Metro Phoenix Transit/Transportation Developments

[Phxguy]

Originally Posted by Mr.RE

Quick Rant: Anyone else notice how bad traffic has increasingly gotten? I swear all over phoenix and tempe has been jam packed almost at all hours of the day. As much as I love new development and multifamily properties, the cities need to invest more in infrastructure and transportation. The new loop 202 will definitely help, but I fear it wont be enough. Lets hope a hyperloop type transportation becomes a thing here... or just underground travel in general. Thoughts?

Happy Snowbird Season!

[KEVINphx]

Originally Posted by Phxguy

Happy Snowbird Season!

haha exactly what I was thinking! That, and school is back in session, tourism is up this time of year and people generally seem to go out and about more with nicer weather!

[N830MH]

Hi all,

We have a new pics of PHX SkyTrain stage 2 construction photos.

https://www.skyharbor.com/About/Deve...SkyTrainstage2

Hope you enjoyed the entire website.

[SimPhoenix]

nothing new....just stings more to see it in an official email


Northeast Transit Corridor Study Update

In October 2018, the Phoenix City Council voted to delay the study of the Northeast extension to make additional funding available for future street pavement maintenance. As a result, the study is suspended indefinitely. A final feasibility report for the study will not be issued.

[ljbuild]

I hear what you are saying about the traffic, but least Phoenix is trying. By the way, the 22mi long south mountain fwy is supposed to be done late next year ( MERRY CHRISTMAS) ,

OR we could be in harsher environments like TUCSON which chooses no to try.

THERE IS NOT ONE CROSS-TOWN FWY in that dam city even though the population is over 1 million

[exit2lef]

This event was minimally publicized, even on the social media of organizations involved, but it appears notorious anti-transit activist Randall O'Toole was in town this week to speak against the South Central line at the local office of Americans for Prosperity:

https://downtowndevil.com/2018/11/16...ghtrail-story/

Of course, his comments completely ignore the problem of bus bunching, which would be the likely result if you tried to carry the same number of passengers via bus that you can via rail. In any case, I haven't seen the paid petition circulators as much lately, but as far as I know the effort to stop light rail expansion is ongoing. At least the two mayoral candidates advancing to a March runoff both support expansion.

[DesertRay]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

I haven't seen the paid petition circulators as much lately, but as far as I know the effort to stop light rail expansion is ongoing. At least the two mayoral candidates advancing to a March runoff both support expansion.

Ugh. I did a few weeks ago. An 18ish-year-old young man asked me to sign two petitions. I had already signed one, and said "nope" to the second. He was kind of argumentative, and got off the next stop to go to the library. When he tried to argue with me, I responded "I'm in favor of letting folks from South Phoenix do the exact same thing you just did to take a train to public amenities like parks and libraries. Why should YOU just be able to do that, and not them?" He stopped in his tracks, and admitted he hadn't thought of that. I really hope South Phoenix stays on target and advocates for their kids and families. They really shouldn't go along with being left behind. I get why Scottsdale wants to stay disconnected from the rest of the dirty Valley, but South Phoenix really could use the connection.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by DesertRay

Ugh. I did a few weeks ago. An 18ish-year-old young man asked me to sign two petitions. I had already signed one, and said "nope" to the second. He was kind of argumentative, and got off the next stop to go to the library. When he tried to argue with me, I responded "I'm in favor of letting folks from South Phoenix do the exact same thing you just did to take a train to public amenities like parks and libraries. Why should YOU just be able to do that, and not them?" He stopped in his tracks, and admitted he hadn't thought of that. I really hope South Phoenix stays on target and advocates for their kids and families. They really shouldn't go along with being left behind. I get why Scottsdale wants to stay disconnected from the rest of the dirty Valley, but South Phoenix really could use the connection.

Were you approached to sign an anti-rail petition while riding light rail? If so, that's not only a violation of Valley Metro's no-solicitation policy, but also the ultimate in irony.

[DesertRay]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

Were you approached to sign an anti-rail petition while riding light rail? If so, that's not only a violation of Valley Metro's no-solicitation policy, but also the ultimate in irony.

That was indeed the case. I think that's why he tried to argue with me. He was standing neck-deep in his own irony, and the "it's not right for everyone" was a pretty rich sentiment for someone trying to deny other folks the exact luxury he was enjoying on the public dime, while going to a public library to hack the democratic process to benefit Koch Inc.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by DesertRay

That was indeed the case. I think that's why he tried to argue with me. He was standing neck-deep in his own irony, and the "it's not right for everyone" was a pretty rich sentiment for someone trying to deny other folks the exact luxury he was enjoying on the public dime, while going to a public library to hack the democratic process to benefit Koch Inc.

I think some of the petition circulators are also making the disingenuous claim that light rail passengers and advocates should sign the petition as a way of showing their support for expansion. Of course, voters already showed their support back in 2015, but someone who wasn't aware of that could easily be fooled into thinking that signing this petition would somehow advance the cause of rail expansion, when in fact it threatens the growth of the system.

When I encountered paid petition circulators in the parking lot at Town & Country, I made a point of telling them they were violating the shopping center's no-solicitation policy and then complaining to Trader Joe's staff. I would probably do the same on light rail, especially if security personnel were around.

In the absence of that remedy, having extended discussions with them is a good tactic. Due to new state laws, petition circulators can no longer be compensated per signature, so if you engage them in conversation, they're not hurt financially, but you might take up their time and prevent them from duping others.

[ASU Diablo]

Looks like City Council has approved the demolition of Terminal 2 (won’t occur till T3 modernization is complete). Plans to relocate the mural to the Rental Car Center

https://www.phoenix.gov/cityclerksit...enda-FINAL.pdf

Story:
https://www.azfamily.com/news/sky-ha...a925372ab.html

[exit2lef]

I have no nostalgia for Terminal 2, but that's good news about the mural. Putting it at the rental car center will give it more exposure than it has ever had at T2.

[cygnusloop99]

Had a business trip to Vegas the other day and we taxied past the new T3 South Concourse. The construction fence was gone, all pavement was complete and they were actively striping the ground markings at the gates. All of the jet ways were installed and building signage was active. I also noticed that all gates are showing with the prefix "F" at the number (e.g. gate F7). Not sure whats going on inside but if its anything like the outside, then it will be opening in the next few months.

[xymox]

Originally Posted by ljbuild

I hear what you are saying about the traffic, but least Phoenix is trying. Bu the way, the 22mi long south mountain fwy is supposed to be done late next year ( MERRY CHRISTMAS) ,

OR we could be in harsher environments like TUCSON which chooses no to try.

THERE IS NOT ONE CROSS-TOWN FWY in that dam city even though the population is over 1 million

We really don’t have a ‘cross-town’ FWY either. I-10 is the closest. The majority of FWY in this town run N/S or are loops around only a portion of the city.

If SR-50 was ever built it would have truly helped alleviate traffic in this town - connecting the east/west sides of the 101 along Camelback more or less. Perhaps the Northern Parkway will evolve into this.

To the comment earlier about traffic - its absolutely nutty that:

1. The 101 E/W across the north valley has near rush hour traffic volumes on off hours - especially on the weekends. In both directions!
2. I-17 backs up (all lanes) regularly now northbound between L101 and L303 (due to lack of FWY -> FWY interchange at I-17/L303) in the afternoons.

[Obadno]

Our traffic is still relatively good compared to large cities

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by xymox

We really don’t have a ‘cross-town’ FWY either. I-10 is the closest. The majority of FWY in this town run N/S or are loops around only a portion of the city.

If SR-50 was ever built it would have truly helped alleviate traffic in this town - connecting the east/west sides of the 101 along Camelback more or less. Perhaps the Northern Parkway will evolve into this.

To the comment earlier about traffic - its absolutely nutty that:

1. The 101 E/W across the north valley has near rush hour traffic volumes on off hours - especially on the weekends. In both directions!
2. I-17 backs up (all lanes) regularly now northbound between L101 and L303 (due to lack of FWY -> FWY interchange at I-17/L303) in the afternoons.

The long term goal of Northern Parkway is to go to Grand Ave, but no further. I would love to see this go to I-17 at the very least, but due to the density between Grand to I-17 along the route it would need, it would be extremely expensive and the amount of property that would need to be acquired would probably not be plausible.

The Happy Valley and Pinnacle Peak interchange reconstruction projects are supposed to start by the end of this month. Hopefully, those will help smooth things out a little North of the 101.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

The long term goal of Northern Parkway is to go to Grand Ave, but no further. I would love to see this go to I-17 at the very least, but due to the density between Grand to I-17 along the route it would need, it would be extremely expensive and the amount of property that would need to be acquired would probably not be plausible.

The Happy Valley and Pinnacle Peak interchange reconstruction projects are supposed to start by the end of this month. Hopefully, those will help smooth things out a little North of the 101.

The 17 is already the worst highway in the city, and with the North valley poised for massive suburban development in the coming 10-20 years its only going to get worse.

The state may wish to consider a double deck for the 17 sometime in the future.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by Obadno

The 17 is already the worst highway in the city, and with the North valley poised for massive suburban development in the coming 10-20 years its only going to get worse.

The state may wish to consider a double deck for the 17 sometime in the future.

The plan being worked on is to widen I-17 an additional lane with nearly every interchange from Central to Bell getting reconfigured or improved. I believe the plan is in the design phases right now.

http://www.azmag.gov/Portals/0/Docum...aster-Plan.pdf

Edit: For added grins, check out the Broadway interchange recommended alternative. Good luck navigating this mess. Ugh!

[biggus diggus]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

The long term goal of Northern Parkway is to go to Grand Ave, but no further. I would love to see this go to I-17 at the very least, but due to the density between Grand to I-17 along the route it would need, it would be extremely expensive and the amount of property that would need to be acquired would probably not be plausible.

That's why they didn't complete the Paradise Parkway. Back in the 80s they actually had a slice of land at 43rd Avenue and about Colter set aside for this but due to acquisition costs of other land they scrapped it.

[xymox]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

The long term goal of Northern Parkway is to go to Grand Ave, but no further. I would love to see this go to I-17 at the very least, but due to the density between Grand to I-17 along the route it would need, it would be extremely expensive and the amount of property that would need to be acquired would probably not be plausible.

The Happy Valley and Pinnacle Peak interchange reconstruction projects are supposed to start by the end of this month. Hopefully, those will help smooth things out a little North of the 101.

Take Northern all the way to SR-51 - or swing it south and run it along the original SR-50 route...

Those interchanges won’t help much - the diverging diamond interchange for Happy Valley won’t alleviate congestion like they think. The true problem is the FWY -> FWY interchange of L303 to I-17 was de-programmed and moved out of this cycle. That’s where the congestion ends - and where the source of the backup onto 17 is. The amount of traffic flowing through that interchange exceeds what the diamond traffic light configuration can accommodate.