The Stack (I-17/US 60/I-10) Interchange in Phoenix

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm not exactly setting the world on fire with the well known story of "The Stack" in Phoenix but it still is an interesting one considering the backstory of the Freeway Revolt behind the elevated Pagago Freeway.  Flew past The Stack this morning and put up a small blog on Surewhynotnow:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-stack-i-17us-60i-10-interchange-in.html

[DJStephens]

Better decision to have depressed 10 instead, west of downtown and in it.  Wonder if it was ever considered to have had 10 replace the previous existing 17 going south of downtown instead.  That six lane 17 alignment- durango curve is very old.  Goes through largely industrial property.

[sparker]

Originally I-10's alignment extended due west from the 90-degree curve on I-17 south of the Stack (partially mimicking the currently proposed AZ 30 routing).  Changed to its current position in the late '70's, subsuming what was to be I-510 along the current N-S portion of I-10 west of the airport. 

[AZDude]

One thing I have wondered about the proposed helicoil interchanges.  Why did they feel it was necessary to have them built like that?  Why not a simple on off ramp?  I feel that if a different type of interchange was proposed then there would not have been the freeway revolt in Phoenix.  And the 10 would have been an elevated freeway today.  (Not that I would necessarily want that, just saying.  The tunnel is just fine)

[Sonic99]

Better decision to have depressed 10 instead, west of downtown and in it.  Wonder if it was ever considered to have had 10 replace the previous existing 17 going south of downtown instead.  That six lane 17 alignment- durango curve is very old.  Goes through largely industrial property.

That was the plan. The original construction of the Durango Curve even had bridges to accomodate I-10 traffic to continue west. When the north-of-downtown route was selected, the bridges were removed but the elevation for them stayed. That's why the south/east part of the curve is raised up and the west/north curve stays low. That's why the proposed track of AZ 30 to come in and meet at the curve is such a neat idea to me, simply for the throwback "did you know" that it would create.