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Arizona

Started by Alps, March 04, 2015, 08:28:34 AM

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Max Rockatansky

From what I recall the fact US 80 was never moved to AZ 86 and AZ 84 was part of the rationale of why the City of San Diego once got pushing about extending US 90 to California.  Interestingly what is now AZ 89A was originally planned as AZ 89 and what become US 89 between Wickenburg-Ash Fork was planned as US 280.  The highway through Oak Creek Canyon wasn't finished until 1938 and was ultimately renumbered to AZ 79 when US 89 was extended to Wickenburg in the final version of the US Route System.  I suspect Arizona wanted US 89 in Oak Creek Canyon from the get go but got pushback from the AASHO given how long it would take to construct.  Ironically the corridor of Oak Creek Canyon was ultimately destined to become US 89A. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2020/04/paper-highways-us-route-280-and-us.html?m=1


Zonie

Quote from: roadman65 on August 10, 2022, 09:21:23 AM
I was noticing that I-17 on and old map by Enco, was not built over US 89 like you would think.  It appears US 89 had a more convoluted alignment between Phoenix and Flagstaff serving Prescott and then having an Alternate route to head back to I-17 of today.

US89 doubled back east along US 66 instead.


Also AZ 85 north of Gila Bend was also part of US 80 as I-8 replaced AZ 84 to Casa Grande. Though it's odd AZ 84 was not US 80 ALT or another X80 designation at the time I-8 was not part of history as I am sure it was used by cross country motorists as a de facto bypass of Phoenix back then.

If you look at historical maps of Arizona, AZ 84 was the de facto bypass.  US 80/89 between Phoenix and Tucson wasn't fully paved until well into WWII. 

Great Lakes Roads

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5kffZsjueE

Here's a video on the I-10 widening project from Loop 202 to south of SR 387.

Improvements call for:


  • Adding an HOV lane from the 202 interchange to Riggs Rd interchange
  • Adding a third lane in each direction within the median from AZ SR 347 (Queen Creek Rd) to south of AZ SR 387
  • Rebuilding the Wild Horse Pass Blvd/Sundust Rd and the AZ SR 347 (Queen Creek Rd) interchanges to Diverging Diamond Interchange
  • At the SR 587/Casa Blanca Rd interchange, the interchange itself will be rebuilt into a roundabout with a realignment of Casa Blanca to go over I-10
  • A new diamond interchange at Seed Farm Rd
  • Bridge removal at Dirk Lay Rd
  • Bridge replacements and widenings along the corridor where needed

KeithE4Phx

Quote from: Zonie on August 12, 2022, 02:23:36 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on August 10, 2022, 09:21:23 AM
Also AZ 85 north of Gila Bend was also part of US 80 as I-8 replaced AZ 84 to Casa Grande. Though it's odd AZ 84 was not US 80 ALT or another X80 designation at the time I-8 was not part of history as I am sure it was used by cross country motorists as a de facto bypass of Phoenix back then.

If you look at historical maps of Arizona, AZ 84 was the de facto bypass.  US 80/89 between Phoenix and Tucson wasn't fully paved until well into WWII.

Per this 1938 map, the only stretch of US 80/89 that wasn't paved was from south of Florence to AZ 77 north of Tucson. 

There was also no direct route between Phoenix and Tucson until I-10 was opened in around 1970.  One couldn't travel between them without going through Mesa.  Both AZ 84 and 87 were paved by 1938.

https://www.arizonaroads.com/maps/1938-4.jpg
"Oh, so you hate your job? Well, why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called "EVERYBODY!" They meet at the bar." -- Drew Carey

Sonic99

Quote from: Great Lakes Roads on August 16, 2022, 10:31:07 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5kffZsjueE

Here's a video on the I-10 widening project from Loop 202 to south of SR 387.

Improvements call for:


  • Adding an HOV lane from the 202 interchange to Riggs Rd interchange
  • Adding a third lane in each direction within the median from AZ SR 347 (Queen Creek Rd) to south of AZ SR 387
  • Rebuilding the Wild Horse Pass Blvd/Sundust Rd and the AZ SR 347 (Queen Creek Rd) interchanges to Diverging Diamond Interchange
  • At the SR 587/Casa Blanca Rd interchange, the interchange itself will be rebuilt into a roundabout with a realignment of Casa Blanca to go over I-10
  • A new diamond interchange at Seed Farm Rd
  • Bridge removal at Dirk Lay Rd
  • Bridge replacements and widenings along the corridor where needed

And that confirms that the GRIC's reasoning for shutting down Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park (home to 3 of the few remaining club road racing tracks left in the state, along with the only track in the state capable of hosting NHRA Nationals events) was all bunk. They said in their announcement it was "due to the I-10 widening" and that's why they were closing. But in that video, it's clearly shown that the only RoW needed is at the far corner of the northern end of the property, not even close to any of the tracks. As a motorsports fan, it's painful to see how much we've lost around Phoenix in the last 15 years. Manzanita in 2007, Speedworld and PIR's road course in 2012, ET Motorsports Park in 2021, and now WHPMP in 2023. One drag strip left in the state, and that's past Tucson. One dirt track in the state with Canyon Raceway (with rumors that the State has its eyes on killing it in the near future), and one road course at Arizona Motorsports Park that is so tightly regulated by the local gov'ts that it can't do much more than small club events with heavy sound restrictions.
If you used to draw freeways on your homework and got reprimanded by your Senior English teacher for doing so, you might be a road geek!

SSR_317

Quote from: Sonic99 on August 18, 2022, 01:33:35 AM
And that confirms that the GRIC's reasoning for shutting down Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park (home to 3 of the few remaining club road racing tracks left in the state, along with the only track in the state capable of hosting NHRA Nationals events) was all bunk. They said in their announcement it was "due to the I-10 widening" and that's why they were closing. But in that video, it's clearly shown that the only RoW needed is at the far corner of the northern end of the property, not even close to any of the tracks. As a motorsports fan, it's painful to see how much we've lost around Phoenix in the last 15 years. Manzanita in 2007, Speedworld and PIR's road course in 2012, ET Motorsports Park in 2021, and now WHPMP in 2023. One drag strip left in the state, and that's past Tucson. One dirt track in the state with Canyon Raceway (with rumors that the State has its eyes on killing it in the near future), and one road course at Arizona Motorsports Park that is so tightly regulated by the local gov'ts that it can't do much more than small club events with heavy sound restrictions.
Not to mention the loss of IndyCar racing in Phoenix, thanks to the shortsightedness of the present owners of the one mile oval track once known as PIR (who seem to care only about their beloved NASCAR). For nearly 20 years from the early 1980s through the early 2000s, I came out to the Valley every year to attend open-wheel races at 115th Ave & Baseline Rd (now Avondale Blvd & Indian Springs Rd) in the shadow of Monument Hill (which, BTW, was the central survey point for Arizona). But sadly, no more. Hope the world's most competitive motorsports series can return there someday for a race weekend, and not just for occasional private testing.

Plutonic Panda

ADOT is taking comments for the I-10 project south of Phoenix: http://www.i10wildhorsepasscorridor.com/?fbclid=IwAR0PfI-oNhmkwBxgJ3_K1Qw3cHu-9uIZ3XmgNxR7yI_ShoG8Seoz7hFJWE0

It would be nice if they could get funding to start it in either 2024 or 2025.

Sonic99

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on August 31, 2022, 04:31:18 AM
ADOT is taking comments for the I-10 project south of Phoenix: http://www.i10wildhorsepasscorridor.com/?fbclid=IwAR0PfI-oNhmkwBxgJ3_K1Qw3cHu-9uIZ3XmgNxR7yI_ShoG8Seoz7hFJWE0

It would be nice if they could get funding to start it in either 2024 or 2025.

I believe ADOT has a good chunk of funding already set aside, and are trying to get Federal money to make up the rest.
If you used to draw freeways on your homework and got reprimanded by your Senior English teacher for doing so, you might be a road geek!

Plutonic Panda

Update on federal funding for various projects in Arizona. It mentions upgrades to the railroad in downtown Flagstaff. It'd be nice to see those tracks placed in a trench.

https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/transportation-secretary-pete-buttigieg-says-new-arizona-infrastructure-projects-on-their-way/75-d6bf96e9-f870-4e56-b504-08ad8df361f4

jtespi

Quote from: Great Lakes Roads on August 16, 2022, 10:31:07 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5kffZsjueE

Here's a video on the I-10 widening project from Loop 202 to south of SR 387.


That's a nicely done video showing the improvements. The first question that comes to mind is why are they planning on building a long two-lane road that dead-ends in a turnaround (at time 9:20)? The turnaround/cul-de-sac is directly adjacent to the northernmost planned roundabout at the SR-587 interchange. Surely this has to be a rendering mistake, right? Is it for local access? I checked Google Maps and I don't see even any dirt roads that connect to that proposed road.

Secondly, why are they planning on taking so much ROW (39 acres) to build a new interchange at Seed Farm Road but only making it a diamond interchange with stop signs? With that much ROW, a dumbbell style interchange (diamond with two roundabouts) would work far better.

Sonic99

Looking at Google Maps, it looks like that road/dead end is the current Casa Blanca Rd that runs NW/SE to the east of I-10. They would curve the new road across the freeway to the west where it would connect to the new interchange.
If you used to draw freeways on your homework and got reprimanded by your Senior English teacher for doing so, you might be a road geek!

DRMan

Quote from: Sonic99 on September 03, 2022, 02:24:39 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on August 31, 2022, 04:31:18 AM
ADOT is taking comments for the I-10 project south of Phoenix: http://www.i10wildhorsepasscorridor.com/?fbclid=IwAR0PfI-oNhmkwBxgJ3_K1Qw3cHu-9uIZ3XmgNxR7yI_ShoG8Seoz7hFJWE0

It would be nice if they could get funding to start it in either 2024 or 2025.

I believe ADOT has a good chunk of funding already set aside, and are trying to get Federal money to make up the rest.

Unfortunately, the feds have rejected Arizona's grant request for the I-10 widening.

https://azbex.com/budgets-funding/no-federal-grant-funds-coming-for-i-10-widening/

jtespi

Still Arizona related but on a different topic, why does ADOT pretend Las Cruces, NM doesn't exist?

All of ADOT's control city signage for I-10 east of Tucson has El Paso (Texas) as the control city. I think it's very bizarre to sign a control city that's two states over when there's a sizeable city one state over.

Maybe ADOT's policy had a cutoff population of 100,000 for their control cities; Las Cruces didn't meet that until after the 2010 census. I strongly believe ADOT should consider dual signing Las Cruces, El Paso on two lines for the control cities. Or at the very least include Las Cruces on mileage signs.

ethanhopkin14

#163
Quote from: jtespi on January 19, 2023, 05:31:33 AM
Still Arizona related but on a different topic, why does ADOT pretend Las Cruces, NM doesn't exist?

All of ADOT's control city signage for I-10 east of Tucson has El Paso (Texas) as the control city. I think it's very bizarre to sign a control city that's two states over when there's a sizeable city one state over.

Maybe ADOT's policy had a cutoff population of 100,000 for their control cities; Las Cruces didn't meet that until after the 2010 census. I strongly believe ADOT should consider dual signing Las Cruces, El Paso on two lines for the control cities. Or at the very least include Las Cruces on mileage signs.

What's funny to me is you get eastbound I-10 control city as El Paso from Tucson east, then you cross into New Mexico and get every little bump in the road that ever saw a life form signed as a control city.  Same can be said heading on I-10 west out of Phoenix for Los Angeles; then when you cross into California, you get all the desert cities before Los Angeles is mentioned. 

Roadwarriors79

ADOT prefers to sign larger out-of-state cities on the interstate system here. I-8 WB skips Yuma for San Diego. I-40 west of Flagstaff is signed for Los Angeles.

jtespi

Quote from: ethanhopkin14 on January 19, 2023, 10:21:17 AM
What's funny to me is you get eastbound I-10 control city as El Paso from Tucson east, then you cross into New Mexico and get every little bump in the road that ever saw a life form signed as a control city.  Same can be said heading on I-10 west out of Phoenix for Los Angeles; then when you cross into California, you get all the desert cities before Los Angeles is mentioned.

I'd prefer smaller cities be at least dual signed alongside larger control cities out here in the West. Smaller & closer control city on top and larger/farther away one on the bottom.

Quote from: Roadwarriors79 on January 23, 2023, 01:06:52 AM
ADOT prefers to sign larger out-of-state cities on the interstate system here. I-8 WB skips Yuma for San Diego. I-40 west of Flagstaff is signed for Los Angeles.

I wonder if they do have a 100k population threshold. I checked and Yuma's population was barely 96k at the last (2020) Census.

I am still in favor of ADOT signing I-10 eastbound for Las Cruces-El Paso once you're east of Tucson. It's so bizarre ADOT pretends New Mexico doesn't exist when it comes to I-10 eastbound. Lordsburg is only on the milage signs east of Wilcox and I've just seen "NM state line" mentioned on DMSs twice.

kernals12

#166
AzDOT is seeking public comment on its 5 year capital plan.

Among the projects are 3 different widenings on US 93 from Wickenburg to I-40. Combined with the new interchange on I-40 in Kingman, we are witnessing the gestation of Interstate 11.

And despite being denied a federal grant, they intend to fund the widening of the Gila River Bridges on I-10.

Henry

Quote from: jtespi on January 27, 2023, 12:47:03 AM
Quote from: ethanhopkin14 on January 19, 2023, 10:21:17 AM
What's funny to me is you get eastbound I-10 control city as El Paso from Tucson east, then you cross into New Mexico and get every little bump in the road that ever saw a life form signed as a control city.  Same can be said heading on I-10 west out of Phoenix for Los Angeles; then when you cross into California, you get all the desert cities before Los Angeles is mentioned.

I'd prefer smaller cities be at least dual signed alongside larger control cities out here in the West. Smaller & closer control city on top and larger/farther away one on the bottom.

Quote from: Roadwarriors79 on January 23, 2023, 01:06:52 AM
ADOT prefers to sign larger out-of-state cities on the interstate system here. I-8 WB skips Yuma for San Diego. I-40 west of Flagstaff is signed for Los Angeles.

I wonder if they do have a 100k population threshold. I checked and Yuma's population was barely 96k at the last (2020) Census.

I am still in favor of ADOT signing I-10 eastbound for Las Cruces-El Paso once you're east of Tucson. It's so bizarre ADOT pretends New Mexico doesn't exist when it comes to I-10 eastbound. Lordsburg is only on the milage signs east of Wilcox and I've just seen "NM state line" mentioned on DMSs twice.
What always bugs me is that I-40 is signed for Los Angeles, and it goes nowhere close to there! At least NMDOT is consistent when it signs control cities, using the smaller cities within its borders (the aforementioned Las Cruces, plus Gallup, Santa Rosa and Santa Fe) and only doing the larger ones when one's about to either enter Albuquerque or cross into other states.
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

Sonic99

Quote from: kernals12 on March 03, 2023, 03:35:21 PM
AzDOT is seeking public comment on its 5 year capital plan.

Among the projects are 3 different widenings on US 93 from Wickenburg to I-40. Combined with the new interchange on I-40 in Kingman, we are witnessing the gestation of Interstate 11.

And despite being denied a federal grant, they intend to fund the widening of the Gila River Bridges on I-10.

I'm disappointed to see that converting the I-17/Loop 303 interchange into a full free-flowing one is not on the 5 year plan. Traffic volumes are picking up a lot there, and the construction of the TSMC plan and it's supporting infrastructure is only going to add to it. Much of the grading and several of the bridges were already constructed 10+ years ago, so surely it wouldn't be as expensive as some of these other projects they are prioritizing (turning the interchanges on I-17 at Indian School and Camelback into 3 level interchanges for example).
If you used to draw freeways on your homework and got reprimanded by your Senior English teacher for doing so, you might be a road geek!

kernals12

Quote from: kernals12 on March 03, 2023, 03:35:21 PM
AzDOT is seeking public comment on its 5 year capital plan.

Among the projects are 3 different widenings on US 93 from Wickenburg to I-40. Combined with the new interchange on I-40 in Kingman, we are witnessing the gestation of Interstate 11.

And despite being denied a federal grant, they intend to fund the widening of the Gila River Bridges on I-10.

I don't know if this is one of those projects, but ADOT is starting work on a 5 mile segment of 93 north of Wickenburg, converting it to a 4 lane divided highway.

KeithE4Phx

Quote from: kernals12 on March 23, 2023, 11:14:40 PM
I don't know if this is one of those projects, but ADOT is starting work on a 5 mile segment of 93 north of Wickenburg, converting it to a 4 lane divided highway.

This is a part of 93 that would not eventually be a part of I-11.  But it will still be a big help as an access road from 11 to downtown Wickenburg once/if/when the interstate is finally build.
"Oh, so you hate your job? Well, why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called "EVERYBODY!" They meet at the bar." -- Drew Carey

roadman65

It looks like they're going to build a direct free flowing ramp from Loop 303 NB to I-17 NB.
https://goo.gl/maps/GEoPbgtVfna6uS2BA
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

Sonic99

Quote from: roadman65 on March 24, 2023, 12:46:19 PM
It looks like they're going to build a direct free flowing ramp from Loop 303 NB to I-17 NB.
https://goo.gl/maps/GEoPbgtVfna6uS2BA

That was done 10 years ago. No sign of converting that interchange into a free-flowing in at least the next 5 years (no mention in the current 5 Year Plan).
If you used to draw freeways on your homework and got reprimanded by your Senior English teacher for doing so, you might be a road geek!

kwellada

Quote from: kernals12 on March 23, 2023, 11:14:40 PM

I don't know if this is one of those projects, but ADOT is starting work on a 5 mile segment of 93 north of Wickenburg, converting it to a 4 lane divided highway.

I graduated high school from Wickenburg in the early 90s and drove that 5 mile segment every day. It was terrifying back then*. This feels like a project that really should have happened decades ago.

* Being a teenager driver in a large Chevy pickup truck, I probably was part of the reason why it was terrifying.

Plutonic Panda

Anyone care to guess what an interstate quality bypass of Wickenburg will cost?



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