Traffic in Phoenix is BRUTAL! (Scottsdale: construction, car, commuting)

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by Jukesgrrl

I think people who complain bitterly about traffic in Phoenix probably have very little experience driving elsewhere. They've probably lived in Phoenix their whole lives or moved from some small town in the Midwest. Phoenix is America's sixth largest city. There should be a lot of traffic. Phoenix is closet in population to Philadelphia. Do a little driving on I-95 in the winter and then tell a Philadelphian you have it worse in Phoenix — and try to keep a straight face.

I moved here from a rather small Michigan town so I'm guilty.

But I have driven in other large cities and to me Phoenix seems about high-average on the congestion scale, not Los Angeles bad but still no piece of cake.

One reason Phoenix might seem like easier driving is the newness of the freeways, absence of potholes and other road hazards, and clear weather most of the year.

Even commuting in the smaller cities can be a major headache when winter storms are factored in.

[youthinkso]

Originally Posted by Parsec

Question: Why didn't they just connect the 303 to 74 instead of extending it all the way to I-17? Seems like a waste of a road where the 303 and 74 both go east-west to I-17.

The 74 is not a freeway the 303 is, the plan is to extend the 303 east of the I17. Take a look at the interchange where the 303 meets the I17. The 74 practically dead ends once you go past Cave Creek road.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by youthinkso

The 74 is not a freeway the 303 is, the plan is to extend the 303 east of the I17. Take a look at the interchange where the 303 meets the I17. The 74 practically dead ends once you go past Cave Creek road.

I think that was his point. Why did they turn the 303 and head east paralleling 74 as opposed to making the 74 portion (west of 17) into the 303. Also, I don't think there are any plans to extend the 303 east - at least not for a very long time. There presently is no interchange where they meet. The freeway just ends. You have to get off, go under an overpass with some lights.

The 303 west of 17 to Grand Ave is a work in progress. You will notice as you drive it that you are being shunted into what will some day be the off ramps to roads that don't exist yet. The overpasses are not built either, just a mound of dirt.

[youthinkso]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

Claiming traffic does not exist here is about like claiming it doesn't get hot in the summertime here.

Of course traffic exists, anyone who claims it doesn't must live way out in the boonies where traffic is naturally lighter. Have you never driven on the 202 Loop, I-10, I-17, or most other other freeways during crush hour times?

I don't think tomtom is an accurate website, it's the only source listing Phoenix low on the scale.

Many other sources rank Phoenix traffic in the top fifteen most congested in the United States.

In Depth: America's Most Congested Cities - Forbes

14. Phoenix, Arizona | Top 15 Cities with the Worst Traffic | Comcast.net

The 20 Most Traffic-Congested Cities In America

,
Driven them all during rush hour..driven from the I74 to Skyharbour during "rush hour" many times. It was a cake walk. Take a look at the list and you will see much smaller metro areas with much worse congestion.
I live in #17, we only have about 1.3 million in the metro area and our traffic is brutal..throw a few inches of snow in there and -20 and all he@@ breaks lose. Your links only look at the US and leave out the rest of the continent, there is more to North America than the US. Tom Tom monitors traffic 24/7/365 so I think they are more than acurate.

[youthinkso]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I think that was his point. Why did they turn the 303 and head east paralleling 74 as opposed to making the 74 portion (west of 17) into the 303. Also, I don't think there are any plans to extend the 303 east - at least not for a very long time. There presently is no interchange where they meet. The freeway just ends. You have to get off, go under an overpass with some lights.

The 303 west of 17 to Grand Ave is a work in progress. You will notice as you drive it that you are being shunted into what will some day be the off ramps to roads that don't exist yet. The overpasses are not built either, just a mound of dirt.

I agree I'm sure it will be along time in the making but there is no way you could ever turn the 74 east of the 17 into a freeway now..unless you wanted to buy up a few hundred homes and a few hundred acres of retail property to squeeze in some overpasses and ramps. All of which was just built in the last 14 years.

[Bondurant]

Traffic here stinks. The attempts to sugarcoat it are quite humorous. Really, it might be a bit less bad than some areas but that isn't saying much. I spent a decade in Chicago traffic and have experience in Detroit and Philadelphia as well. It's bad here. It can be agonizing here just as in other places.

[new2colo]

Originally Posted by youthinkso

The 74 is not a freeway the 303 is, the plan is to extend the 303 east of the I17. Take a look at the interchange where the 303 meets the I17. The 74 practically dead ends once you go past Cave Creek road.

Right of way acquisition for turning Highway 74 between the 17 and Highway 60 into a freeway decades from now is in MAG's long range plan. It may be desert now, but one day we'll have more houses and strips malls all the way up there. East of the 17, you're right, there's no point. Maybe one day the 303 will go east of the 17, but I really doubt it.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by youthinkso

,
Driven them all during rush hour..driven from the I74 to Skyharbour during "rush hour" many times. It was a cake walk. Take a look at the list and you will see much smaller metro areas with much worse congestion.
I live in #17, we only have about 1.3 million in the metro area and our traffic is brutal..throw a few inches of snow in there and -20 and all he@@ breaks lose. Your links only look at the US and leave out the rest of the continent, there is more to North America than the US. Tom Tom monitors traffic 24/7/365 so I think they are more than acurate.

If you exclude all cities outside the United States on that listing it still leaves Phoenix 45th most congested in this country according to tomtom.

That's why I don't believe it's accurate, the other sources I posted rate Phoenix thirteenth or fourteenth in the United States.

The good roads and good weather make Phoenix traffic seem like a cakewalk compared to cities in the northern United States and Canada, but traffic is at a near-standstill almost every afternoon on the westbound 202 Loop and a good portion of the I-10 where I drive.

Claiming traffic doesn't exist here is totally false.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by Bondurant

Traffic here stinks. The attempts to sugarcoat it are quite humorous. Really, it might be a bit less bad than some areas but that isn't saying much. I spent a decade in Chicago traffic and have experience in Detroit and Philadelphia as well. It's bad here. It can be agonizing here just as in other places.

Not only that but throw in a few stalled vehicles, an accident or two, or a police traffic stop and traffic slows down even more because of all the gawkers.

I think people who claim Phoenix doesn't have traffic must either live way out in the boondocks or under a rock.

The only nice thing about driving here is the weather, no winter hazards and not too many severe storms.

[youthinkso]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

If you exclude all cities outside the United States on that listing it still leaves Phoenix 45th most congested in this country according to tomtom.

That's why I don't believe it's accurate, the other sources I posted rate Phoenix thirteenth or fourteenth in the United States.

The good roads and good weather make Phoenix traffic seem like a cakewalk compared to cities in the northern United States and Canada, but traffic is at a near-standstill almost every afternoon on the westbound 202 Loop and a good portion of the I-10 where I drive.

Claiming traffic doesn't exist here is totally false.

Who says "it doesn't exist"....it's nothing like other metro areas and frankly the freeways in Phoenix are the life saver. Other metro areas have surface streets and no freeway options to the extend of Phoenix.

Believe it or not..driving in Phoenix is heaven..consider yourself lucky.