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[Pink Jazz]

Like I said, I don't think it's related to the mileage to the border at all. Exit 100 is Buckeye Rd, which is the furthest south that the 303 has been confirmed. Nobody knows exactly what's going to happen with I-11 or the Hassayampa Freeway that is in the long-term plans and exactly where those will end up, and in turn where the 303 will exactly end up. I think they just started at 100 at Buckeye because that's a nice, round number to start at for the confirmed route. The only way they could have handled it differently is if they started at Mile 1 at I-17, then moved North-To-South, reverse of the conventional method. The northern end has a defined end point, while the southern end doesn't, so I really don't know how else ADOT could have handled it.

Viewed Loop 303 / Interstate 10 stack construction earlier this week.   Falsework was supporting the west to south, and south to west flyovers.  Box Beam construction.   Appears that full freeway will continue south of I-10.  A friend I have there stated Goodyear residents in the Estrella area are gearing up to fight it's southward extension.

That is exactly why that should the 9th Circuit rule in favor of ADOT, the state legislature should introduce legislation to preempt lawsuits against any future road projects.

[splashflash]

https://www.pinalcentral.com/san_tan_valley_sentinel/local_news/roadwork-begins-in-pinal-to-prep-for-new-freeway-construction/article_69527892-f0fb-5586-9a30-2855deb0d0f4.html

It looks like AZ 24 is near schedule and going ahead before AZ 30.

[DJStephens]

Good.  There is explosive growth SE of Loop 202 that needs to be addressed, in terms of surface infrastructure.   Am also of opinion that neither Loop 303 S of I-10 or even AZ 30 W of 17 would be necessary, had Loop 101 and 202 been "tied" together on the west side of the Phoenix metro.  Not sure what has driven planning at certain times out there.   Will say though, it is far better than New Mexico's is.   

[Zonie]

AZ 30 would be inevitable:

a.) Linking Loop 101 and Loop 202 would have wipe Tolleson off the map.  Most of Tolleson's core is directly south of the Loop 101/I-10 interchange.  Additionally, moving Loop 202 further west would have encroached on the northern part of the GRIC.  Given the shitfit they had about the Pecos alignment, this probably was a non-starter.
b.) A lack of space to further widen I-10, especially east of 91st Avenue.

[ztonyg]

Good.  There is explosive growth SE of Loop 202 that needs to be addressed, in terms of surface infrastructure.   Am also of opinion that neither Loop 303 S of I-10 or even AZ 30 W of 17 would be necessary, had Loop 101 and 202 been "tied" together on the west side of the Phoenix metro.  Not sure what has driven planning at certain times out there.   Will say though, it is far better than New Mexico's is.

AZ30 really should be completed all the way to I-17 and become the new mainline I-10 alignment with the current Papago Freeway becoming I-410.

[Zonie]

Good.  There is explosive growth SE of Loop 202 that needs to be addressed, in terms of surface infrastructure.   Am also of opinion that neither Loop 303 S of I-10 or even AZ 30 W of 17 would be necessary, had Loop 101 and 202 been "tied" together on the west side of the Phoenix metro.  Not sure what has driven planning at certain times out there.   Will say though, it is far better than New Mexico's is.

AZ30 really should be completed all the way to I-17 and become the new mainline I-10 alignment with the current Papago Freeway becoming I-410.

Or as I call it, the original plan. 

https://arizonaroads.com/pics/urban1957plan2.jpg

[kdk]

https://www.pinalcentral.com/san_tan_valley_sentinel/local_news/roadwork-begins-in-pinal-to-prep-for-new-freeway-construction/article_69527892-f0fb-5586-9a30-2855deb0d0f4.html

It looks like AZ 24 is near schedule and going ahead before AZ 30.

I was under the impression that AZ 24 was going to be built as more of a pre-freeway parkway for now.  There would be stoplights at each interchange but the design would be to where traffic is directed onto what would be the exit ramps at each intersection, with room to construct the full interchanges/bridges later on once funding permits.  This would be more like the north/east section of the 303 and AZ 85 south of I-10.  The article makes it sound like it's now going in as a full freeway from the beginning.

Edit: the ADOT site says it's going to be a combination of some interchanges with some temporary stoplights until funding provides later on for full freeway.

[The Ghostbuster]

When Phase II (S. Ellsworth Rd. to N. Ironwood Rd.) is completed next year, what will be the total distance of the AZ 24 highway be at that point? I also wonder how long it will be before the DOT decides what alignment AZ 24 will take in Pinal County, and where 24's eastern terminus will be; perhaps the US 60/AZ 79 (old US 80/89) interchange?

[Zonie]

You're probably looking at six miles total -- roughly a mile in place now, plus another five with this addition. 

[KeithE4Phx]

I also wonder how long it will be before the DOT decides what alignment AZ 24 will take in Pinal County, and where 24's eastern terminus will be; perhaps the US 60/AZ 79 (old US 80/89) interchange?

I don't know if rebuilding/upgrading that interchange is practical.  Right now, it not only serves AZ 79 and US 60, but also a back road at the vacant lot that used to be Florence Junction, onto a county road that runs into the town of Queen Valley.

If AZ 24 is ever extended that far east, I would guess that it'd be better to end it at US 60, a mile or two west of the AZ 79 exit.

[DJStephens]

Good.  There is explosive growth SE of Loop 202 that needs to be addressed, in terms of surface infrastructure.   Am also of opinion that neither Loop 303 S of I-10 or even AZ 30 W of 17 would be necessary, had Loop 101 and 202 been "tied" together on the west side of the Phoenix metro.  Not sure what has driven planning at certain times out there.   Will say though, it is far better than New Mexico's is.

AZ30 really should be completed all the way to I-17 and become the new mainline I-10 alignment with the current Papago Freeway becoming I-410.

From knowledge of history of that area - I-10's original route was to take the route of projected AZ 30, and meet I-17 at Durango Curve.  From the West.  Durango curve is where the orientation of 17 changes in direction, from N-S to E-W.   The EB lanes were built then, (1960 ish) higher than the WB, as to allow a directional interchange at a later date. 
The entire length of 17, south of 10, is of late fifties/early sixties design standards.  It could never handle today's traffic loads that are carried on 10.  It has not been upgraded to the extent the section of 17, N of 10 has been (Black Canyon Frwy).  The upcoming work on 10's Broadway Curve, which is an "opposing" curve, to 17's Durango Curve, is slated for complete reconstruction, and further expansion.   Am guessing they are going to be adding frontage, as well.
Not sure why a future routing of AZ 24 would take it back to the ENE, to meet US 60 @ exit 212.  Would think they would route it SSE, along the old US 80/89?  corridor towards Coolidge/Florence.     

[Zonie]

A future routing of AZ 24 would not go ENE.  The US 60/AZ 79 interchange is several miles south of the in-process AZ 24 alignment (roughly between Queen Creek Road and Ocotillo if those roads were extended directly east).

[kdk]

I also wonder how long it will be before the DOT decides what alignment AZ 24 will take in Pinal County, and where 24's eastern terminus will be; perhaps the US 60/AZ 79 (old US 80/89) interchange?

I don't know if rebuilding/upgrading that interchange is practical.  Right now, it not only serves AZ 79 and US 60, but also a back road at the vacant lot that used to be Florence Junction, onto a county road that runs into the town of Queen Valley.

If AZ 24 is ever extended that far east, I would guess that it'd be better to end it at US 60, a mile or two west of the AZ 79 exit.

The plan for AZ 24 would be to head slightly SE and terminate at the Pinal N/S Freeway when that gets built.

This article shows that on the map.

https://www.eastvalleytribune.com/news/ev-tucson-freeway-route-chosen/article_39641e5c-d8a6-11e9-8a03-1397157c0777.html