News:

Thanks to everyone for the feedback on what errors you encountered at https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=33904.0
Corrected several already and appreciate your patience as we work through the rest.

Main Menu

Phoenix Area Highways

Started by swbrotha100, February 22, 2015, 07:18:10 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Sonic99

Quote from: Roadwarriors79 on August 02, 2018, 09:20:57 PM
There were pics of the South Mountain Freeway construction, as well as a little freeway photo history of the Phoenix area, in the link below:


https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley-traffic/2018/06/21/south-mountain-freeway-metro-phoenix-more-than-halfway-done/707104002/

Honestly, that gallery of old pictures is pretty badass. Some great old stuff there I've never seen before.
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!


Pink Jazz

About those white on green clearance signs, I did read somewhere that ADOT does use black on yellow for substandard clearances.  Unlike most states which only post signs on substandard clearances, ADOT posts clearances on all bridges.

Sonic99

Quote from: Pink Jazz on August 07, 2018, 08:20:13 PM
About those white on green clearance signs, I did read somewhere that ADOT does use black on yellow for substandard clearances.  Unlike most states which only post signs on substandard clearances, ADOT posts clearances on all bridges.

They used to. But I don't think they do anymore. In fact, I believe they actively have removed all clearance signs from overpasses around the state unless its a lower than normal one.
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!

Pink Jazz

BTW, ADOT has upgraded most of their CCTV cameras in the Phoenix area to HD.  I think the only freeway that hasn't been upgraded yet is the US 60 Superstition Freeway.  I think the first freeway to get HD cameras was the Loop 101 Pima Freeway between the Loop 202 Red Mountain and Cactus.  The most recent to get HD cameras are the Loop 101 Price Freeway and the Loop 101 Pima Freeway between Cactus and Princess.

Roadwarriors79

Paving has started on the Loop 202 mainline (South Mountain Freeway). The first mile of paving is in Laveen, near Elliot Rd. Also upcoming for paving is the east end of the Pecos segment (40th St to 48th St).

Zonie

Also looks like the last lingering whiny lawsuit against ADOT got tossed out of Superior Court this morning.  This was a homeowner contesting his HOA's right to sell HOA common grounds to ADOT around 27th Avenue.

Of course, the nutter already has an appeal pending.

Sonic99

One thing I've been curious to see how they handle is the Pecos section and the current Pecos Rd bit. Eventually they have to move traffic elsewhere to construct that part, so do they move traffic onto the mainline freeway somehow? So basically that section is "open" earlier than the whole thing, but in some kind of interim state?
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!

Roadwarriors79

Quote from: Sonic99 on August 18, 2018, 06:37:06 AM
One thing I've been curious to see how they handle is the Pecos section and the current Pecos Rd bit. Eventually they have to move traffic elsewhere to construct that part, so do they move traffic onto the mainline freeway somehow? So basically that section is "open" earlier than the whole thing, but in some kind of interim state?

According to this link, they will build as much of the future freeway as possible on the Pecos section. In the final stages, Pecos Rd traffic will be shifted onto the freeway lanes.

https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/phase-ii-begins-on-177b-south-mountain-freeway/32973

Roadwarriors79

New drone video showing the first paved section (as well as other progress) of the South Mountain Freeway:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTx7sNmM9tc

Roadwarriors79


jakeroot

The perks of building in a year-round summer climate: year-round construction! Something like this would take 10-15 years in WA.

mrsman

Quote from: jakeroot on August 31, 2018, 10:57:15 AM
The perks of building in a year-round summer climate: year-round construction! Something like this would take 10-15 years in WA.

It's not just the topical climate, the political climate in AZ is more favorable to road building as well.

KeithE4Phx

Quote from: mrsman on August 31, 2018, 02:26:35 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on August 31, 2018, 10:57:15 AM
The perks of building in a year-round summer climate: year-round construction! Something like this would take 10-15 years in WA.

It's not just the topical climate, the political climate in AZ is more favorable to road building as well.

Which, of course, is why it's taken over 25 years after approval of the highway sales tax to get the South Mountain Freeway (Loop 202) built.  Gigantic pissing contests between the GRIC, one crooked Phoenix city councilman, and the NIMBYs of the Ahwatukee Foothills area were to blame.  Not exactly a favorable political climate.

And do I have to remind people about how long it took for I-10 to be built between Buckeye and Phoenix?  IIRC, it was over 15 years after the segment that ended at Buckeye was opened.  Thank the Arizona Republic and the Phoenix Forty for a lot of that, along with the original poor design of the section between I-17 and what is now the AZ 51 and 202 splitoffs.
"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

Roadwarriors79

#238
Update on Pecos Segment of Loop 202:




https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=diXYYRfyYyk

jakeroot

Quote from: mrsman on August 31, 2018, 02:26:35 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on August 31, 2018, 10:57:15 AM
The perks of building in a year-round summer climate: year-round construction! Something like this would take 10-15 years in WA.

It's not just the topical climate, the political climate in AZ is more favorable to road building as well.

There's not much opposition to freeways here either, but it takes forever to find funding, and even longer to construct.

Pink Jazz

ADOT has just started testing of the Daktronics color DMS on the eastern part of the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway.  They are currently displaying the "ADOT SIGN TEST" message on three rows.

JKRhodes

Quote from: Sonic99 on August 18, 2018, 06:37:06 AM
One thing I've been curious to see how they handle is the Pecos section and the current Pecos Rd bit. Eventually they have to move traffic elsewhere to construct that part, so do they move traffic onto the mainline freeway somehow? So basically that section is "open" earlier than the whole thing, but in some kind of interim state?

Chandler Blvd was extended to the Foothills Reserve neighborhood, the only one that was formerly only accessible via Pecos. So it's reasonable to assume that drivers will have to take Chandler Blvd to get home while work is taking place on Pecos... Or lanes will be narrowed and shifted on Pecos  while the interchanges get built. Probably a combination of both strategies.

Pink Jazz

Today I saw the new Daktronics color DMS on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway displaying the Wet Roads Slow Down message (since it was raining this morning). Since these DMS still had the orange Sign Under Test signs mounted to the gantries, I presume they are currently in the System Acceptance Test phase (the testing phase under real world usage).

Sonic99

From the most recent video by the Youtube channel "SMF Construction Info", it looks like a VMS has already been installed on the South Mountain Freeway despite it most likely being at least another year before it actually opens. It is just past 40th St on what will be the WB lanes. Really interesting to see that installed already despite the fact that the overpass at 32nd St and the underpass at Desert Foothills Parkway aren't even done.

https://youtu.be/xsRPquKWQyo
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!

Zonie

Quote from: Sonic99 on November 09, 2018, 04:14:42 AM
From the most recent video by the Youtube channel "SMF Construction Info", it looks like a VMS has already been installed on the South Mountain Freeway despite it most likely being at least another year before it actually opens. It is just past 40th St on what will be the WB lanes. Really interesting to see that installed already despite the fact that the overpass at 32nd St and the underpass at Desert Foothills Parkway aren't even done.

https://youtu.be/xsRPquKWQyo

There's more...ADOT is adding an interchange at 32nd Street, but it won't be done until after the freeway opens.

http://www.ahwatukee.com/news/article_062492d2-e2b7-11e8-a1f8-6331e9508931.html

Roadwarriors79

Quote from: Sonic99 on November 09, 2018, 04:14:42 AM
From the most recent video by the Youtube channel "SMF Construction Info", it looks like a VMS has already been installed on the South Mountain Freeway despite it most likely being at least another year before it actually opens. It is just past 40th St on what will be the WB lanes. Really interesting to see that installed already despite the fact that the overpass at 32nd St and the underpass at Desert Foothills Parkway aren't even done.

https://youtu.be/xsRPquKWQyo

I always figured the area around 40th St would be one of the first segments to open. I figure that in some of the freeway alignment, some of the traffic will use future freeway lanes (or frontage roads) in later stages of construction.

Pink Jazz

Speaking of DMS, I think on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway there may be a delay with the Daktronics color DMS board testing, since the orange signs on the posts are still up and I haven't seen any messages displayed lately.  Perhaps ADOT ran into an issue during the system acceptance test and its currently attempting to get it fixed.  Normally the system acceptance test lasts one month if there are no major issues.

Pink Jazz

#247
Well, I saw one of the new color Daktronics DMS on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway once again displaying a message apparently about a closure on the US 60.

EDIT: As of this afternoon, the orange "SIGN UNDER TEST" signs on the sides of the gantries have been removed.  I'm guessing they are fully operational now.

Zonie

Quote from: Sonic99 on November 09, 2018, 04:14:42 AM
From the most recent video by the Youtube channel "SMF Construction Info", it looks like a VMS has already been installed on the South Mountain Freeway despite it most likely being at least another year before it actually opens. It is just past 40th St on what will be the WB lanes. Really interesting to see that installed already despite the fact that the overpass at 32nd St and the underpass at Desert Foothills Parkway aren't even done.

https://youtu.be/xsRPquKWQyo

I also noticed a VMS installed on the southbound alignment at Baseline.

Pink Jazz

Quote from: Zonie on November 19, 2018, 11:50:19 AM

I also noticed a VMS installed on the southbound alignment at Baseline.

Since this project is a Design-Build-Maintain contract, the design and construction is occurring simultaneously, and I presume this includes the Freeway Management System.



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.