Phoenix Area Highways

[Roadwarriors79]

Has the AZ 24 freeway extension to Ironwood Rd. been completed yet? It is marked on Google Maps (to some degree) but the terrain only shows construction going just beyond Williams Field Rd.

The interim AZ 24 is supposed to be open by the summer. This was the press release at the time the segment to Williams Field Rd opened:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/ktar.com/story/4980262/adot-to-open-segment-of-state-route-24-project-in-mesa-on-friday/amp/

[kwellada]

Has the AZ 24 freeway extension to Ironwood Rd. been completed yet? It is marked on Google Maps (to some degree) but the terrain only shows construction going just beyond Williams Field Rd.

I drove by there last Sunday and the connection to Ironwood is still in progress.

[kernals12]

The City of Maricopa has broken ground on the first "Arizona Parkway" in the state, the Sonoran Desert Parkway.


The road will have no driveway access and it will incorporate median u-turns to eliminate left turns. It's a dream come true for me.

[kernals12]

A moment of appreciation for the South Mountain Freeway. In terms of aesthetics, it's arguably up there with the Merritt and Arroyo Seco, but without being terrifying to drive on.







ADOT consulted with the Frank Lloyd Wright foundation for the artwork.

[Max Rockatansky]

South Mountain Freeway is pretty for a modern design, but it ain't the Arroyo Seco Parkway.  There is way too much bland modern design standards and aesthetics in the structures for anything to compete with older designs. 

[DRMan]

South Mountain Freeway is pretty for a modern design, but it ain't the Arroyo Seco Parkway.  There is way too much bland modern design standards and aesthetics in the structures for anything to compete with older designs. 

That, and the miles of sound walls. It does look nice from the air though.

[KeithE4Phx]

South Mountain Freeway is pretty for a modern design, but it ain't the Arroyo Seco Parkway.  There is way too much bland modern design standards and aesthetics in the structures for anything to compete with older designs. 

That, and the miles of sound walls. It does look nice from the air though.

Those were mandatory to keep the Foothills NIMBYs happy.  The freeway would never have been built without them.

[MisterRoadgeek]

I just really love Arizona Freeways designs that just showcase beautiful artwork morals that ADOT does, I will always love ADOT for that. That extra dollars into making a freeway look very beautiful with artwork.





Not my pictures but showcases the beautiful freeway art.

[MisterRoadgeek]

But do you guys know who designs these masterpieces?

[kernals12]

But do you guys know who designs these masterpieces?

https://azdot.gov/adot-blog/sowing-seeds-beautiful-highways
https://azdot.gov/adot-blog/adot-freeway-landscape-designer-wins-lifetime-achievement-award

It's a team effort

[Max Rockatansky]

FWIW pre-beautification AZ 51 was a magnet for vandalism just as many freeways of it's vintage tend to be.  Unattractive designs tend to breed/encourage things like vandalism and stuff like dumping of trash.  For the most part I think one can draw some conclusions that utilizing an appealing design aesthetic saves on the back in mitigation of vandalism costs.  If something looks cared for and maintained, it tends to deter things like vandalism.

[Plutonic Panda]

I've noticed OkDOT has started to incorporate more art into its freeway projects but nowhere near the level that ADOT has. ODOT also does the copy and paste method on every new design I wish they'd change it up a bit.

[kernals12]

https://ktar.com/story/5174611/first-phase-completed-of-expansive-i-10-broadway-curve-improvement-project/

Phase I of the Broadway Curve widening is finished

[jdbx]

https://ktar.com/story/5174611/first-phase-completed-of-expansive-i-10-broadway-curve-improvement-project/

Phase I of the Broadway Curve widening is finished

It's impressive how quickly projects are completed in Arizona.

[kernals12]

Can we please appreciate this? Here's what traffic looks like at 5:00 PM on a Wednesday in Phoenix and 4 other cities with comparable population.







One would think that a city of 5 million that managed to slay the traffic jam dragon would be considered a miracle. But because they did it the politically incorrect way, by building ever wider freeways, they are shunned and ridiculed like a gay man in a small town in Arkansas.

[Rothman]

Can we please appreciate this? Here's what traffic looks like at 5:00 PM on a Wednesday in Phoenix and 4 other cities with comparable population.







One would think that a city of 5 million that managed to slay the traffic jam dragon would be considered a miracle. But because they did it the politically incorrect way, by building ever wider freeways, they are shunned and ridiculed like a gay man in a small town in Arkansas.

Scale matters.

[Max Rockatansky]

For reference on city size:

Phoenix - 519.28 square miles
Seattle - 142.07 square miles
Washington DC - 68.34 square miles
Boston - 89.61 square miles
Atlanta - 136.61 square miles

This is not exactly the apples to apples comparison Kernals would have us believe. 

[kernals12]

For reference on city size:

Phoenix - 519.28 square miles
Seattle - 142.07 square miles
Washington DC - 68.34 square miles
Boston - 89.61 square miles
Atlanta - 136.61 square miles

This is not exactly the apples to apples comparison Kernals would have us believe.

Are you just looking at city proper or the whole metro area?

[Max Rockatansky]

For reference on city size:

Phoenix - 519.28 square miles
Seattle - 142.07 square miles
Washington DC - 68.34 square miles
Boston - 89.61 square miles
Atlanta - 136.61 square miles

This is not exactly the apples to apples comparison Kernals would have us believe.

Are you just looking at city proper or the whole metro area?

Suffice to say the Phoenix area is going to blow all of the others out of the water just the same.   

[kernals12]

For reference on city size:

Phoenix - 519.28 square miles
Seattle - 142.07 square miles
Washington DC - 68.34 square miles
Boston - 89.61 square miles
Atlanta - 136.61 square miles

This is not exactly the apples to apples comparison Kernals would have us believe.

Are you just looking at city proper or the whole metro area?

Suffice to say the Phoenix area is going to blow all of the others out of the water just the same.

Atlanta is definitely less dense than Phoenix.

[Max Rockatansky]

The Atlanta Metro Area is 8,376 square miles, Phoenix is 14,598 square miles. 

[kernals12]

The Atlanta Metro Area is 8,376 square miles, Phoenix is 14,598 square miles.

Look at these photos, which one has more vacant land?

[Max Rockatansky]

The Atlanta Metro Area is 8,376 square miles, Phoenix is 14,598 square miles.

Look at these photos, which one has more vacant land?

Have a look at the vacant land parcels owned by Surprise, Phoenix, Peoria and Goodyear.  Have a look at your average yard size in Scottsdale, northern Phoenix, Carefree or Cave Creek.

Either way, we get that you think Phoenix is the greatest since sliced bread already.  No need to make comparisons to other cites that don't really align with the narrative you are trying to create. 

[kernals12]

The Atlanta Metro Area is 8,376 square miles, Phoenix is 14,598 square miles.

Look at these photos, which one has more vacant land?

Have a look at the vacant land parcels owned by Surprise, Phoenix, Peoria and Goodyear.  Have a look at your average yard size in Scottsdale, northern Phoenix, Carefree or Cave Creek.

Either way, we get that you think Phoenix is the greatest since sliced bread already.  No need to make comparisons to other cites that don't really align with the narrative you are trying to create.

Do you just enjoy arguing with me?

[Max Rockatansky]

The Atlanta Metro Area is 8,376 square miles, Phoenix is 14,598 square miles.

Look at these photos, which one has more vacant land?

Have a look at the vacant land parcels owned by Surprise, Phoenix, Peoria and Goodyear.  Have a look at your average yard size in Scottsdale, northern Phoenix, Carefree or Cave Creek.

Either way, we get that you think Phoenix is the greatest since sliced bread already.  No need to make comparisons to other cites that don't really align with the narrative you are trying to create.

Do you just enjoy arguing with me?

You could say that I like debating with you.  But in general I like to debate statements/arguments that don't really make a lot of sense when I have familiarity with the topic at hand.

FWIW, I definitely found a ton of value in the Phoenix Metro area given I lived there 13 years.  Traffic had nothing to do with why I left, it was career pursuits coupled the real estate market getting out of hand.