Use the eastbound I-10 on-ramp at Broadway or Baseline roads instead. When eastbound I-10 reopens, drivers can expect a new lane configuration. Crews will remove the lane split between 48th Street and Broadway Road.

If I'm being honest, I think ADOT deserves a lot of credit for essentially rebuilding this entire section with basically zero long-term closures. Considering they're reconstructing the ENTIRE SR 143/I-10/Broadway Rd interchange, with literally not a single existing structure being reused, it's incredible to think that all access has remained open about 95% of the time. The typical Facebook commenters think they know how to engineer these projects better of course, but overall, it's been neat to see it develop.

[blanketcomputer]

If I'm being honest, I think ADOT deserves a lot of credit for essentially rebuilding this entire section with basically zero long-term closures. Considering they're reconstructing the ENTIRE SR 143/I-10/Broadway Rd interchange, with literally not a single existing structure being reused, it's incredible to think that all access has remained open about 95% of the time. The typical Facebook commenters think they know how to engineer these projects better of course, but overall, it's been neat to see it develop.

Drivers on SB SR-143 will have to turn left at Broadway Road to access EB I-10 for a while until the flyover is completed, but I agree it's been a very impressive project.

[RaulMtz]

Drivers on SB SR-143 will have to turn left at Broadway Road to access EB I-10 for a while until the flyover is completed, but I agree it's been a very impressive project.

As someone who has to take that loop from SB SR-143 to EB I-10 on a daily basis, its closure this week is a nightmare. I find myself backtracking to get on I-10 at 40th St. Hopefully it doesn't take them too long to complete the new flyover ramp. This whole interchange is going to be much better off with this work and overall also applaud ADOT for the work done here.

[Sonic99]

Drivers on SB SR-143 will have to turn left at Broadway Road to access EB I-10 for a while until the flyover is completed, but I agree it's been a very impressive project.

As someone who has to take that loop from SB SR-143 to EB I-10 on a daily basis, its closure this week is a nightmare. I find myself backtracking to get on I-10 at 40th St. Hopefully it doesn't take them too long to complete the new flyover ramp. This whole interchange is going to be much better off with this work and overall also applaud ADOT for the work done here.

I believe I saw ADOT in a Facebook comment suggest September for the new flyover to be opened as long as they don't have any issues.