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[707]

I wonder if they twinned it originally planning on making I-10 or if it was just planned as a temporary measure the whole time?

VS988

[DJStephens]

Then, as now, it passes through ranch land.   The preexisting Route 80 already had a four lane section (old Marsh Station Road exit 289).  So they apparently just double barrelled the pre-existing two lane, and tied into the four lane section. 

[707]

Then, as now, it passes through ranch land.   The preexisting Route 80 already had a four lane section (old Marsh Station Road exit 289).  So they apparently just double barrelled the pre-existing two lane, and tied into the four lane section.

So Marsh Station Road was once four lane? Or are you referring to the section south of it that became I-10? Also my question was more along the lines of wondering if Benson Highway between Park and Valencia, which you said was four laned around the time of the Interstate highways being established was ever supposed to be I-10 or was just made to four lanes to tempirarily better handle traffic volumes while I-10 was being built?

By the way, I came across this scanned postcard of the Triple T Truck Stop at the I-10/Craycroft interchange. It was taken in the years before US 80 was removed and shows the only photo I've ever seen of a 1963 spec US 80 reassurance marker. Interesting to see the now long gone I-10/US 80 concurrency.
http://nostalgia.esmartkid.com/azroute80pc055.jpg

[DJStephens]

To clarify, meant that the US 80 Alignment at the Marsh Station road was a short pre-existing four lane section that was incorporated into the I-10 alignment.   It used to dip rather sharply into a creek/wash (Cienega?) going under both the old RR tracks and the old Exit 289 overpass.   This entire section, along with the RR straightening, was upgraded and done by FNF Construction 5 - 8 years ago.   

[DJStephens]

Believe I-10 was simply placed atop the Benson Highway east of Valencia Road.   So perhaps a good part of it's roadbed was used for either the EB or WB lanes between Valencia and the Sonoita Highway exit.   Some old concrete bridge rails are visible, on 10, on both sides, in the wide median section between Houghton Road and Exit 279 (forgot name of road).  This leads to confusion as to which carriage way was the original two lane highway in that area.   Personally believe it was the WB lanes, in that area, as the EB lanes are straighter.   Between Exits 279 and 281, the original Benson highway is actually to the N, and acts as a two way frontage.   

[splashflash]

Then lastly, there's the Sonoran Corridor proposal which doesn't seem to go away or get built. Residents in Sahuarita are apparently asking the state to build it across El Toro Road. There's also talk about it being funded by federal dollars.

http://tucson.com/news/business/county-report-sonoran-corridor-would-have-b-impact/article_8e4a9e31-2799-52f6-87bc-f902f9cd4fa8.html

http://www.gvnews.com/news/town-asks-for-el-toro-rd-sahuarita-be-part-of/article_8c430bf0-f5d4-11e5-bea1-af26a76f70bc.html

An open house was recently held discussing three options between I10 and I19, down from ten.  https://news.azpm.org/p/news-articles/2019/3/7/147457-proposed-sonoran-corridor-freeway-down-to-3-alternatives/

[DJStephens]

   Interesting.  All three proposals have a very defined "L" shape to them.   Wonder why that is, versus a more "straight" shot.   
   Personally, would choose 8A. 
 
a.  Growth and development will continue to happen, whether one likes it or not. 
b.  Raw land should be cheaper farther out.  Development will come. 
c.  Connecting to I-10 at  Houghton Road should bury, once and for all, any talk or movement
     towards a DDI at that interchange.  There should be high speed directional interchanges at both
     I-10 and I-19.
d.  The facility should have an even numbered 3DI number.  I-219 is the one would choose.   

[sparker]

Then lastly, there's the Sonoran Corridor proposal which doesn't seem to go away or get built. Residents in Sahuarita are apparently asking the state to build it across El Toro Road. There's also talk about it being funded by federal dollars.

http://tucson.com/news/business/county-report-sonoran-corridor-would-have-b-impact/article_8e4a9e31-2799-52f6-87bc-f902f9cd4fa8.html

http://www.gvnews.com/news/town-asks-for-el-toro-rd-sahuarita-be-part-of/article_8c430bf0-f5d4-11e5-bea1-af26a76f70bc.html

An open house was recently held discussing three options between I10 and I19, down from ten.  https://news.azpm.org/p/news-articles/2019/3/7/147457-proposed-sonoran-corridor-freeway-down-to-3-alternatives/

Back in 2016 the "Sonoran" corridor between I-10 and I-19 was afforded a place as HPC #83 in the FHWA compendium of such corridors; like all the others, it's eligible for federal funding -- but without any guarantee -- and still subject to the fiscal whims of Congress.  Nevertheless, it does have a level of national attention -- which needs to be followed through at the state and/or local level to actually be developed. 

[Henry]

   Interesting.  All three proposals have a very defined "L" shape to them.   Wonder why that is, versus a more "straight" shot.   
   Personally, would choose 8A. 
 
a.  Growth and development will continue to happen, whether one likes it or not. 
b.  Raw land should be cheaper farther out.  Development will come. 
c.  Connecting to I-10 at  Houghton Road should bury, once and for all, any talk or movement
     towards a DDI at that interchange.  There should be high speed directional interchanges at both
     I-10 and I-19.
d.  The facility should have an even numbered 3DI number.  I-219 is the one would choose.   

Agreed on all counts, although, given AZ's aversion to 3di's, I would see it as SR 219 or 410.

[Roadwarriors79]

   Interesting.  All three proposals have a very defined "L" shape to them.   Wonder why that is, versus a more "straight" shot.   
   Personally, would choose 8A. 
 
a.  Growth and development will continue to happen, whether one likes it or not. 
b.  Raw land should be cheaper farther out.  Development will come. 
c.  Connecting to I-10 at  Houghton Road should bury, once and for all, any talk or movement
     towards a DDI at that interchange.  There should be high speed directional interchanges at both
     I-10 and I-19.
d.  The facility should have an even numbered 3DI number.  I-219 is the one would choose.   

Agreed on all counts, although, given AZ's aversion to 3di's, I would see it as SR 219 or 410.

Pima County had an older map of the proposed Sonoran Corridor labeled as I-510. More recent references to the corridor use SR 410 as the number in planning.

https://webcms.pima.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6/File/Government/Newsroom/Work%20Newsroom/1308%20August/130813%20Pima%20County%20supports%20study%20of%20interstate%20highway%20link.pdf

[DJStephens]

Then lastly, there's the Sonoran Corridor proposal which doesn't seem to go away or get built. Residents in Sahuarita are apparently asking the state to build it across El Toro Road. There's also talk about it being funded by federal dollars.

http://tucson.com/news/business/county-report-sonoran-corridor-would-have-b-impact/article_8e4a9e31-2799-52f6-87bc-f902f9cd4fa8.html

http://www.gvnews.com/news/town-asks-for-el-toro-rd-sahuarita-be-part-of/article_8c430bf0-f5d4-11e5-bea1-af26a76f70bc.html

An open house was recently held discussing three options between I10 and I19, down from ten.  https://news.azpm.org/p/news-articles/2019/3/7/147457-proposed-sonoran-corridor-freeway-down-to-3-alternatives/

Any links to the other seven?  Why were they dropped from consideration?   

[splashflash]

Then lastly, there's the Sonoran Corridor proposal which doesn't seem to go away or get built. Residents in Sahuarita are apparently asking the state to build it across El Toro Road. There's also talk about it being funded by federal dollars.

http://tucson.com/news/business/county-report-sonoran-corridor-would-have-b-impact/article_8e4a9e31-2799-52f6-87bc-f902f9cd4fa8.html

http://www.gvnews.com/news/town-asks-for-el-toro-rd-sahuarita-be-part-of/article_8c430bf0-f5d4-11e5-bea1-af26a76f70bc.html

An open house was recently held discussing three options between I10 and I19, down from ten.  https://news.azpm.org/p/news-articles/2019/3/7/147457-proposed-sonoran-corridor-freeway-down-to-3-alternatives/

Any links to the other seven?  Why were they dropped from consideration?

https://www.azdot.gov/planning/transportation-studies/sonoran-corridor-tier-1-environmental-impact-statement/documents

Check out 3.8.2 of the corridor selection report.

[Roadwarriors79]

In the Tucson area, the new I-10/Ina Rd interchange is complete. Next up to be redone is the I-10/Ruthrauff Rd interchange, which should begin later this summer or by the fall. I-19 is being widened between Irvington Rd and Ajo Way.

The only other active construction of significance is on surface streets. Just my personal belief, the Valencia Rd and Kolb Rd intersection could have been a nice grade-separated interchange, but that is not the case. When finished, there will be a combination of "Michigan lefts" and at-grade ramps onto the mainline roads.

[Kniwt]

The Arizona Daily Star reports today that ADOT has plans for a $1.2 billion project to massively widen I-10 (double to triple current capacity) east of the I-19 split and build a freeway connection between I-10 and AZ 210.
https://tucson.com/news/local/road-runner-long-term-billion-project-would-connect-i-/article_95b134b1-1e63-51cd-a800-61841d9a5fa2.html

The project would add up to two lanes in each direction from the I-10, I-19 interchange to Alvernon Way and up to four lanes in each direction on I-10 from Alvernon Way to Kolb Road. These improvements include addressing the corridor’s interchanges and bridges.

Alvernon Way would be designated State Route 210, known as Barraza-Aviation Parkway, along with an interchange that provides direct access from Palo Verde Road to Interstate 10 and an alternate route downtown, according to an environmental assessment from the Arizona Department of Transportation.

... Residents could expect the final touches on the project around 20 years from now.

ADOT project page: https://azdot.gov/planning/transportation-studies/interstate-10-and-state-route-210-study

[Sonic99]

20 years??? Holy crap.

[DJStephens]

Believe it when it actually seems to be happening.  That corridor (10 east of downtown) is absolutely antiquated.   They have done some bridge deck replacements (Craycroft and Wilmot) but haven't even added bearing seats on the back walls for additional lanes?  What the heck??   

[Plutonic Panda]

20 years is insane but perhaps they eventually expedite it. 7-12 years would be better to muster and understandable given the amount of projects Arizona needs to tackle. They should have widened this to at least six lanes a few years ago it seems.

[DJStephens]

Am guessing this corridor in Tucson has been "back burnered" either on purpose or through oversight.   Given the scope and quality of work elsewhere (Phoenix) can't think of any other reason.   Really can not understand why Wilmot and craycroft overpasses did not have widening done during the re decks.
Alvernon Road overpasses were replaced and widened - with a box beam design - guessing a long time ago - to the inside - but inside lanes have not been utilized.     

[dfwmapper]

ADOT doesn't have much money in the budget for expansion, and traffic volumes east of Kino don't particularly warrant expansion right now (AADT west of Kino is over 100k, but east is under 80k, and 100k is usually the point where going to 6 lanes is needed). Pima County's 1/2 cent tax for transportation is primarily going towards surface street improvements (more lanes, bike lanes, and sidewalks), transit, and railroad grade separations, with little if any going towards freeways, other than replacing the interchanges on the west side to eliminate the railroad grade crossings.

[Roadwarriors79]

Bumping this to mention a couple projects currently going on in Tucson.

I-10/Ruthrauff Rd interchange is being redone. Ruthrauff will go over I-10 and the parallel railroad tracks when this project is finished. Similar to other interchanges (Ina Rd, Prince Rd).

Downtown Links, after many, many, many years of planning and delays, is finally under construction. It will connect I-10/St Mary's Rd with AZ 210 and Broadway. Was once planned to be a freeway, but will be just another surface road skirting the northern part of downtown Tucson.

SM-G975U

[Plutonic Panda]

Houghton Road/I-10 Interchange Update

The concrete work on the bridge comes as the Arizona Department of Transportation reaches the halfway point of a $24.4 million project to rebuild the interchange.

While drivers have experienced several temporary ramp and lane shifts during the project, the concrete pour will allow drivers to see the bridge's final driving surface come into view.

This summer, traffic on Houghton Road will move from the existing two-lane bridge to the new six-lane structure. Motorists will cross I-10 in a temporary lane configuration for several months while crews demolish the old bridge and complete building new ramps on the east side of the interchange.

Read more here: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/crews-pour-concrete-deck-on-houghton-road-i-10-structure/52215

[machias]

Houghton Road/I-10 Interchange Update

The concrete work on the bridge comes as the Arizona Department of Transportation reaches the halfway point of a $24.4 million project to rebuild the interchange.

While drivers have experienced several temporary ramp and lane shifts during the project, the concrete pour will allow drivers to see the bridge's final driving surface come into view.

This summer, traffic on Houghton Road will move from the existing two-lane bridge to the new six-lane structure. Motorists will cross I-10 in a temporary lane configuration for several months while crews demolish the old bridge and complete building new ramps on the east side of the interchange.

Read more here: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/crews-pour-concrete-deck-on-houghton-road-i-10-structure/52215

I've been watching this project on and off and it's nice to see it progressing.

As an aside, I see several maps that show Houghton Rd as SR 983, but I've never seen a sign indicating it as this. Is this an "unsigned" official route?

[DRMan]

Houghton Road/I-10 Interchange Update

The concrete work on the bridge comes as the Arizona Department of Transportation reaches the halfway point of a $24.4 million project to rebuild the interchange.

While drivers have experienced several temporary ramp and lane shifts during the project, the concrete pour will allow drivers to see the bridge's final driving surface come into view.

This summer, traffic on Houghton Road will move from the existing two-lane bridge to the new six-lane structure. Motorists will cross I-10 in a temporary lane configuration for several months while crews demolish the old bridge and complete building new ramps on the east side of the interchange.

Read more here: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/crews-pour-concrete-deck-on-houghton-road-i-10-structure/52215

I've been watching this project on and off and it's nice to see it progressing.

As an aside, I see several maps that show Houghton Rd as SR 983, but I've never seen a sign indicating it as this. Is this an "unsigned" official route?

There are a number of roads around Tucson like that, for example Tangerine Rd (SR-989) and Valencia Rd (SR-910). Annoyingly, Apple Maps treats them as if they are actually signed, but there are no signs in the field.

[Roadwarriors79]

Houghton Road/I-10 Interchange Update

The concrete work on the bridge comes as the Arizona Department of Transportation reaches the halfway point of a $24.4 million project to rebuild the interchange.

While drivers have experienced several temporary ramp and lane shifts during the project, the concrete pour will allow drivers to see the bridge's final driving surface come into view.

This summer, traffic on Houghton Road will move from the existing two-lane bridge to the new six-lane structure. Motorists will cross I-10 in a temporary lane configuration for several months while crews demolish the old bridge and complete building new ramps on the east side of the interchange.

Read more here: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/crews-pour-concrete-deck-on-houghton-road-i-10-structure/52215

I've been watching this project on and off and it's nice to see it progressing.

As an aside, I see several maps that show Houghton Rd as SR 983, but I've never seen a sign indicating it as this. Is this an "unsigned" official route?

There are a number of roads around Tucson like that, for example Tangerine Rd (SR-989) and Valencia Rd (SR-910). Annoyingly, Apple Maps treats them as if they are actually signed, but there are no signs in the field.

Tangerine (SR 989) is the only one of those that was acknowledged in the field. Not any 989 shield, but a mileage sign. Don't know if it's still there or not.

https://www.arizonaroads.com/arizona/az989.html



SM-G975U

[KeithE4Phx]

The sign for Milepost 35 was there as of June 2018, when this Google Street View photo was taken.  I'm not sure if ADOT maintains only the bridge or the entire road between the bridge and AZ 77.  In any case, it is not signed as AZ 989 anywhere.

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.42672,-110.9516145,3a,75y,259.15h,88.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5n9BWqdReVRBFPtyTEotbw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656