Interstate 11

[Bobby5280]

Wasn't Bill Gates planning some massive development centered along the planned I-11 at I-10 at one point?

8 years ago an investment firm owned by Gates bought over 24,000 acres of land West of the Buckeye area, supposedly to build what would be a "smart city." So far it doesn't look like any actual construction plans have been put into motion. Considering where things in the tech industry are currently headed, with so much focus on AI, building something like a "smart city" for people may now seem like a waste of money. Tech industry people may become more obsessed with building big data centers.

[DJStephens]

Wasn't Bill Gates planning some massive development centered along the planned I-11 at I-10 at one point?

8 years ago an investment firm owned by Gates bought over 24,000 acres of land West of the Buckeye area, supposedly to build what would be a "smart city." So far it doesn't look like any actual construction plans have been put into motion. Considering where things in the tech industry are currently headed, with so much focus on AI, building something like a "smart city" for people may now seem like a waste of money. Tech industry people may become more obsessed with building big data centers.

It was said Gates was meddling with egg markets and futures.   Hickman Farms is a very large poultry operation W of Phoenix.   

[Scott5114]

US-93 north of I-40 is already a divided highway with no traffic signals

bzzzzt

[Max Rockatansky]

I recall running into that traffic light in 2023 and being surprised it was there.  I take it people were having a hard time making a left turn from that travel plaza on northbound US 93? 

[splashflash]

I recall running into that traffic light in 2023 and being surprised it was there.  I take it people were having a hard time making a left turn from that travel plaza on northbound US 93? 

Didn't a traffic signal go in instead of the interchange design, so maybe bzzzt, bzzzt to the second responder of this chain.  Or is this another location?
 Interstates help avoid accidents at these locations.

https://azdot.gov/planning/transportation-studies/us-93-pierce-ferry-road-feasibility-study

[Max Rockatansky]

I recall running into that traffic light in 2023 and being surprised it was there.  I take it people were having a hard time making a left turn from that travel plaza on northbound US 93? 

Didn't a traffic signal go in instead of the interchange design, so maybe bzzzt, bzzzt to the second responder of this chain.  Or is this another location?
 Interstates help avoid accidents at these locations.

https://azdot.gov/planning/transportation-studies/us-93-pierce-ferry-road-feasibility-study

T

I recall running into that traffic light in 2023 and being surprised it was there.  I take it people were having a hard time making a left turn from that travel plaza on northbound US 93? 

Didn't a traffic signal go in instead of the interchange design, so maybe bzzzt, bzzzt to the second responder of this chain.  Or is this another location?
 Interstates help avoid accidents at these locations.

https://azdot.gov/planning/transportation-studies/us-93-pierce-ferry-road-feasibility-study

That was the second traffic light.  Pierce Ferry at least makes more sense given Dolan Springs has a decent amount of people living out there.  I dunno, I tend think regressive steps like putting in traffic lights doesn't bode well for near term limited access conversion.

[sprjus4]

US-93 north of I-40 is already a divided highway with no traffic signals

bzzzzt

Looks like I missed a new one. Oh well, my point is mostlyyyyy true.

[vdeane]

I dunno, I tend think regressive steps like putting in traffic lights doesn't bode well for near term limited access conversion.

Agreed.  If AZDOT was planning to upgrade this to I-11 any time soon, they'd just build the interchange.  The fact that they built a light means that they think it's going to be a while.

[ElishaGOtis]

I dunno, I tend think regressive steps like putting in traffic lights doesn't bode well for near term limited access conversion.

Agreed.  If AZDOT was planning to upgrade this to I-11 any time soon, they'd just build the interchange.  The fact that they built a light means that they think it's going to be a while.

That or the roundabouts seen further south closer to Phoenix.

[vdeane]

I dunno, I tend think regressive steps like putting in traffic lights doesn't bode well for near term limited access conversion.

Agreed.  If AZDOT was planning to upgrade this to I-11 any time soon, they'd just build the interchange.  The fact that they built a light means that they think it's going to be a while.

That or the roundabouts seen further south closer to Phoenix.

Aren't they planning to bypass Wickenburg and then build new terrain to the south?

[Max Rockatansky]

I dunno, I tend think regressive steps like putting in traffic lights doesn't bode well for near term limited access conversion.

Agreed.  If AZDOT was planning to upgrade this to I-11 any time soon, they'd just build the interchange.  The fact that they built a light means that they think it's going to be a while.

That or the roundabouts seen further south closer to Phoenix.

Aren't they planning to bypass Wickenburg and then build new terrain to the south?

Yes, out in the Vulture Mountains.

[howlincoyote2k1]

I dunno, I tend think regressive steps like putting in traffic lights doesn't bode well for near term limited access conversion.

Agreed.  If AZDOT was planning to upgrade this to I-11 any time soon, they'd just build the interchange.  The fact that they built a light means that they think it's going to be a while.

That or the roundabouts seen further south closer to Phoenix.

Aren't they planning to bypass Wickenburg and then build new terrain to the south?

Yes, out in the Vulture Mountains.

If they do build out that way, I hope they build some kind of bypass connector to US 60 southeast of Wickenburg so that traffic going to Phoenix--but NOT going through Tonopah--can take a better, more direct route without having to slog through Wickenburg and all the roundabouts.

[Max Rockatansky]

I dunno, I tend think regressive steps like putting in traffic lights doesn't bode well for near term limited access conversion.

Agreed.  If AZDOT was planning to upgrade this to I-11 any time soon, they'd just build the interchange.  The fact that they built a light means that they think it's going to be a while.

That or the roundabouts seen further south closer to Phoenix.

Aren't they planning to bypass Wickenburg and then build new terrain to the south?

Yes, out in the Vulture Mountains.

If they do build out that way, I hope they build some kind of bypass connector to US 60 southeast of Wickenburg so that traffic going to Phoenix--but NOT going through Tonopah--can take a better, more direct route without having to slog through Wickenburg and all the roundabouts.

To my knowledge there is no extension of AZ 74 planned.

[pderocco]

If they do build out that way, I hope they build some kind of bypass connector to US 60 southeast of Wickenburg so that traffic going to Phoenix--but NOT going through Tonopah--can take a better, more direct route without having to slog through Wickenburg and all the roundabouts.

To my knowledge there is no extension of AZ 74 planned.

If you can drive 80 on I-10 and I-11, it might be a wash compared to driving the US-60 diagonal, and certainly easier and less stressful.

[Max Rockatansky]

If they do build out that way, I hope they build some kind of bypass connector to US 60 southeast of Wickenburg so that traffic going to Phoenix--but NOT going through Tonopah--can take a better, more direct route without having to slog through Wickenburg and all the roundabouts.

To my knowledge there is no extension of AZ 74 planned.

If you can drive 80 on I-10 and I-11, it might be a wash compared to driving the US-60 diagonal, and certainly easier and less stressful.

There wasn't much stopping me from driving 80 MPH on AZ 74 and US 60 when I lived in north Phoenix.   I still was able to get into a line of fast cars on 74 circa 2023. 

[Quillz]

Wasn't Bill Gates planning some massive development centered along the planned I-11 at I-10 at one point?

8 years ago an investment firm owned by Gates bought over 24,000 acres of land West of the Buckeye area, supposedly to build what would be a "smart city." So far it doesn't look like any actual construction plans have been put into motion. Considering where things in the tech industry are currently headed, with so much focus on AI, building something like a "smart city" for people may now seem like a waste of money. Tech industry people may become more obsessed with building big data centers.

This sounds similar to "Centennial," which is a planned planned community near Gorman by the 5/138 junction in California. It's supposed to be some massive city, but the completion date keeps changing. First it was the 2020s, now it's the 2050s, etc. And there's still no explanation of why it's being built there and where the people will come from.

It reminds me like a modern California City, although at least the latter had some purpose, it was supposed to be the company town for Edwards Air Force Base, but the base never hired all the people that was originally being planned for.

I guess what I'm saying is this is another case of "I'll believe it when it's built."

[pderocco]

Wasn't Bill Gates planning some massive development centered along the planned I-11 at I-10 at one point?

8 years ago an investment firm owned by Gates bought over 24,000 acres of land West of the Buckeye area, supposedly to build what would be a "smart city." So far it doesn't look like any actual construction plans have been put into motion. Considering where things in the tech industry are currently headed, with so much focus on AI, building something like a "smart city" for people may now seem like a waste of money. Tech industry people may become more obsessed with building big data centers.

This sounds similar to "Centennial," which is a planned planned community near Gorman by the 5/138 junction in California. It's supposed to be some massive city, but the completion date keeps changing. First it was the 2020s, now it's the 2050s, etc. And there's still no explanation of why it's being built there and where the people will come from.

... or why they'd want to live there. I mean, it's quite pretty up there, but there's nothing to do, it's 25 miles from shopping in Castaic, and it's cold and windy in the winter. Until they get a couple of shopping malls, Walmart, Home Depot, several supermarkets, a few car dealers, etc., it's not really a city. My minimum idea of a "city" out in rural California is Ridgecrest.

[Quillz]

Wasn't Bill Gates planning some massive development centered along the planned I-11 at I-10 at one point?

8 years ago an investment firm owned by Gates bought over 24,000 acres of land West of the Buckeye area, supposedly to build what would be a "smart city." So far it doesn't look like any actual construction plans have been put into motion. Considering where things in the tech industry are currently headed, with so much focus on AI, building something like a "smart city" for people may now seem like a waste of money. Tech industry people may become more obsessed with building big data centers.

This sounds similar to "Centennial," which is a planned planned community near Gorman by the 5/138 junction in California. It's supposed to be some massive city, but the completion date keeps changing. First it was the 2020s, now it's the 2050s, etc. And there's still no explanation of why it's being built there and where the people will come from.

... or why they'd want to live there. I mean, it's quite pretty up there, but there's nothing to do, it's 25 miles from shopping in Castaic, and it's cold and windy in the winter. Until they get a couple of shopping malls, Walmart, Home Depot, several supermarkets, a few car dealers, etc., it's not really a city. My minimum idea of a "city" out in rural California is Ridgecrest.

Well, some people live in the Lancaster/Palmdale area and commute to LA, so it might work in that sense. Although it's really just something that's been floated by the Fort Tejon area for a while, so what their ultimate plans are, who knows.

[Max Rockatansky]

Wasn't Bill Gates planning some massive development centered along the planned I-11 at I-10 at one point?

8 years ago an investment firm owned by Gates bought over 24,000 acres of land West of the Buckeye area, supposedly to build what would be a "smart city." So far it doesn't look like any actual construction plans have been put into motion. Considering where things in the tech industry are currently headed, with so much focus on AI, building something like a "smart city" for people may now seem like a waste of money. Tech industry people may become more obsessed with building big data centers.

This sounds similar to "Centennial," which is a planned planned community near Gorman by the 5/138 junction in California. It's supposed to be some massive city, but the completion date keeps changing. First it was the 2020s, now it's the 2050s, etc. And there's still no explanation of why it's being built there and where the people will come from.

... or why they'd want to live there. I mean, it's quite pretty up there, but there's nothing to do, it's 25 miles from shopping in Castaic, and it's cold and windy in the winter. Until they get a couple of shopping malls, Walmart, Home Depot, several supermarkets, a few car dealers, etc., it's not really a city. My minimum idea of a "city" out in rural California is Ridgecrest.

Well, some people live in the Lancaster/Palmdale area and commute to LA, so it might work in that sense. Although it's really just something that's been floated by the Fort Tejon area for a while, so what their ultimate plans are, who knows.

What kind of sadist wants a commute that along I-5 that originates near Lebec?

[Quillz]

Wasn't Bill Gates planning some massive development centered along the planned I-11 at I-10 at one point?

8 years ago an investment firm owned by Gates bought over 24,000 acres of land West of the Buckeye area, supposedly to build what would be a "smart city." So far it doesn't look like any actual construction plans have been put into motion. Considering where things in the tech industry are currently headed, with so much focus on AI, building something like a "smart city" for people may now seem like a waste of money. Tech industry people may become more obsessed with building big data centers.

This sounds similar to "Centennial," which is a planned planned community near Gorman by the 5/138 junction in California. It's supposed to be some massive city, but the completion date keeps changing. First it was the 2020s, now it's the 2050s, etc. And there's still no explanation of why it's being built there and where the people will come from.

... or why they'd want to live there. I mean, it's quite pretty up there, but there's nothing to do, it's 25 miles from shopping in Castaic, and it's cold and windy in the winter. Until they get a couple of shopping malls, Walmart, Home Depot, several supermarkets, a few car dealers, etc., it's not really a city. My minimum idea of a "city" out in rural California is Ridgecrest.

Well, some people live in the Lancaster/Palmdale area and commute to LA, so it might work in that sense. Although it's really just something that's been floated by the Fort Tejon area for a while, so what their ultimate plans are, who knows.

What kind of sadist wants a commute that along I-5 that originates near Lebec?

No clue. Why the Fort Tejon people even think this planned community will take off, I don't know.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial,_California

[pderocco]

What kind of sadist wants a commute that along I-5 that originates near Lebec?

No clue. Why the Fort Tejon people even think this planned community will take off, I don't know.

Well, that's land they own. They can't very well build anywhere else, so it's a choice between convincing themselves that a planned community on part of their ranch would be a good idea, or doing nothing at all.

[Max Rockatansky]

What kind of sadist wants a commute that along I-5 that originates near Lebec?

No clue. Why the Fort Tejon people even think this planned community will take off, I don't know.

Well, that's land they own. They can't very well build anywhere else, so it's a choice between convincing themselves that a planned community on part of their ranch would be a good idea, or doing nothing at all.

Tejon Ranch traditionally hasn't done anything with that land other than use it for purposes the name would suggest.  I wonder why they suddenly want to subdivide it?

[pderocco]

What kind of sadist wants a commute that along I-5 that originates near Lebec?

No clue. Why the Fort Tejon people even think this planned community will take off, I don't know.

Well, that's land they own. They can't very well build anywhere else, so it's a choice between convincing themselves that a planned community on part of their ranch would be a good idea, or doing nothing at all.

Tejon Ranch traditionally hasn't done anything with that land other than use it for purposes the name would suggest.  I wonder why they suddenly want to subdivide it?

At this point, I think Tejon Ranch is primarily functioning as a real estate holding company. The developement at the Grapevine exit, and the outlet stores and industrial park at Wheeler Ridge are all Tejon Ranch. They say they lease out land for grazing, so I don't know if they even have their own cows. And of course there are filming locations. So I'm not surprised that they feel like they're supposed to figure out other ways to develop the land that have nothing to do with ranching.

I wish it were possible to wander around their ranch. There are a lot of cool looking roads on it, like the one that goes along Castac Lake, and eventually finds its way up to the surge chamber above the Edmonston Pumping Plant. Or the road over the old Tejon Pass near the Twin Lakes community, or Digier Rd past the gate.

[Max Rockatansky]

What kind of sadist wants a commute that along I-5 that originates near Lebec?

No clue. Why the Fort Tejon people even think this planned community will take off, I don't know.

Well, that's land they own. They can't very well build anywhere else, so it's a choice between convincing themselves that a planned community on part of their ranch would be a good idea, or doing nothing at all.

Tejon Ranch traditionally hasn't done anything with that land other than use it for purposes the name would suggest.  I wonder why they suddenly want to subdivide it?

At this point, I think Tejon Ranch is primarily functioning as a real estate holding company. The developement at the Grapevine exit, and the outlet stores and industrial park at Wheeler Ridge are all Tejon Ranch. They say they lease out land for grazing, so I don't know if they even have their own cows. And of course there are filming locations. So I'm not surprised that they feel like they're supposed to figure out other ways to develop the land that have nothing to do with ranching.

I wish it were possible to wander around their ranch. There are a lot of cool looking roads on it, like the one that goes along Castac Lake, and eventually finds its way up to the surge chamber above the Edmonston Pumping Plant. Or the road over the old Tejon Pass near the Twin Lakes community, or Digier Rd past the gate.

I'd settle at just getting access to Old Tejon Pass myself.  That old stage corridor is still there but is behind several gates.  It is the biggest piece of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road corridor for which I don't have any real photo stock.

[Sonic99]

I dunno, I tend think regressive steps like putting in traffic lights doesn't bode well for near term limited access conversion.

Agreed.  If AZDOT was planning to upgrade this to I-11 any time soon, they'd just build the interchange.  The fact that they built a light means that they think it's going to be a while.

I believe the locals out there had one too many fatal accidents and really put pressure on ADOT to apply SOME kind of band-aid to help for now. Traffic lights are negligible in their cost compared to building an entire interchange. They can easily pull the light out in the future when ready for full freeway, and it gets Mohave County people off their ass for a little while.