Was Interstate 17 originally planned to follow AZ 89A through Oak Creek Canyon from Flagstaff to Sedona? Then follow AZ 179 down to its current alignment? I could have sworn I read something about that years ago.
I've never heard of this, and I find it hard to believe it was ever considered. That would be a pretty difficult place to put a freeway, and less direct than I-17's current routing.
and ruin a perfectly good landscape? I'd hardly find that feasible.