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[707]

I used a one day free trial of a website that showed Aerial photographs from February 2016. It appears the bridge over Grand Avenue has been fully completed to freeway width and the bridge over El Mirage is pretty much finished as well, but the full opening of the exit ramps at El Mirage haven't occurred yet as far as my knowledge goes and it seems the bridges will not be fully open just yet as the southbound lanes at US 60 are still being paved into existence with freeway grade concrete foundations and an asphalt cover while at the same time, the north and southbound lanes leading across the El Mirage overpass are still being paved into existence as well. On the bright side though, there is only one stoplight remaining on Loop 303 between I-10 and Sonoran Desert Drive/I-17. The lights at El Mirage are currently the last remaining, as the  Grand Avenue ramps are full freeway standard. As one can imagine now, the Grand Avenue interchange is now Exit 119.

[Pink Jazz]

FYI, I just found out that ADOT has exercised another one of its contract extension options with Skyline Products for new full matrix DMS as of yesterday for another full year through July 24, 2017.  I think there is one contract extension option remaining through October 24, 2017.

In the Phoenix area, several new Skyline DMS are in the process of being installed on I-10 from Litchfield Road to 83rd Avenue, as well as on I-17 from Deer Valley to Daisy Mountain Drive, with one currently being installed on Loop 303 at the approach to I-17 and one on US 60 west of SR 74.  Other planned installations for this year include eight on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway from Dobson Road to Ray Road, one on SR 87 just north of Thomas, and one on US 60 east of SR 73, the latter two most likely being 17x6 foot, 105x27 resolution front access units, rather than 31x8 foot, 125x27 resolution walk-in units used on the freeways.

There are also several other future proposed locations for new DMS in the Valley, however, they probably won't be included in the current contract with Skyline.  Proposed locations include 16 more on I-10 from Loop 202/SR 24 to Baseline (yes, 16 more) and six more from Miller Road to Estrella Parkway, four more on I-17 (one being at the southern terminus on the approach to I-10), five more on Loop 101 (three more on the Agua Fria Freeway and two more on the Price Freeway), six more on the remaining portion of Loop 202 between Higley Road and Apache Trail, and two more on the US 60 Superstition Freeway between Ironwood and Tomahawk.  Other Phoenix area roads proposed to get new DMS in the future include Loop 303 with 26 of them, US 60 Grand Avenue with eight, SR 74 with three, SR 85 with three, SR 87 with four, and SR 88 with one.  ADOT has even plotted out future sites for DMS on some unbuilt freeways, including 12 on the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, 14 on the SR 30 I-10 Reliever, and two on the SR 24 Gateway Freeway.

[swbrotha100]

I used a one day free trial of a website that showed Aerial photographs from February 2016. It appears the bridge over Grand Avenue has been fully completed to freeway width and the bridge over El Mirage is pretty much finished as well, but the full opening of the exit ramps at El Mirage haven't occurred yet as far as my knowledge goes and it seems the bridges will not be fully open just yet as the southbound lanes at US 60 are still being paved into existence with freeway grade concrete foundations and an asphalt cover while at the same time, the north and southbound lanes leading across the El Mirage overpass are still being paved into existence as well. On the bright side though, there is only one stoplight remaining on Loop 303 between I-10 and Sonoran Desert Drive/I-17. The lights at El Mirage are currently the last remaining, as the  Grand Avenue ramps are full freeway standard. As one can imagine now, the Grand Avenue interchange is now Exit 119.

From the ADOT website, there may be a shift of thru traffic onto the El Mirage Rd overpass this weekend. The ramps to El Mirage will be closed from Fri night to Mon morning.

[Pink Jazz]

Once ADOT's contract with Skyline Products expires next year, I wonder who will bid for ADOT's next statewide DMS contract.  In the last RFP which Skyline won, the bidders were Skyline, Daktronics, and Digital Traffic Systems, Inc. (the latter who would have provided and maintained DMS made by Adaptive Micro Systems).  Daktronics' bid was over twice that of Skyline, and DTS' bid was deemed non-responsive.

I wonder if there will be any more bidders next year, such as Ledstar or Swarco.

BTW, the South Mountain Freeway will use Skyline DMS as per the requirements in the Design-Build-Maintain agreement document with Connect 202 Partners.

[Pink Jazz]

FYI, I noticed some crews this morning on the westbound onramps for the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway at the Val Vista and the Arizona Avenue interchanges.  I wonder if the FMS installation has started.  I know it was planned for this summer.

New DMS locations on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway include two between Dobson and Alma School, two between McQueen and Cooper, two on opposite sides of the Val Vista interchange, and two just south of Ray Road. Each pair would have one in each direction.

Proposed future locations on the Loop 202 for new DMS include two between Higley and Recker, one eastbound near Power Road, one southbound near Elliot Road, one northbound near Guadalupe Road, plus one more (southbound) on the Red Mountain Freeway between Broadway and Apache Trail.

Still no word on which interchanges will get ramp meters.

[Pink Jazz]

^

Today I saw crews doing the same at the Gilbert Road interchange.  This makes me want to believe that at least Arizona Avenue, Gilbert Road, and Val Vista will be getting ramp meters.

[swbrotha100]

I have recently traveled the stretch of Loop 303 between Bell and Happy Valley. It looks like most of the major work is done. All the lighting is up and lights are on at night. Still some striping and signage to go. A new SB sign for Surprise city limits. Could this section all be done by the July 4th weekend? Maybe.

[swbrotha100]

ADOT has pics online of the current Bell/Grand construction:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/arizonadot/sets/72157669287578735/

[swbrotha100]

ADOT explains on a Facebook post why it has the current mile markers posted on Loop 303:

"Basically, the 303 milepost numbers provide flexibility. They are based on milepost 100 being near the intersection of Loop 303 and MC 85, which is the current terminus in the Maricopa Association of Government's (MAG) Regional Transportation Plan. starting with milepost 100 ensures that there would be no negative milepost numbering as MAG, which is responsible for long-range transportation planning within Maricopa County, considers whether Loop 303 should extend further south."

[pumpkineater2]

I saw today that a stretch of loop-303 will be closed until Wednesday because it is being used to film the next Transformers movie.
http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-news/156668277-story
  My Brother inlaw told me that they were also filming behind the warehouse he works at in north Phoenix. Interesting.

[Pink Jazz]

FYI, I just noticed yesterday that logo signs have finally been installed on SR 143 and the inner portion of I-10.  Haven't checked out the southern portion of I-17.

[swbrotha100]

Loop 101 in the Scottsdale area now has an extra lane SB from Shea Blvd to Loop 202. NB should be finished in the next week or so. Final striping and new signage is ongoing.

For the future Loop 202, more businesses have been closing or have closed around the future freeway path. Most noticeable is around 59th Ave going south from I-10. The only commercial property on Pecos Rd (the church) has signs and construction work going on at its future location at 48th St and Frye Rd. Traffic barricades now block the areas where houses were torn down in Ahwatukee.

Loop 303 should be getting final striping over the next week or so from Bell Rd to Happy Valley Pkwy. Also around I-10, stretches of the EB and WB frontage roads are closed for awhile. Major work on the WB-to-SB and NB-to-WB ramps is visible from I-10 or McDowell Rd. Cotton Lane is a long, active work zone from I-10 to south of Van Buren St.

[Pink Jazz]

It appears that I was correct in that the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway Management System (FMS Phase 14B) has started as of late last month.  At the onramps from Alma School to Val Vista it appears that some conduits have been installed for the CCTV cameras as well as possibly for ramp meters.  Also, as of this week, there have been portions of the shoulders that have been staked with multiple flags, and they appear to be located at the future DMS locations indicated on ADOT's ITS map.

[Sonic99]

From various places online...

The 303 is now fully open between Grand Ave and Happy Valley Parkway. There will be occasional restrictions as they put the finishing touches on things, but the 303 is now full freeway between I-17 and I-10.

As for I-10, soil testing is now happening between 51st and 59th Ave in preparation for the future South Mountain Freeway interchange.

As for the 202, various housekeeping projects are underway all along the route for soil testing, archaeological investigation, and more.

[Pink Jazz]

As of last week, I got a response from ADOT where the ramp meters on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway will be installed:

• Alma School Eastbound/Westbound
• Arizona Avenue Westbound
• McQueen Westbound
• Gilbert Road Westbound

I'm a little surprised that Val Vista Westbound isn't getting them.  Perhaps it could be due to the fact that Gilbert Road is more than one mile away, giving more time to merge onto the freeway.

Also, I noticed some of the bases for the tubular gantries for the DMS have been installed in two places (one in each direction in the same area).

[pumpkineater2]

I saw some soil drilling going on along I-10 near 59th avenue this morning.

I'm looking forward to seeing the transformation of this section of I-10 as the 202 interchange gets built, but at the same time I dread the traffic problems that the construction will cause on such a busy freeway. I doubt that many drivers who rely on that stretch on a daily basis have any clue what's coming.

[kdk]

I saw some soil drilling going on along I-10 near 59th avenue this morning.

I'm looking forward to seeing the transformation of this section of I-10 as the 202 interchange gets built, but at the same time I dread the traffic problems that the construction will cause on such a busy freeway. I doubt that many drivers who rely on that stretch on a daily basis have any clue what's coming.

I was thinking the same thing.  For such a big project on such a busy freeway I haven't heard a thing in the news at all still.  I don't use that freeway that much myself, but part of that is from 3pm on it's already full on a weekday and I avoid it if need be.  I can't imagine what it will be like.

[hm insulators]

That section of the I-10 is going to be a major snarl when they build the interchange with the 202, and even after construction is finished, there's going to be that much more traffic on the 10 between 59th Avenue and Loop 101.

I still say they should have tied the Loop 202 into the I-10/Loop 101 interchange; it makes a lot more sense! But road engineers aren't exactly full of common sense.

[swbrotha100]

Many people would have liked to see the Loop 202 South Mountain tie into the Loop 101/I-10 interchange, but the city of Tolleson would never have allowed it. Besides, it's too late now, as the demolition process of properties is underway in the area of 59th Ave and I-10. I would hope that ADOT would at least consider adding a lane on I-10 in each direction from Loop 101 to the I-17 stack. Frontage roads are planned from 51st Ave to 67th Ave.

[kdk]

Many people would have liked to see the Loop 202 South Mountain tie into the Loop 101/I-10 interchange, but the city of Tolleson would never have allowed it. Besides, it's too late now, as the demolition process of properties is underway in the area of 59th Ave and I-10. I would hope that ADOT would at least consider adding a lane on I-10 in each direction from Loop 101 to the I-17 stack. Frontage roads are planned from 51st Ave to 67th Ave.

Yeah, I recall when the alignment was being decided and even reconsidered that was one of the major considerations, the costs and basically destroying Tolleson were the two major reasons. 
That's going to make pressure to build AZ-30 increase from the 202 to the 303- at least that can take off a lot of pressure off I-10 but I think its still another 10 years away if I'm correct.

[swbrotha100]

The 303 is now fully open between Grand Ave and Happy Valley Parkway. There will be occasional restrictions as they put the finishing touches on things, but the 303 is now full freeway between I-17 and I-10.

Checked out that new stretch of the 303 this afternoon. Lane striping is done. Speed limit is now 65. A few interchanges (Happy Valley, Bell, Greenway) have the blue logo signs that some people here like. I think landscaping and other minor work is all that's gonna be done from here on out.

[pumpkineater2]

Checked out that new stretch of the 303 this afternoon. Lane striping is done. Speed limit is now 65. A few interchanges (Happy Valley, Bell, Greenway) have the blue logo signs that some people here like. I think landscaping and other minor work is all that's gonna be done from here on out.

 So is the interchange at El Mirage complete now too?

[swbrotha100]

Checked out that new stretch of the 303 this afternoon. Lane striping is done. Speed limit is now 65. A few interchanges (Happy Valley, Bell, Greenway) have the blue logo signs that some people here like. I think landscaping and other minor work is all that's gonna be done from here on out.

 So is the interchange at El Mirage complete now too?

Any work left on El Mirage at Loop 303 is minor. There are traffic signal poles but no traffic signals, just stop signs at the El Mirage ramps.

[Pink Jazz]

If the ruling goes as scheduled, this should be the big week for the ultimate fate of the South Mountain Freeway.  I have faith in the judge and God that ADOT comes out victorious.  My concern is that the judge might play the race card by ruling against ADOT because she is Native American.  In addition, the planned appeal in the 9th Circuit is also concerning because the 9th Circuit is very liberal. It is very unfortunate that Arizona has to be part of the 9th Circuit, and even Doug Ducey agrees that Arizona should be in the neighboring 10th Circuit instead or be part of a new 12th Circuit.  The proposed 12th Circuit includes Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana in its most restrictive proposal, with most proposals also including Alaska and some even including Washington and Oregon (leaving the 9th Circuit with only California and Hawaii).

[Pink Jazz]

From what I read, the final ruling is expected to be announced this Friday. I am very anxious to know how the judge will rule. Will she do what is right for the Phoenix area by ruling in ADOT's favor, or will she play the race card by ruling in PARC's and GRIC's favor? I pray to God that she rules for the former.