One of the Newest Looking Cities? (Phoenix, Scottsdale: apartment, foreclosures, chapel)

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Originally Posted by PNWGuy

Much of east coast has the look and charm of colonial times, remember the 13 colonies? Arizona is what, 49th state and was acquired for a more direct line of direction to California, thus development was much later.

Because so much of the country east of the Appalachian Mountains looks so old is the main reason I don't care for those cities , from Georgia to Maine. I dont mind historical, but oldness carries a certain odor. I dont know how to describe it. It doesnt stink or is necessarily a foul odor, but walk into any antique store, and you'll recognize it when you first inhale after walking thru the door. I smell that same odor in many old buildings that are not antique stores . Seems the houses in the east are built so close together, what some people would call dense, I would call cramped.

I don't have a problem with sprawl. I think sprawl with newer looking buildings and stores and houses and smooth wide streets makes a metro area look healthy and vibrant. Everything I need is within at most a 15 minute drive. I prefer the comfort and privacy of my own vehicle rather than crowded public transpotation. The only place east of the Applachian Mountains I would ever consider living would be Florida.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

First the airport, then the weather, now the roads? The roads here are phenomenal. (Unless you're in Tucson or rural areas).

I will see if I can snap pictures. LOL I literally swerve several times on my commute to and from work to avoid LARGE potholes. One in particular it appears the road has just sunk; I am worried I will blow a tire on that one. I also recall I section of road up near Metro Center Mall that was like a washboard, it was so bumpy. I also notice that on surface streets here they tend to poorly patch roads once they have torn it up for whatever reason with uneven blacktop. One area I keep thinking they did that temporarily but will be back to smooth it out. At this point I don't think it's happening.


Other than the freeways, I can't say the roads here are all that great, honestly. Maybe marginally better than the Midwest where they get freeze/thaw but far from perfect.


This was something I noticed from day one when I was still in the "honeymoon phase" of moving here. I was surprised at how bad the roads were from the get-go (especially after reading about how amazing they were here). I have also lived in 2 opposite areas of the valley at this point and I travel around the valley often, 99% of the time on surface streets, so it's not just "my" neighborhood.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

Overall, yes, I agree. But, she makes a valid point. There are plenty of crappy roads here that'll rattle the teeth out of your head. I drive a lowered car with 40-series tires, and I can tell you that there are roads here that will punish the ****e out of you. Especially the stretch of Glendale Road between 7th Ave and 7th St. The roads near downtown (3rd Ave south of Jefferson and inbetween Lincoln) are also pieces of crap. Theres also a monster pothole on the southbound 51 lane near Bethany Home that can bend a rim if I dont remember to get out of the passing lane or straddle it.

I also recall a really bad one on northbound I-17 that was that way. Not sure if it has been fixed; it's been awhile since I was on that stretch of road.

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Yes but these are more isolated than almost any major area I can think of. In LA for example the entire 405 is a du dump du dump du dump for miles. It sounds like you're riding a horse.

Oh, for sure! Im from northern IL where some of the roads look like they test missiles on them. Overall here the roads are nearly perfect, but there are a lot more bad roads than one may think. We're not as bad as Vegas, but I see so many sections that are in complete disrepair.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

Oh, for sure! Im from northern IL where some of the roads look like they test missiles on them. Overall here the roads are nearly perfect, but there are a lot more bad roads than one may think. We're not as bad as Vegas, but I see so many sections that are in complete disrepair.

The biggest thing I have seen is roads that were torn up for utility work and then not properly compacted when repaired. That can be quite common in the growth areas. Like most other things, the roads are not what they used to be in AZ. We low buck/neglect everything now and it shows.

Anyhow, OP if you live in a smaller city in the east, Phoenix looks like that new part they are building up out by the edges of your town, by the highway, where the new WalMart went in. The whole place looks like that - miles and miles and miles of it.

[Paige65]

All except the worst parts of the Phoenix area seem clean to me. Sometimes it's sterile looking, but overall it's just clean looking. Even the "older" parts are generally nice. A few weeks ago I drove from Tempe across McDowell to downtown going south on 1st Avenue and then turned around and drove all the way back north on 7th Avenue to Hatcher, and then on Cave Creek, all the way to Carefree. The older section of7th Avenue, from McDowell northward (past Encanto and Willo which are older still) has a neat feel. Clean and retro, mid century type architecture. I didn't venture off into any of the neighborhoods along 7th Avenue, but the general area was far from sterile.

Once we got up to Hatcher and then on Cave Creek Road south of 101 you could tell it was less desirable, but it didn't feel old and dirty and I didn't see much, if any, blight. Certainly there are bad, unsafe, trashy, graffiti filled, abandoned building type neighborhoods (some areas along I-17 to the west south of Indian School or so or the Broadway and Buckeye Road area south of I-10). Haven't been in those areas in over two decades though so those borders may have expanded or, conversely, been revitalized. The point being, you can live in Phoenix, or one of its surrounding suburbs, your entire life and never see the blighted areas.

P.S. Along this entire drive I don't think I encountered a single pothole. Maybe Phoenicians call small cracks in the road potholes?

[svendrell]

Originally Posted by Paige65

The point being, you can live in Phoenix, or one of its surrounding suburbs, your entire life and never see the blighted areas.

This is exactly how I was curious. In other cities, such as Philadelphia, it's difficult to avoid seeing blighted areas. Good to know Phoenix isn't like Philly, where heading closer to the city, it can't be avoided.

P.S. Along this entire drive I don't think I encountered a single pothole. Maybe Phoenicians call small cracks in the road potholes?

Yeah, not sure if those who have lived in Phoenix their entire life know what the Easterners mean by pothole.

[Dewey59]

Having just moved here from Iowa, I can say unequivocally, that by comparrison, Phoenix roads are smooth as glass! Sure, there are bad spots here and there, but not widespread like in the midwest with the constant freeze - thaw - freeze - thaw cycles.

What you are looking for as far as a modern, clean look you can easily find in many areas of Phoenix. Most neighborhoods were developed as communities with HOAs that mandate landscaping, cleanliness, etc.

You owe it to yourself to make a trip down here. I first came to Phoenix about 2 years ago and immediately fell in love with the exact things you are looking for - cool, clean, very modern look, and roads that are to die for (I have an old hot rod, so I am very aware of street smoothness). After that trip, I set the wheels in motion to move down here. I have been here for about 3-4 months now and absolutely love it!

[svendrell]

Originally Posted by Dewey59

Having just moved here from Iowa, I can say unequivocally, that by comparrison, Phoenix roads are smooth as glass! Sure, there are bad spots here and there, but not widespread like in the midwest with the constant freeze - thaw - freeze - thaw cycles.

What you are looking for as far as a modern, clean look you can easily find in many areas of Phoenix. Most neighborhoods were developed as communities with HOAs that mandate landscaping, cleanliness, etc.

You owe it to yourself to make a trip down here. I first came to Phoenix about 2 years ago and immediately fell in love with the exact things you are looking for - cool, clean, very modern look, and roads that are to die for (I have an old hot rod, so I am very aware of street smoothness). After that trip, I set the wheels in motion to move down here. I have been here for about 3-4 months now and absolutely love it!

That's what I'm thinking. I look around at what Western New York looks like and think to myself, there's got to be more than this rundown place void of sunshine. It sounds like there is more. Exactly the stories I like to see. You made the move and you're glad you made the move.

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by autism360

Arizona is the cleanest state I have ever lived in with good roads and new modern buildings and homes.
Every time I visit california where the building are old I am reminded of how new and modern Arizona is compared to other parts of the country.

Autism, I agree. When I visit San Diego, I think "this city is nice but it's old and not being maintained."