Metro Phoenix Transit/Transportation Developments

[ASU Diablo]

Great article up on AZ Central. And I really despise Michael Nowakowski...

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...sit/723115002/

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by airomero83

Great article up on AZ Central. And I really despise Michael Nowakowski...

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...sit/723115002/

I was reading that this morning. Very good article that clears up a lot of the confusion and what not. Also, the first article I have actually seen that addresses the fact that most of the LTR has required lane decreases...and mentions Mesa and it's 2 lanes of roadway.

Hopefully they get the 4 Lane or No Train movement to think about this a little bit differently and start getting a little more support.

Edit: Yea, Nowakowski. Trying his hand at the "I didn't say it or know about it", but yet he is on video when they brought up the project being 2 lanes and he still voted on it. Jerk. SMH

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by airomero83

And I really despise Michael Nowakowski...

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

Edit: Yea, Nowakowski. Trying his hand at "I didn't say it or no about it", but yet he is on video when they brought up the project being 2 lanes and he still voted on it. Jerk. SMH

He's trying to convey two messages to two different audiences, just like he did with gay / transgender anti-discrimination issues. Getting caught doing this on the latter issue ruled out any possibility he'll ever become mayor. Now, he's term-limited as a city councilman, so he could just do the right thing and press ahead with the current design. Instead, he's still trying to please everyone and pleasing no one in the process.

Boehm's article was quite good, although I do wish she had added some detail on the role played by Sal DiCiccio and his chief of staff Sam Stone. They've also been involved in some of the 4-lanes-or-no-train-but-really-no-train-at-all activism.

[DesertRay]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

He's trying to convey two messages to two different audiences, just like he did with gay / transgender anti-discrimination issues. Getting caught doing this on the latter issue ruled out any possibility he'll ever become mayor. Now, he's term-limited as a city councilman, so he could just do the right thing and press ahead with the current design. Instead, he's still trying to please everyone and pleasing no one in the process.

Yup. He's been busted. This is a great article, and shows how meticulous the city has been. Just build it, and keep talking to the community. It's neither the doom machine, nor the cure-all for the city. It's progress, and it's not a very good political football. Build it and pick some other nit to pick.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by DesertRay

Yup. He's been busted.

BOOM

FWIW, Angie has a (better than average) piece that's a bit discouraging with respect to potential funding.

[TakeFive]

Also this...

Safety changes being fast tracked for 35th Ave north of Indian School

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

BOOM

FWIW, Angie has a (better than average) piece that's a bit discouraging with respect to potential funding.

Yes, and I wonder if that's part of the strategy for the 4-lanes-or-no-train-but-really-no-train-at-all crew. Create enough uncertainty about local support to give the FTA an excuse to slow down the funding process, and maybe the project never gets built.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

Yes, and I wonder if that's part of the strategy for the 4-lanes-or-no-train-but-really-no-train-at-all crew. Create enough uncertainty about local support to give the FTA an excuse to slow down the funding process, and maybe the project never gets built.

Not sure about any 'collusion' efforts with FTA and as muertecaza has pointed out this line is not highly rated, so there's that too.

Congress actually appropriated more funding not less but it also feels like they're still working with the overhang left by Obama.

Speaking of everybody's favorite collusion I'm beginning to wonder if Trump can hold his popularity for two more years. The dedicated core are still mesmerized but it's the moderates, women and independents where I think he'll be in trouble. Maybe it will just be a matter of needing extended patience??

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Not sure about any 'collusion' efforts with FTA and as muertecaza has pointed out this line is not highly rated, so there's that too.

Congress actually appropriated more funding not less but it also feels like they're still working with the overhang left by Obama.

Speaking of everybody's favorite collusion I'm beginning to wonder if Trump can hold his popularity for two more years. The dedicated core are still mesmerized but it's the moderates, women and independents where I think he'll be in trouble. Maybe it will just be a matter of needing extended patience??

I don't think there's actual collusion, but I do think there's a convergence of interests between local transit opponents and the Trump administration. The former may be playing to an anticipated reaction from the latter. And, to be clear, by "FTA" I mean politically appointed leadership and not career civil servants, most of whom would not work at the FTA if they didn't believe in its mission.

[TakeFive]

A little off mainstreet, but...

Anyone familiar with this heart-warming story?

Birmingham college student walked 20 miles to 1st day of work so his boss gave him his car

How 'bout taking that story, turning it on its head, into a transit-agenda piece written by a true SJW (Social Justice Warrior)?

Stories About Marathon Walking Commuters Receiving Benevolent Donations of Cars Are Actually Terrible

[Classical in Phoenix]

[QUOTE=TakeFive;8255912]A little off mainstreet, but...

Anyone familiar with this heart-warming story?

Birmingham college student walked 20 miles to 1st day of work so his boss gave him his car

Like I said on Twitter when I first saw this story, lazy millenials!

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Classical in Phoenix

Like I said on Twitter when I first saw this story, lazy millenials!

Sounds appropriate but I'm unsure of your context/meaning?


My Ketchup found some good stuff


Rendering: City of Phoenix

6 BIKE LANE PROJECTS COMING TO A DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU
JULY 28, 2017 BY FARA ILLICH/DTPHX

Right now, Phoenix lacks a comprehensive bicycle network connecting the downtown business district with surrounding neighborhoods.

But a number of improvement projects aim to change that. From road “diets” to restriping, the City of Phoenix is not only focusing on making downtown more bikeable, but more walkable and livable too.

While many of these projects are still in design/review, I see where First Street Pedestrian Improvement Project has been completed?
Any positive feedback?

This captures the right spirit of things:

But according to Dan Klocke, executive director of the Downtown Phoenix Partnership, it’s time to rethink that mentality.

“Cities originally widened roads so people could get to their far-flung neighborhoods faster,” he said. “It’s time to recapture some of the quality of life for those neighborhoods by reducing the impact of wide roads, and offering transportation solutions for local residents and employees.”

[pbenjamin]

The Roosevelt/Willo discussion is a little bit off. There are solid plans for 3rd and 5th Avenues between Washington and McDowell. The car part of the story is that south of Roosevelt they will become two way, and between Roosevelt and McDowell they will be one way one lane with protected bike lanes throughout. North of McDowell things are 2-3 years behind. The Willo neighborhood wants a continuation of the one way one lane and bike paths. We also want sidewalks between Encanto and Thomas on Fifth Ave where they currently don't exist. The City doesn't seem to be listening and continues to show us proposals with two traffic lanes. We have Councilwoman Pastor on board and I suspect we will eventually get the desired continuation of the Roosevelt changes but it is going to be a long time before it happens and in the interim the lack of integration is going to cause a mess.

[Classical in Phoenix]

[QUOTE=TakeFive;8256041]Sounds appropriate but I'm unsure of your context/meaning?

It was sarcasm, I think Millenials are just fine. I'm GenX and boomers always called us lazy. Every generation deals with their own issues and turn out fine.

[ASU Diablo]

Google/Waymo trying to address the "first and last mile" connections to public transportation

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...ural-self.html

[CrestedSaguaro]

Not sure how far along this study is, but I believe this is supposed to be part of the proposed I-10 reliever, correct?

PHOENIX — Officials in Maricopa County are looking to construct a new part of a highway in order to connect downtown Phoenix to the West Valley.

Bob Hazlett with the Maricopa Association of Governments told KTAR News 92.3 FM that the proposed segment of the State Route 30, also known as the Tres Rios Freeway, would connect the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway interchange to the Interstate 17.

“What this study is going to be doing is to look at that particular segment and figure out what needs to be done to bring that particular segment to bear,” he said.

“The section we’re looking at is completely inside the city of Phoenix.”

Hazlett said S.R. 30 is a corridor that was meant to be a reliever route for the Interstate 10 in the West Valley.

“Originally, plans had it running between the new South Mountain Freeway to the State Route 85 in Buckeye,” he said.

“As early as mid-2017, the regional counsel felt it was important to bring it into downtown Phoenix from South Mountain to the I-17 at the Durango Curve.”

Hazlett said the new segment would be completely separate from the I-10, running about five or six miles south of the freeway, and would roughly follow the Salt and Gila rivers.

He said the proposed highway would do more than provide relief for drivers.

“It would open up an area that previously hasn’t seen a lot of development,” Hazlett added, “so property can develop as it dictates.”

Hazlett said they are looking for input on the proposed highway. The group was collecting proposals on the freeway this week.

http://ktar.com/story/2175627/new-hi...ntown-phoenix/

[exit2lef]

ADOT's site still shows the proposed road stopping at the 202:

https://azdot.gov/planning/transport...state-route-30

It will send an unfortunate signal about our priorities for South Phoenix and Laveen if the longer version of this freeway is built but the South Central light rail extension is cancelled.

[Obadno]

I remeber reading that this may be or is going to be a Toll Road? Anyone remeber that?

I dont think south central will be canceled and I believe ADOT is still showing that the Phase 2 of this will go to the 303 spur south of I10 and even potentially out to the 85 out in Buckeye

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

ADOT's site still shows the proposed road stopping at the 202:

https://azdot.gov/planning/transport...state-route-30

It will send an unfortunate signal about our priorities for South Phoenix and Laveen if the longer version of this freeway is built but the South Central light rail extension is cancelled.

I remember reading a while back that they wanted to push this to the Durango curve, but this is the first time I've actually seen anything serious about it.

Found another article from BJ with a little more detail and rendering of the proposed connection:

Proposals sought for West Valley freeway study

The stretch is proposed to connect the future Loop 202 extension with Interstate 17.



Vehicle travel from the Central to West Valley could look very different 10 years from now as the Maricopa Association of Governments begins seeking expertise on what one new stretch of freeway could look like.

MAG released a request for proposals seeking a consultant to identify a 2,000-foot wide corridor for the easternmost piece of the proposed State Route 30, known as the Tres Rios Freeway. That stretch is planned to link the future extension of the Loop 202 to Interstate 17.

The Loop 202 extension, which will connect to Interstate 10 near 59th Avenue, is scheduled to open late next year.

The consultant awarded the bid from MAG will be responsible for creating a project plan, including project management, the decision-making process and public involvement. Then develop corridor base conditions and future conditions of the corridor, create a purpose and need statement for the project, select and evaluate alternatives and identify the corridor where the freeway piece could be built.

The project must be finished within 30 months, and the cost is not to exceed $800,000, according to the RFP. Proposals are due by 11:15 a.m. Aug. 16.

Arizona Department of Transportation is in the process of studying State Route 30 between the future extension of Loop 202 and Loop 303 south of Interstate 10. The total project is proposed to go through parts of Goodyear, Avondale, Phoenix and unincorporated communities.

A draft of the environmental analysis and design concept for that portion is scheduled to be released this fall and will be followed by a public meeting. The final assessment and design concept are planned to be released in summer of 2019.

Depending on what the final plans are, design for the 14-mile stretch between Loop 303 and Loop 202 could begin in the 2020 fiscal year as part of MAG’s regional transportation plan, ADOT officials said. Construction, which could take three to five years, on that stretch could begin in 2022.

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...way-study.html

[ASU Diablo]

Great news! Although I would've hoped for another European city, this is progress...

https://www.azcentral.com/story/trav...ht/1045755002/