East Valley hails Loop 202 leg (live, cars, driving)

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

It's not completely done yet. Remember that the South Mountain leg of the 202 still has to be finalized and constructed. The NIMBYs & enviro nuts in that area have been fighting the freeway through that section ... giving reasons like, "it's too close to a school", "it will destroy the ecology of the area", etc. Seems ironic that many of these complainers had their homes built AFTER the freeway had been on the planning boards for years. The South Mountain Freeway was part of the original 1985 plan. It was put on the back burner, partly because of ADOT and their mis managing of funds, and partly the NIMBY factor.

I oppose the South Mountain Freeway in its current alignment. I don't live near it and don't have much sympathy for those who didn't read their disclosures when they bought their homes. Nevertheless, I don't like the current path because it cuts through a corner of South Mountain Park. If the Gila River Indian community agrees to a route through its land, avoiding any incursion into the park, then I might support the freeway. In your lexicon, I'm not a NIMBY, but I might very well be an "enviro nut." I'll wear the label proudly.

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

Also, just my opinion, but throwing parties on newly completed sections of freeways is plain idiotic, and a waste of money.

I have to disagree! I have been to several of these parties - including the one celebrating the new leg of the 101! They are fun - and help to bring communities closer.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I am all for a party. Never heard of a party for a freeway or road opening though.

[miamiman]

The freeway system in Phoenix is nowhere near done. The 303 is going to be upgraded to freeway status in several areas, and there are still preliminary plans to construct two additional freeways in the Valley.

The 202 South Mountain still has to be constructed. Once, that is constructed, there are plans to connect the South Mountain Freeway to the 303 freeway via the 801 freeway, which will run south of Buckeye Road in the Southwest Valley. Ther are also plans to construct the 802 freeway in the Southeast Valley, which would extend from the 202 Santan, past Williams-Gateway Airport, into rapidly-growing Pinal County. All of these freeways were scheduled to be completed by 2030, but with the real estate market slowing down, I think 2040 or 2045 is a more realistic estimate.

[Urban Renewal]

Originally Posted by miamiman

The freeway system in Phoenix is nowhere near done. The 303 is going to be upgraded to freeway status in several areas, and there are still preliminary plans to construct two additional freeways in the Valley.

The 202 South Mountain still has to be constructed. Once, that is constructed, there are plans to connect the South Mountain Freeway to the 303 freeway via the 801 freeway, which will run south of Buckeye Road in the Southwest Valley. Ther are also plans to construct the 802 freeway in the Southeast Valley, which would extend from the 202 Santan, past Williams-Gateway Airport, into rapidly-growing Pinal County. All of these freeways were scheduled to be completed by 2030, but with the real estate market slowing down, I think 2040 or 2045 is a more realistic estimate.

Good grief! That's a lot of freeways. Maybe they were right afterall...Phoenix is turning into the next LA.

[Magnum Mike]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

So cool that the 202 is done. Now can they start on the 303?

As soon as they get the 101 done.... or redone.

I was driving on the 101 last weekend, and got to the I-17 interchange and they had lanes on the ramps closed, and concrete sections of the bridges torn down. It looks like they're doing some major improvements there. I know that interchange was completed just a few years ago, around 2000 or so, and it made me wonder again about ADOT. Why didn't they put these extra lanes when the interchange was built in the first place? Valley Native made a mention of ADOT's mismanagement of funds, well when they build new freeways, and interchanges, then 8 years later they have to redo some of those sections because of increased traffic, it's not hard to figure out how ADOT wastes their funds. I also remember the many times they had to widen the US 60, one time in the 1990's, and another just more recently.

[Magnum Mike]

Originally Posted by Bummer

Never happens down here, Urban.

Whooooooooops . . . maybe that's because we ain't got no stinkin freeways! ! ! ! !

LOL.. Bummer, that might be because folks in Tucson call them Expressways..

[silvermountain]

Perfect, I'm moving to Mesa from an out of state hiatus the past 5 years. I will be living very near the North end of this segment. I can reap the benefits without having to have endured the construction.

[abmiku]

They still have to add one more lane to the 202 in 5 years and then another lane 6 years after that. And then when they can't expand the freeway anymore and it's jammed up like no one's business, they'll start the 303.

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

So cool that the 202 is done. Now can they start on the 303?

[jd433]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

So cool that the 202 is done. Now can they start on the 303?

Well I can tell you that although one of Surprises mottos is "exceeding expectations" I always felt that they couldn't even meet expectations when it comes to transportation. What Surprise needed was a real FREEWAY!! Not an expansion of Bell rd, Not making Deer Valley or Beardsley a throughfare not timing the lights on Greand and not really even the 303. Where does the 303 go to??? NOWHERE!! It is not even a corridor of anything but cotton fields. What is that?? At least 15 years ago when I was there I saw the final blow to surprises hopes of a real freeway when the State was planning to make GRAND AVE into a Freeway.

Well you can thank the good citizens of Sun City and the few businesses along Grand Ave. for making sure that this didn't happen. Now if you live in Surprise you will be forever cut off From any direct freeway access to "Phoenix" where most of the jobs are.

Hey the good news is though that after the housing crash there in Surprise and after the HUGE increase in gas prices Surprise has returned to the affordable Bedroom Community that it was meant to be. After all, the builders saying used to be "Drive a little. Save a lot"

I.ve been seeing newer built homes there for under 100k again for the first time in 4 years.