Traffic on the 10 and 143 between 202 and airport during non-rush (taxis, congested)

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

Do you know what hours she will be working?

Morning rush hour starts at 7:30 a.m. and lasts until about 9:30 a.m. From 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. traffic is light and its quite easy to get around. Evening rush hour starts about 4:00 p.m. and lasts until around 6:00 p.m. If you can avoid those hours you'll have an easy commute.

In all honesty, the only times I have experienced "light" traffic is late at night. I realize a lot of it depends on where you're driving, but most parts of the Valley (except perhaps the more outer suburban areas) can have fairly heavy traffic during all times of the day.

I have used the 202 freeway for commuting to work very early in the morning at times (before 5 AM), and encountered a decent amount of traffic at that time. Not sure how the 143 would be, but that might be a little lighter since that freeway is mostly used for a reliever route of sorts. It can be a little congested at the University exit/I10 interchange.

[gsheridan]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

Do you know what hours she will be working?
Morning rush hour starts at 7:30 a.m. and lasts until about 9:30 a.m. From 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. traffic is light and its quite easy to get around. Evening rush hour starts about 4:00 p.m. and lasts until around 6:00 p.m. If you can avoid those hours you'll have an easy commute.

I think she'll be leaving for work at 7 AM, and leaving for home at 3:30, so it sounds like she might miss most of the bad traffic. Thanks for the feedback everyone.

[SpeedyAZ]

I think she'll be leaving for work at 7 AM, and leaving for home at 3:30, so it sounds like she might miss most of the bad traffic. Thanks for the feedback everyone.

She might miss the bulk on the congestion but she'll still traveling near the peak travel time so she should still expect to hit some traffic.

[gsheridan]

observer53, thanks for the info on the pics. So far, our experience with the traffic along this route, off peak, has been the same as yours. We've done the trip from Ahwatukee to the airport and back a few times, and it's been smooth sailing.

SpeedyAZ, thanks for the info. We'll have to see how it goes once my wife starts commuting from Ahwatukee, but I think her hours are flexible enough that we should be OK.

Valley Native, are you commuting in from Chandler or Gilbert? We were considering Chandler up until the very end, but some people my wife works with said it takes them an hour to get to the airport area during rush, so we kept leaning back toward Ahwatukee and Scottsdale.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by gsheridan

Valley Native, are you commuting in from Chandler or Gilbert? We were considering Chandler up until the very end, but some people my wife works with said it takes them an hour to get to the airport area during rush, so we kept leaning back toward Ahwatukee and Scottsdale.

Neither. I commute to my workplace in downtown Tempe from east Phoenix (Camelback East area). I have quite a few choices as to the routes. My hours sometimes vary depending on the business needs, so if I'm coming in at 6 AM, I will take the 51 freeway south, and then the 202 east to 143 south, and exit at University. Even the early morning hours can be somewhat busy on those freeways. I have found that the 143 southbound is usually pretty smooth sailing, except at the University and the I10 interchanges where the freeway narrows and turns into 48th Street.

I like Ahwatukee for the most part because it feels like a completely separate suburb, even though it's just another section of Phoenix. The only problem is the commute during the rush hours, and many other parts of the day for that matter. There's only one freeway serving Ahwatukee, and very few surface streets that serve as alternate routes. Technically, Chandler is connected to Ahwatukee on the eastern side, so your commute might take just as long from Chandler as it would from Ahwatukee.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

Do you know what hours she will be working?

Morning rush hour starts at 7:30 a.m. and lasts until about 9:30 a.m. From 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. traffic is light and its quite easy to get around. Evening rush hour starts about 4:00 p.m. and lasts until around 6:00 p.m. If you can avoid those hours you'll have an easy commute.

Just an fyi too,

Traffic going east or west on the I-10 during crush hour is pretty snarled. I'd suggest alternate routes off the freeways if you don't mind the stoplights.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

Just an fyi too,

Traffic going east or west on the I-10 during crush hour is pretty snarled. I'd suggest alternate routes off the freeways if you don't mind the stoplights.

The area where the OP is doing the commute (Ahwatukee) doesn't offer many surface street alternatives, unlike Avondale, where you live.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by observer53

The area where the OP is doing the commute (Ahwatukee) doesn't offer many surface street alternatives, unlike Avondale, where you live.

I know.

It's just that these 10-laned freeways can often be more of a commuter's nightmare than the major streets, even considering the many stoplights.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

I know.

It's just that these 10-laned freeways can often be more of a commuter's nightmare than the major streets, even considering the many stoplights.

I agree-- I used to use surface streets fairly often coming from Phx to Tempe in the afternoon, sometimes the other way in the am (even used to cut thru the airport, years ago). That commute is a little better since the additional freeways opened, but I will say that it bothers me more to sit parked in traffic on a freeway than on a surface street. I guess it's because I expect it on a surface street.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by observer53

I agree-- I used to use surface streets fairly often coming from Phx to Tempe in the afternoon, sometimes the other way in the am (even used to cut thru the airport, years ago). That commute is a little better since the additional freeways opened, but I will say that it bothers me more to sit parked in traffic on a freeway than on a surface street. I guess it's because I expect it on a surface street.

Very true. I make the daily drive from Camelback East to Tempe, and if it's during peak drive times, I will often avoid the freeways and take the surface streets. It actually saves time to go down 32nd or 44th Streets to Washington, then into downtown Tempe from there.

I also have cut through the airport on occasion. Not exactly a traffic reliever, except on the eastern side. Sky Harbor Boulevard becomes a small freeway east of the 143 to its juncture with the 202. Traffic is usually pretty smooth on that stretch.