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What??? The freeways move faster in CA than Phoenix? Well true in Bakersfield and Indio but not in L.A, San Fran, and San Diego; that's just crazy now. It is a well known fact that traffic in L.A. is amongst the worst in the world and amongst the worst in the country for San Fran and that is not the case in Phoenix.
Well, I'm in Orange County and part of LA and San Diego Counties probably more than 10 times a year, and my experience is that if you are doing less than 85 MPH in the fast lane, you are run off the road. And just try merging onto the freeways at less than 70 MPH. But I know they can get really dicey at times, just like here, only we have much more freeway construction here which compounds the issue. Plus, I happen to know a lot of alternate routes around the freeways when there are accidents, so that's probably something a normal "tourist" can't do. Same here when there are traffic issues, you probably know alternate routes without thinking twice.
Plus, the So Cal freeway system is much better from point to point. Try going from the Scottsdale Fashion Square to Metrocenter, for example. You have to go up and back, 20 miles out of your way to get there. San Diego is a little worse, and their freeways are a little narrower, but I normally don't encounter much traffic in San Diego.
Well, I'm in Orange County and part of LA and San Diego Counties probably more than 10 times a year, and my experience is that if you are doing less than 85 MPH in the fast lane, you are run off the road. And just try merging onto the freeways at less than 70 MPH. But I know they can get really dicey at times, just like here, only we have much more freeway construction here which compounds the issue. Plus, I happen to know a lot of alternate routes around the freeways when there are accidents, so that's probably something a normal "tourist" can't do. Same here when there are traffic issues, you probably know alternate routes without thinking twice.
Plus, the So Cal freeway system is much better from point to point. Try going from the Scottsdale Fashion Square to Metrocenter, for example. You have to go up and back, 20 miles out of your way to get there. San Diego is a little worse, and their freeways are a little narrower, but I normally don't encounter much traffic in San Diego.
That's just my experience, yours may vary.
Yeah, big time! Try driving the 101, 110, 10, 5, 15, etc etc etc in L.A. from 5a.m. to 11p.m. I lived in L.A. for 4 years and there is no 85mph during the day; it is bumper to bumper, slow crawl all day long. Sometimes the traffic even backs up in the early morning hours around 12am, 1am, etc. especially on the weekends. If you drive from Scottsdale FS to Metrocenter, weird but ok, normally you don't circle around on freeways but just take Camelback to I-17 then north to Dunlap or Peoria. Probably a 30-40 minute drive in the worst of traffic. Also, the freeways in Phoenix have an exit every mile, in L.A. you can drive miles without an exit; hence, the traffic can back up for miles upon MILES. It is truly a treacherous experience. Try getting to Burbank, LAX, the Valley, Santa Monica, Westwood, Expedition BLVD (near USC), etc from opposite ends of the L.A. area and you are in for quite an experience.
I admit not traveling through Orange County much but have been many times and it wasn't much different than L.A. County. To say that Phoenix with a population of 4.3 million has comparable traffic to L.A., a metro area with 16 million is comical.
To say that Phoenix with a population of 4.3 million has comparable traffic to L.A., a metro area with 16 million is comical.
Not really, because both metro areas are spread out cities, and people don't all generally go to the "urban core" like people do in NY. You can build Phoenix all the way to Tucson, and as long as there are satellite employment centers like there are now, it will not necessarily make the traffic in the center city any more congested than it is today. The traffic is just spread out over a much larger area, over more freeways, just like LA.
All I can say is.... my sister, nieces, nephews, and cousins relocated to Phoenix and Scottsdale about 6 years ago to buy homes.
They are literally counting the days until they can return to California (Northern CA).
I can't tell you the multitude of complaints I have heard from them over the years.
To each his own, but personally I would not live there.
No disrespect intended to anyone, jmo.
Not really, because both metro areas are spread out cities, and people don't all generally go to the "urban core" like people do in NY. You can build Phoenix all the way to Tucson, and as long as there are satellite employment centers like there are now, it will not necessarily make the traffic in the center city any more congested than it is today. The traffic is just spread out over a much larger area, over more freeways, just like LA.
Yeah, that doesn't make sense. Not only because L.A. has at least 4 times the people, but because it is more densely populated. There isn't a real urban core in L.A. even more so than in Phoenix but it is one large sprawling area with way more congestion than Phoenix. Most of Phoenix is not developed but divided between urban areas and preserves/parks/etc. You can point to Central Ave corridor as being the urban core of Phoenix and Tempe being another true urban core but that is about it. This isn't true of L.A. where it truly is spread out. For a city of 3 million, downtown L.A. only has 100,000 employees. In Phoenix, a city of 1.6 million, a 1 mile radius around downtown and up Central Ave has an employee count of over 130,000...
Just for comparison, Phoenix is a 517 sq mile city where about 150 sq miles is undeveloped preserved land set aside for parks and recreation. L.A. is a 469 sq mile city and all of that is developed land.
All I can say is.... my sister, nieces, nephews, and cousins relocated to Phoenix and Scottsdale about 6 years ago to buy homes.
They are literally counting the days until they can return to California (Northern CA).
I can't tell you the multitude of complaints I have heard from them over the years.
To each his own, but personally I would not live there.
No disrespect intended to anyone, jmo.
I know a few people ready to leave as well. They cannot tolerate the summers, LOL! However I know people whom cannot wait to move back to to Phoenix ASAP. To each their own for sure; I would not live anywhere in California, not even NorCal.
Yeah, that doesn't make sense. Not only because L.A. has at least 4 times the people, but because it is more densely populated. There isn't a real urban core in L.A. even more so than in Phoenix but it is one large sprawling area with way more congestion than Phoenix. Most of Phoenix is not developed but divided between urban areas and preserves/parks/etc. You can point to Central Ave corridor as being the urban core of Phoenix and Tempe being another true urban core but that is about it. This isn't true of L.A. where it truly is spread out. For a city of 3 million, downtown L.A. only has 100,000 employees. In Phoenix, a city of 1.6 million, a 1 mile radius around downtown and up Central Ave has an employee count of over 130,000...
Just for comparison, Phoenix is a 517 sq mile city where about 150 sq miles is undeveloped preserved land set aside for parks and recreation. L.A. is a 469 sq mile city and all of that is developed land.
So true!!!!!!!!
To many outsiders LA seems like the Final destination for everyone's dreams. It's not!
Try living there for awhile like I did. The traffic, smog, snobbery, crowds, crime, and crooked politics get really tireseome!!!!!!!!!! I mean, Phx. isn't perfect, we have bad traffic and crime here but LA has become such an armpit - I don't think there's any turning back.
LA looks and feels a bit more Urban than Phx., but I really think Phx. is getting better on that part.
The trick to living in Los Angeles is to not own a house but to rent near where you work. Mine is a two mile drive. It's within a mile and a half from the beach. I love Los Angeles and I love Phoenix. I have no preference.
Yeah, don't live "in" LA, that's not the goal here. It's the sprawl, that was pointed out, that is the appeal. The actual city limits of LA are irrelevant so all the numbers regurgitated by the haters are not the issue. You shouldn't try to live in the city limits, but rather the many communities that abound in LA county. There is literally something for everyone, depending on your tastes (and yes, pocketbook).
Then again, if you like a smaller population and not be in the crowds, then AZ is the better option--or any place, really, with a smaller population and a climate that you enjoy. Thus me having a house in AZ, but not in the pizza-oven that is southern AZ -- I'm upstate at 5200 ft elevation, much more tolerable.
As for the statement made earlier about not wanting to live in Northern California--if you have the finances to live in Montery, Big Sur, up along the northern coast in a nice home...hard to get much better than that. Unless you truly are a lizard or snake and need the 100+ degree temperature to warm that cold, thick blood.
The trick to living in Los Angeles is to not own a house but to rent near where you work. Mine is a two mile drive. It's within a mile and a half from the beach. I love Los Angeles and I love Phoenix. I have no preference.
Yes sir you are correct. It is better to live near where you work if you can, but not everyone is that fortunate.
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The freeways move faster in CA than Phoenix? Well true in Bakersfield and Indio but not in L.A, San Fran, and San Diego; that's just crazy now. It is a well known fact that traffic in L.A. is amongst the worst in the world and amongst the worst in the country for San Fran and that is not the case in Phoenix. 
I mean, Phx. isn't perfect, we have bad traffic and crime here but LA has become such an armpit - I don't think there's any turning back.
