I was checking out construction the other day on Loop 303 and the I-10/Loop 303 interchange. It looks like ADOT is building the WB 10 to SB 303 and NB 303 to WB 10 ramps. I didn't think this was gonna happen anytime soon, especially since no flyovers have been built at the Northern Parkway or at I-17. I don't know if any of Loop 303 will be built south of I-10 anytime soon, or if the interchange will just end up looking like I-10/Loop 202/Pecos Rd in the Chandler area.
As a local here, yes, they ARE building Northern Parkway now along with its flyovers-- but right now its mostly inclined dirt ramps at the future intersection of the parkway and 303. Between Litchfield and Dysart they're actually redirecting eastbound drivers on Northern Ave to go left on Litchfield and right on the new parkway for a mile.
I also got a newsletter from Surprise, AZ saying that the section between Glendale Ave and US-60 is "75% complete" with an opening date of early Fall this year. So yeah, there's a lot going on with 303. It might even be finished in its entirety early spring 2014.
As for southbound 303, man, I imagine it as a 202/pecos thing as well.
Yeah I checked out that section of Northern Parkway between Dysart Rd and Litchfield Rd. WB Northern Ave west of Dysart now defaults onto Northern Pkwy. The original Northern Ave east of Litchfield is a dead end street. I don't know why an overpass wasn't built over Litchfield yet. It looks like when the rest of it opens, thru traffic will be using the future entrance and exit ramps there for awhile.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Surprise portion of Loop 303 was finished earlier than planned. There's some freeway lighting installed on the future SB side near the north end of the project. A few interchanges are going to have high mast lighting. The only section of 303 that has yet to see significant work is from just north of Camelback to just south of Northern.
A few photos of Arizona Loop 303 taken by me back in March:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.asphaltplanet.ca%2FAZ%2FAZ%2F303%2FAZ303_dv_113_north_ramp_Mar13.jpg&hash=301b31e0f44f0f15d6f0931f960f946c50b594b0)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.asphaltplanet.ca%2FAZ%2FAZ%2F303%2FAZ303_dv_113-3_north_Mar13.jpg&hash=b2b58b0d0a382cfa62623b8ff68df80c05c7bec2)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.asphaltplanet.ca%2FAZ%2FAZ%2F303%2FAZ303_dv_118_north_Mar13.jpg&hash=8763b97eb39b1c5fd20d44c6d568646b266b9d19)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.asphaltplanet.ca%2FAZ%2FAZ%2F303%2FAZ303_dv_118-5_east_Mar13.jpg&hash=488979d650872318d1cf12513647c2b60f2cc81e)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.asphaltplanet.ca%2FAZ%2FAZ%2F303%2FAZ303_dv_118-25_east_Mar13.jpg&hash=7eb99b384eb1460f59bc4fd53e845bc2ee79c83d)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.asphaltplanet.ca%2FAZ%2FAZ%2F303%2FAZ303_struct_113_west_Mar13.jpg&hash=c18821862cd34e490d4ff842d8cb462a9fe0e3ff)
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on April 17, 2013, 09:10:11 AM
A few photos of Arizona Loop 303 taken by me back in March:
You got a lot of great pics. I saw the Loop 202 pics on your website. Pretty good.
Pictures don't work for me?
Quote from: Sonic99 on April 24, 2013, 04:24:48 AM
Pictures don't work for me?
They showed for me yesterday, but not today. When I try to go directly to the page, it returns a DNS error.
The problem is solved. I had inadvertently not set the domain name to auto-renew. I saw a charge on my credit card for hosting renewal earlier this month and thought nothing more of website needs. I renewed the domain name this morning, and everything is back online.
Great pictures, thank you for posting. I've long been fan of PHX freeways. They all seem so nicely designed.
I saw this news report from March 28, who show the I-10/303 interchange at halfway point. http://www.azfamily.com/traffic/Loop-303I-10-project-at-halfway-point-200471601.html
According to the ADOT blog, the Surprise section (Peoria Ave to just south of US 60/Grand Ave) should be open as a full freeway by July.
http://adotblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/portion-of-loop-303-project-now-nearly.html
Quote from: OCGuy81 on April 25, 2013, 12:00:14 AM
Great pictures, thank you for posting. I've long been fan of PHX freeways. They all seem so nicely designed.
I agree about that!
Quote from: swbrotha100 on May 18, 2013, 06:46:58 PM
According to the ADOT blog, the Surprise section (Peoria Ave to just south of US 60/Grand Ave) should be open as a full freeway by July.
http://adotblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/portion-of-loop-303-project-now-nearly.html
This would be yet another good drive in Phoenix.
To update, it looks like Loop 303 in Surprise will be open as a full freeway around July 15:
http://www.surpriseaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/20379
303 from Peoria up to Grand has opened about 6 hours earlier than expected. Will take pictures later this week of the new road.
Some floods caused by storm had flooded a part of Loop-303
http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_west_valley/litchfield_park/adot-loop-303-reopens-after-flooding-from-storm
Quote from: Stephane Dumas on August 31, 2013, 01:53:54 PM
Some floods caused by storm had flooded a part of Loop-303
http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_west_valley/litchfield_park/adot-loop-303-reopens-after-flooding-from-storm
From the link and video I saw, it was Cotton Lane, west of the current Loop 303 alignment. The reporter was at the Cotton Lane/Indian School Road intersection.
What's the deal with the exit numbers on 303? At the southern end at I-10, they begin in the low 100s, unlike the other metro loops that all have an Exit 1 somewhere.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fkpho.images.worldnow.com%2Fimages%2F23441642_SA.jpg&hash=a58f50876db7431c63a34ef1302831a2660eee5c)
(KPHO photo, since I didn't take any of my own)
Loop 303 is planned to extend south of I-10. Eventually, it would go as far south as I-8.
Ironically, when Loop 303 was mostly a two lane road, all the mileage was lower. Sometime a few years ago, ADOT added 100 to the original mileposts, to what is currently on the roadway.
Quote from: swbrotha100 on January 12, 2015, 02:01:14 PM
Loop 303 is planned to extend south of I-10. Eventually, it would go as far south as I-8.
Seems to be a bit pipe-dream-y, what with the upgraded AZ 85 so close by. But that's interesting to know.
Quote from: Kniwt on January 12, 2015, 10:15:47 PM
Quote from: swbrotha100 on January 12, 2015, 02:01:14 PM
Loop 303 is planned to extend south of I-10. Eventually, it would go as far south as I-8.
Seems to be a bit pipe-dream-y, what with the upgraded AZ 85 so close by. But that's interesting to know.
If I had to guess, once south of the SR30, it could jog over to the 85 alignment for the rest of the trip to Gila Bend.
Please reply at the END of the quote. ~S
The 2035 MAG plan has 303 built to SR 30 and ROW preserved to the future I-11 corridor, but nothing past that is even under consideration at this point.
AZ 85 Gila Bend - Butterfield Trail/Business I-8 to Buckeye I-10 Is part of the I-10 Bypass for Thru Trucks around Metro Phoenix also Butterfield Trail Business I-8, I-8 Butterfield Trail to Arizona City At I-10/Sunland Gin Road.
Loop 303 I- 8 to I-17 is for local traffic.
I just noticed on Google Maps that 85 from Broadway south to Hazen is configured with a wide median for a future freeway in the middle. Is that in anticipation of the SR30 or what? Never noticed that before.
SR 85 has had that wide median for years. I don't think it had anything to do with SR 30.
Anticipation of further growth in Buckeye and increased truck traffic on a major NAFTA corridor. Widening to this point has been as much for safety as capacity. AZ 85 was one of the worst highways in the state when it came to head-on collisions, up there with AZ 87 and US 93. Lots of impaired drivers heading home from long weekends in San Diego and Rocky Point. Better to spend the available money on getting the highway divided sooner rather than building some overpasses to improve traffic flow on a small portion.
I am curious when ADOT plans on adding the cable barrier in the median of Loop 303. If I remember correctly, there is no median barrier between I-10 and Cactus Road. North of Cactus there is the usual ADOT cable barrier. Crossover crashes in the 1990s were big news after the 101 and 202 first opened and cable barriers were added as a response so I am surprised that the 303 is without one.
This is what caught my eye, just north of Broadway.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi16.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb15%2Fazbobbybooshay10%2FScreenshot_2015-01-22-23-16-47_zpsivunrox0.png&hash=70a6b2b52a693a59f70caeace1715b9342861204) (http://s16.photobucket.com/user/azbobbybooshay10/media/Screenshot_2015-01-22-23-16-47_zpsivunrox0.png.html)
Quote from: Sonic99 on January 23, 2015, 01:19:23 AM
This is what caught my eye, just north of Broadway.
This area of SR 85 was upgraded to a divided highway in 2010. A future freeway upgrade was definitely in mind during design and construction. The area in the photo probably got extra work done sooner rather than later for the future Broadway overpass because of the canal bridge construction. I can't say this for certain, but SR 85 will eventually become a full freeway and will have a freeway interchange with SR 30 as that route continues west to I-11.
I remember the Price Freeway set up just like that when I was a kid growing up in the East Valley. Price Road was divided with a super wide median area several years before the freeway ultimately got built.
And before that it was divided with a canal running down the middle, in a much narrower ROW. I want to say it was widened to the frontage road configuration in Tempe sometime around 1992?
Sounds like around the timeframe for when they did the section south of the 60. The first section of the 101 to open was from Southern to University. It didn't even connect with either the 60 or the 202, just two miles of freeway. I want to say the 101/60 interchange opened first, maybe 1993 or 1994? Then the 202 around 94 or 95?
It was done as far as Baseline when the first ramps to/from 60 opened. South of Baseline wasn't even started until 98 or 99 though.
The ramp from Loop 101 South to US 60 East was opened as early as 1995. There were no connections to or from US 60 west of Loop 101 besides a regular signaled on/off ramp at Price Rd. Southbound Price Rd today uses this original overpass but obviously without the west-half interchange it had with US 60.
In 1996, the Loop 101/202 interchange had opened connections from eastbound Loop 202 to southbound Loop 101, southbound Loop 101 (Pima) to westbound Loop 202, and from northbound Loop 101 (Price) to westbound Loop 202.
Neither interchange was completed in all directions until 2000.
For those wondering why no cable fence in the AZ 303 median, the freeway has an incredibly wide median able to fit at least two more lanes on each end and still retain an average sized median. My guess is they're anticipating future expansion with the growing population of Phoenix and all.
Quote from: 707 on March 12, 2015, 09:35:40 PM
For those wondering why no cable fence in the AZ 303 median, the freeway has an incredibly wide median able to fit at least two more lanes on each end and still retain an average sized median. My guess is they're anticipating future expansion with the growing population of Phoenix and all.
Besides the portions just north of the I-10 interchange Loop 303 has a dirt median just as wide as Loop 101 did originally and Loop 202 has now. Loop 202 has an even wider median than Loop 303 in east Mesa from Power Road to Brown Road and had a cable barrier until HOV lane construction started a few months ago. I haven't been out on Loop 303 in a few months now so it's possible cable barriers have been installed now. It just seems odd to me that ADOT wouldn't install them after all the controversy there was from cross over crashes in the past.
I cruised along Loop 303 recently. There are now cable barriers from Thomas to Camelback, Northern Ave to Peoria, and Cactus to the north end of the current freeway.
I've got news, along with the construction at the US 60 interchange and the future El Mirage interchange, it seems the I-17 interchange will receive some construction as well. Currently, the county (or the city) has been constructing Sonoran Desert Drive to finally bridge the gap between the dead end piece at the end of 303 and the already existing segment. ADOT says they'll be closing parts of I-17 on Sunday and Monday due to construction. Hopefully this means they're finally building the true freeway parts of the AZ 303/I-17 interchange.
Quote from: 707 on March 21, 2015, 05:51:46 AM
I've got news, along with the construction at the US 60 interchange and the future El Mirage interchange, it seems the I-17 interchange will receive some construction as well. Currently, the county (or the city) has been constructing Sonoran Desert Drive to finally bridge the gap between the dead end piece at the end of 303 and the already existing segment. ADOT says they'll be closing parts of I-17 on Sunday and Monday due to construction. Hopefully this means they're finally building the true freeway parts of the AZ 303/I-17 interchange.
The Loop 303 and I-17 interchange is not going to be constructed any time soon unfortunately. Probably when the rest of Loop 303 built to freeway standards from Happy Valley Parkway to I-17. Currently a lot of the freeway is using what will clearly be future on and off ramps after the freeway bridges are built.
Quote from: blanketcomputer on March 21, 2015, 07:38:13 AM
Quote from: 707 on March 21, 2015, 05:51:46 AM
I've got news, along with the construction at the US 60 interchange and the future El Mirage interchange, it seems the I-17 interchange will receive some construction as well. Currently, the county (or the city) has been constructing Sonoran Desert Drive to finally bridge the gap between the dead end piece at the end of 303 and the already existing segment. ADOT says they'll be closing parts of I-17 on Sunday and Monday due to construction. Hopefully this means they're finally building the true freeway parts of the AZ 303/I-17 interchange.
The Loop 303 and I-17 interchange is not going to be constructed any time soon unfortunately. Probably when the rest of Loop 303 built to freeway standards from Happy Valley Parkway to I-17. Currently a lot of the freeway is using what will clearly be future on and off ramps after the freeway bridges are built.
Bummer. Even still, work has commenced on Sonoran Desert Drive and seems to be going well. Wonder what extra construction around Loop 303 will be limiting I-17 traffic?
I just took a quick look at the MAG 2035 plan and I don't think the L303/I-17 interchange has any changes planned in that timeframe. Building out the overpasses and widening to 6 lanes are planned in the later part, but that's it. And even that is subject to some funding being identified. Proposition 400 expires in 2025, so if that doesn't get renewed well in advance or replaced with some other source of money, that will be the end of any serious freeway (and transit) construction in Phoenix.
I think it was a dumb idea to start the exit sequence where it is. The exits should have been numbered from it's (distant)future terminus at Interstate 11.
Has the I-11 alignment in Arizona even been officially determined?
Quote from: roadfro on March 27, 2015, 11:37:24 AM
Has the I-11 alignment in Arizona even been officially determined?
Yes. Congress recently approved I-11 to southern Arizona (Tucson/Nogales). That was sent to me by an ADOT update via text message. As for construction, that is still years down the road (no pun intended). ADOT just began a three year environmental study for the Hassayampa Freeway.
Has anybody taken any up to date photos of 303 since its finally opened to traffic?
Quote from: 707 on March 27, 2015, 03:51:03 PM
Quote from: roadfro on March 27, 2015, 11:37:24 AM
Has the I-11 alignment in Arizona even been officially determined?
Yes. Congress recently approved I-11 to southern Arizona (Tucson/Nogales). That was sent to me by an ADOT update via text message. As for construction, that is still years down the road (no pun intended). ADOT just began a three year environmental study for the Hassayampa Freeway.
The Ghostbuster stated that Loop 303 should have had its exit numbers start at a future terminus with I-11. They can't do that if the actual physical alignment (I.e. The line on the map) of the new Interstate has not yet been determined. It is one thing to say the I-11 corridor will extend to a place, but completely different to determine a reference distance (I.e. Exit numbers) based on an intersection with a dotted line on a map that may still change.
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on March 27, 2015, 04:58:57 PM
Has anybody taken any up to date photos of 303 since its finally opened to traffic?
ADOT actually has some photos during and near the end of construction:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/arizonadot/sets/72157644094620255/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/arizonadot/sets/72157646399069732/
I'm wondering if anyone knows when ADOT decided to change a few of the Loop 303 interchanges. Specifically, at I-10, Northern Parkway, and US 60. I assume cost might have had something to do with the changes.
--Loop 303 was supposed to have frontage roads connecting from Thomas Road to Van Buren St. I assume this could still be done later, but a two-way Cotton Lane now exists between Thomas and McDowell Roads.
--Loop 303 was supposed to have a multi-level stack at Northern Parkway, with frontage roads from Northern Ave to Peoria Ave. Instead, 303 and Northern Parkway is a trumpet interchange.
--Loop 303 and US 60 were supposed to have a 3 level SPUI, with all the left turn movements meeting under both 303 and 60. Instead, a partial cloverleaf is under construction.
The Northern Parkway and US 60 interchanges were both listed as "interim" designs in ADOT's materials. Cost is the entire reason - ADOT has already delayed as many projects as they can get away with and has shifted as much of their budget as possible to pavement preservation projects. Arizona got hit pretty hard by the recession and by their own decision to chase a bunch of illegals out of the state. Turns out that people here illegally still pay sales and property tax, and often income tax, and when you lose those dollars, it makes it hard to make ends meet.
I still think Loop 303 should not have exit numbers in the 100s, unless it will be extended for 100 or more miles in some direction.
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on May 14, 2015, 06:33:33 PM
I still think Loop 303 should not have exit numbers in the 100s, unless it will be extended for 100 or more miles in some direction.
Isn't the big reason for that that they don't know the exact future routing of the 303 to the south, so they couldn't figure out exactly where the current exits would line up after the ultimate completion of the whole thing? So they started at 100?
Maybe they should have left the exits unnumbered until they made those decisions.
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on May 18, 2015, 04:10:31 PM
Maybe they should have left the exits unnumbered until they made those decisions.
Exactly! And it's not as if this sort of thing has never happened before: The exit numbers and mileposts for I-17 start from 194, due to the fact that it was once part of AZ 69 (and AZ 79 further north).
Short southerly extension of Loop 303 to Van Buren Street to begin construction...
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2016/02/12/arizona-department-transportation-interstate-10-loop-303-interchange/79902314/
QuoteThe Arizona Department of Transportation will begin a two-year project to finish the interchange, which will allow drivers in the Southwest Valley to access westbound I-10 from Loop 303 and make it possible for drivers heading west on I-10 to transition onto the southbound Loop 303 and into Goodyear.
To accomplish these connections, the department will extend Loop 303 to south of Van Buren Street, about a mile from its current endpoint. The new stretch of the freeway will attach to the unfinished ramps. ...
Nintzel said this project will have Loop 303 end south of Van Buren Street and allow southbound freeway traffic to continue onto Cotton Lane.
Ultimately, the freeway could be extended further south to connect to the proposed State Route 30, which would connect Perryville Road to 59th Avenue, Nintzel said, though there is no funding for that extension.
Construction map of extension from news article:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fny1AxHS.jpg&hash=aced86d949682bbdbb2dafccbdf1cd4714e7f7d1)
I have a few questions.
Is the 303 "extension" south of I-10 going to be four lane divided and is the temporary southern terminus at Van Beuren going to be freeway style or an at grade with traffic lights?
Once 303 is rebuilt completely as a freeway from US 60 to Happy Valley, will the next 303 project be finishing the proposed interchanges and giving the I-17 interchange the full flyover freeway style treatment?
Quote from: 707 on March 28, 2016, 02:38:40 AM
I have a few questions.
Is the 303 "extension" south of I-10 going to be four lane divided and is the temporary southern terminus at Van Beuren going to be freeway style or an at grade with traffic lights?
Once 303 is rebuilt completely as a freeway from US 60 to Happy Valley, will the next 303 project be finishing the proposed interchanges and giving the I-17 interchange the full flyover freeway style treatment?
The grade separated interchange of Van Buren St is being constructed as part of this current project, but Loop 303 is not going to continue south of Van Buren until a later date. So Van Buren St will have a diamond interchange with Loop 303 with access only to the north for the time being.
The Loop 303 and I-17 interchange is not currently programmed at all by ADOT. There is no funding or plans for the interchange, or even an estimate on when construction might begin. There is also no timeline for completing the grade separation of Loop 303 between Happy Valley Pkwy and I-17, mostly because the area is so undeveloped that most of the cross streets have not been extended anywhere near Loop 303. I personally believe most of these improvements will hinge on an extension of Maricopa County's proposition 400 sales tax in 2024.
Quote from: blanketcomputer on March 29, 2016, 06:49:31 PM
Quote from: 707 on March 28, 2016, 02:38:40 AM
I have a few questions.
Is the 303 "extension" south of I-10 going to be four lane divided and is the temporary southern terminus at Van Beuren going to be freeway style or an at grade with traffic lights?
Once 303 is rebuilt completely as a freeway from US 60 to Happy Valley, will the next 303 project be finishing the proposed interchanges and giving the I-17 interchange the full flyover freeway style treatment?
The grade separated interchange of Van Buren St is being constructed as part of this current project, but Loop 303 is not going to continue south of Van Buren until a later date. So Van Buren St will have a diamond interchange with Loop 303 with access only to the north for the time being.
The Loop 303 and I-17 interchange is not currently programmed at all by ADOT. There is no funding or plans for the interchange, or even an estimate on when construction might begin. There is also no timeline for completing the grade separation of Loop 303 between Happy Valley Pkwy and I-17, mostly because the area is so undeveloped that most of the cross streets have not been extended anywhere near Loop 303. I personally believe most of these improvements will hinge on an extension of Maricopa County's proposition 400 sales tax in 2024.
The full interchange with 303 and 17 was originally slated for around 2017 or so, but I think with the lack of development out there since the recession in 2008, it just isn't really necessary right now. Maybe 10 years from now, but definitely not now.
Quote from: Sonic99 on March 30, 2016, 05:46:38 PM
Quote from: blanketcomputer on March 29, 2016, 06:49:31 PM
Quote from: 707 on March 28, 2016, 02:38:40 AM
I have a few questions.
Is the 303 "extension" south of I-10 going to be four lane divided and is the temporary southern terminus at Van Beuren going to be freeway style or an at grade with traffic lights?
Once 303 is rebuilt completely as a freeway from US 60 to Happy Valley, will the next 303 project be finishing the proposed interchanges and giving the I-17 interchange the full flyover freeway style treatment?
The grade separated interchange of Van Buren St is being constructed as part of this current project, but Loop 303 is not going to continue south of Van Buren until a later date. So Van Buren St will have a diamond interchange with Loop 303 with access only to the north for the time being.
The Loop 303 and I-17 interchange is not currently programmed at all by ADOT. There is no funding or plans for the interchange, or even an estimate on when construction might begin. There is also no timeline for completing the grade separation of Loop 303 between Happy Valley Pkwy and I-17, mostly because the area is so undeveloped that most of the cross streets have not been extended anywhere near Loop 303. I personally believe most of these improvements will hinge on an extension of Maricopa County's proposition 400 sales tax in 2024.
The full interchange with 303 and 17 was originally slated for around 2017 or so, but I think with the lack of development out there since the recession in 2008, it just isn't really necessary right now. Maybe 10 years from now, but definitely not now.
That's a bummer. I guess US 60 and El Mirage mark the end of freeway construction on Loop 303 between I-10 and I-17 for the time being?
Quote from: 707 on March 30, 2016, 06:12:41 PM
Quote from: Sonic99 on March 30, 2016, 05:46:38 PM
Quote from: blanketcomputer on March 29, 2016, 06:49:31 PM
Quote from: 707 on March 28, 2016, 02:38:40 AM
I have a few questions.
Is the 303 "extension" south of I-10 going to be four lane divided and is the temporary southern terminus at Van Beuren going to be freeway style or an at grade with traffic lights?
Once 303 is rebuilt completely as a freeway from US 60 to Happy Valley, will the next 303 project be finishing the proposed interchanges and giving the I-17 interchange the full flyover freeway style treatment?
The grade separated interchange of Van Buren St is being constructed as part of this current project, but Loop 303 is not going to continue south of Van Buren until a later date. So Van Buren St will have a diamond interchange with Loop 303 with access only to the north for the time being.
The Loop 303 and I-17 interchange is not currently programmed at all by ADOT. There is no funding or plans for the interchange, or even an estimate on when construction might begin. There is also no timeline for completing the grade separation of Loop 303 between Happy Valley Pkwy and I-17, mostly because the area is so undeveloped that most of the cross streets have not been extended anywhere near Loop 303. I personally believe most of these improvements will hinge on an extension of Maricopa County's proposition 400 sales tax in 2024.
The full interchange with 303 and 17 was originally slated for around 2017 or so, but I think with the lack of development out there since the recession in 2008, it just isn't really necessary right now. Maybe 10 years from now, but definitely not now.
That's a bummer. I guess US 60 and El Mirage mark the end of freeway construction on Loop 303 between I-10 and I-17 for the time being?
It's still technically grade-separated the entire way up to 17, just all the roads that will eventually need overpasses aren't anywhere close to existing and being needed. But once the El Mirage and Grand Ave interchanges are done, it will be a full freeway from 17 down to 10.
Ironically I just picked up one of the reverse white on black 303 signs that was put up in the 90s today. Hard to think that I remember driving on it when it was just a two-lane road off of I-10 and now it's about two interchange upgrades from a full freeway. Brings me back on taking Northern to Shea and having to take either Scottsdale or Pima to Tempe.
Apparently, three of the freeway ramps at US 60 were opened today after 11 this morning. The fourth, the exit ramp off southbound 303, should be open by Monday. I'm curious, does anyone have pictures of the 303/US 60 Interchange as of present modifications (Exit 119)?
Quote from: 707 on April 01, 2016, 09:55:17 PM
Apparently, three of the freeway ramps at US 60 were opened today after 11 this morning. The fourth, the exit ramp off southbound 303, should be open by Monday. I'm curious, does anyone have pictures of the 303/US 60 Interchange as of present modifications (Exit 119)?
I'm sure they were trying to get that done today before the closure of Bell Rd at Grand Ave happens tonight.
Quote from: Sonic99 on April 02, 2016, 12:04:56 AM
Quote from: 707 on April 01, 2016, 09:55:17 PM
Apparently, three of the freeway ramps at US 60 were opened today after 11 this morning. The fourth, the exit ramp off southbound 303, should be open by Monday. I'm curious, does anyone have pictures of the 303/US 60 Interchange as of present modifications (Exit 119)?
I'm sure they were trying to get that done today before the closure of Bell Rd at Grand Ave happens tonight.
Even still, they're apparently working on the last ramp and won't open it until Monday morning.
On a related note, I realize the reason they never built the interchange to freeway standards to begin with was because of lack of funding and it was a "scaled back" design, but I'm still shocked that they didn't build the overpass at US 60 to be the entire width it needed to be to adequately transport freeway southbound lanes to begin with. Now, because said span was too narrow, they're demolishing big parts of the future southbound span and are pretty much rebuilding it. Or at least that's what the local news websites in the Surprise/Glendale/Goodyear section of Metro Phoenix are reporting. Wouldn't having to go through the reconstruction part of the southbound span, plus the construction costs of the original bridge several months earlier waste time and money than what using the limited funding to just to build a bigger bridge would have months earlier?
Has anyone captured photos of the US 60 interchange as of how it looks since the ramp openings?
From going by there a few times, I don't think the original bridge was demolished completely. It looks like ADOT just built a new bridge over Grand Ave next to the existing bridge, and repainted it. Some older construction photos are here:
http://azdot.gov/projects/phoenix-metro-area/loop-303-north-of-i-10/photos
I drove through there today, and a lot has changed since I was last there in January. First of all, the northbound concrete leading up to the US-60 interchange has been constructed, onto which all loop 303 traffic has been routed. The section between El Mirage road and US 60 has pretty much stayed the same; roadway fully constructed and paved with rubberized asphalt and restricted to one lane in each direction. The bridge over El Mirage looks very close to being complete, and I wouldn't be surprised if through traffic is shifted onto the overpass soon. North of there, the southbound lanes of 303 are being paved with rubberized asphalt and I even saw some striping being done.
On a side note, it was fiercely windy out there today. Crosswinds blew by truck around, and when it was a head wind, it bent my mirror in and I had to reach out the window and push it back several times. I just washed it this morning, but at some point during the drive I drove through a swarm of bugs at 66 mph. :-D
Thru traffic on Loop 303 is now using the El Mirage Rd overpass instead of the entrance/exit ramps, with one lane in each direction. The temporary signal was removed on the NB (EB) ramps.
Quote from: swbrotha100 on April 20, 2016, 03:36:21 PM
Thru traffic on Loop 303 is now using the El Mirage Rd overpass instead of the entrance/exit ramps, with one lane in each direction. The temporary signal was removed on the NB (EB) ramps.
So the ramps are closed? Is there an article about this? Also, any word on when the ramps will be reopened?
Quote from: 707 on April 20, 2016, 06:17:02 PM
Quote from: swbrotha100 on April 20, 2016, 03:36:21 PM
Thru traffic on Loop 303 is now using the El Mirage Rd overpass instead of the entrance/exit ramps, with one lane in each direction. The temporary signal was removed on the NB (EB) ramps.
So the ramps are closed? Is there an article about this? Also, any word on when the ramps will be reopened?
The ramps are open. There's still a lot of construction going on in the area. There may still be some ramp closures from Fri night(s) to Mon morning(s) for a couple weeks. Also the permanent median is being constructed.
Quote from: swbrotha100 on April 20, 2016, 11:35:04 PM
Quote from: 707 on April 20, 2016, 06:17:02 PM
Quote from: swbrotha100 on April 20, 2016, 03:36:21 PM
Thru traffic on Loop 303 is now using the El Mirage Rd overpass instead of the entrance/exit ramps, with one lane in each direction. The temporary signal was removed on the NB (EB) ramps.
So the ramps are closed? Is there an article about this? Also, any word on when the ramps will be reopened?
The ramps are open. There's still a lot of construction going on in the area. There may still be some ramp closures from Fri night(s) to Mon morning(s) for a couple weeks. Also the permanent median is being constructed.
How about the Grand Avenue interchange? Are the southbound lanes open?
Quote from: 707 on April 21, 2016, 12:53:48 AM
Quote from: swbrotha100 on April 20, 2016, 11:35:04 PM
Quote from: 707 on April 20, 2016, 06:17:02 PM
Quote from: swbrotha100 on April 20, 2016, 03:36:21 PM
Thru traffic on Loop 303 is now using the El Mirage Rd overpass instead of the entrance/exit ramps, with one lane in each direction. The temporary signal was removed on the NB (EB) ramps.
So the ramps are closed? Is there an article about this? Also, any word on when the ramps will be reopened?
The ramps are open. There's still a lot of construction going on in the area. There may still be some ramp closures from Fri night(s) to Mon morning(s) for a couple weeks. Also the permanent median is being constructed.
How about the Grand Avenue interchange? Are the southbound lanes open?
For now, the SB side is open for traffic entering from Grand Ave. Thru traffic coming from El Mirage Rd is still laneshifted to the NB lanes. All he SB traffic merges at the south end of this project.
Quote from: swbrotha100 on April 21, 2016, 01:12:43 PM
Quote from: 707 on April 21, 2016, 12:53:48 AM
Quote from: swbrotha100 on April 20, 2016, 11:35:04 PM
Quote from: 707 on April 20, 2016, 06:17:02 PM
Quote from: swbrotha100 on April 20, 2016, 03:36:21 PM
Thru traffic on Loop 303 is now using the El Mirage Rd overpass instead of the entrance/exit ramps, with one lane in each direction. The temporary signal was removed on the NB (EB) ramps.
So the ramps are closed? Is there an article about this? Also, any word on when the ramps will be reopened?
The ramps are open. There's still a lot of construction going on in the area. There may still be some ramp closures from Fri night(s) to Mon morning(s) for a couple weeks. Also the permanent median is being constructed.
How about the Grand Avenue interchange? Are the southbound lanes open?
For now, the SB side is open for traffic entering from Grand Ave. Thru traffic coming from El Mirage Rd is still laneshifted to the NB lanes. All he SB traffic merges at the south end of this project.
That's an odd arrangement, but thank you so much for answering my questions! That'll help me keep OpenStreetMap up to date.
As of today (5/2) the SB traffic around Grand Ave is now using the future SB lanes. It's still just one lane in each direction from north of Bell to just south of Happy Valley. Still more paving, signage and lighting to be done. For all intensive purposes, Loop 303 is a full freeway now.
Further south, construction is going on from I-10 to south of Van Buren. Ramp construction is most visible on the future WB I-10 to SB 303 (either viewing from I-10 or from McDowell Rd).
Quote from: swbrotha100 on May 03, 2016, 12:03:53 AM
As of today (5/2) the SB traffic around Grand Ave is now using the future SB lanes. It's still just one lane in each direction from north of Bell to just south of Happy Valley. Still more paving, signage and lighting to be done. For all intensive purposes, Loop 303 is a full freeway now.
Further south, construction is going on from I-10 to south of Van Buren. Ramp construction is most visible on the future WB I-10 to SB 303 (either viewing from I-10 or from McDowell Rd).
Thanks for that update! Hopefully by June the construction will be over and the new freeway will be three to six lanes wide in both directions!
Quote from: 707 on May 03, 2016, 02:34:47 AM
Quote from: swbrotha100 on May 03, 2016, 12:03:53 AM
As of today (5/2) the SB traffic around Grand Ave is now using the future SB lanes. It's still just one lane in each direction from north of Bell to just south of Happy Valley. Still more paving, signage and lighting to be done. For all intensive purposes, Loop 303 is a full freeway now.
Further south, construction is going on from I-10 to south of Van Buren. Ramp construction is most visible on the future WB I-10 to SB 303 (either viewing from I-10 or from McDowell Rd).
Thanks for that update! Hopefully by June the construction will be over and the new freeway will be three to six lanes wide in both directions!
The 303 is never going to be 6 lanes wide each direction. 2 lanes each way from 17 to Happy Valley, and probably 3 from there south to I-10. But never 6.
Would three lanes in both directions be sufficient for Loop 303 south of Interstate 10?
Loop 303 is only 3 lanes in each direction. There may be extra lanes approaching the I-10 interchange in the future. There is room in the median to add extra lanes (or at least HOV lanes) at a later date.
Quote from: Sonic99 on May 03, 2016, 03:15:29 PM
Quote from: 707 on May 03, 2016, 02:34:47 AM
Quote from: swbrotha100 on May 03, 2016, 12:03:53 AM
As of today (5/2) the SB traffic around Grand Ave is now using the future SB lanes. It's still just one lane in each direction from north of Bell to just south of Happy Valley. Still more paving, signage and lighting to be done. For all intensive purposes, Loop 303 is a full freeway now.
Further south, construction is going on from I-10 to south of Van Buren. Ramp construction is most visible on the future WB I-10 to SB 303 (either viewing from I-10 or from McDowell Rd).
Thanks for that update! Hopefully by June the construction will be over and the new freeway will be three to six lanes wide in both directions!
The 303 is never going to be 6 lanes wide each direction. 2 lanes each way from 17 to Happy Valley, and probably 3 from there south to I-10. But never 6.
Don't say never. Who knows what 20 to 30 years could bring?
Quote from: Sonic99 on May 03, 2016, 03:15:29 PM
The 303 is never going to be 6 lanes wide each direction. 2 lanes each way from 17 to Happy Valley, and probably 3 from there south to I-10. But never 6.
I wouldn't be so certain about that. It's fairly obvious from driving Loop 303 and using the ruler tool in Google Earth that the interim roadway north of Happy Valley is designed to be 3 lanes in each direction. The roadway is just as wide as the current three lane sections of Loop 202. The only sections that are built to support only 2 lanes are the on and off ramps that the interim roadway uses because there is no current need for overpasses or underpasses.