Phoenix--& Arizona--What's the Attraction? :) (Tucson, Scottsdale: crime, job market, buy)

[WilmaWildcat]

Tucson is the second largest city in the state. The metro area is estimated at about 980,000 (2015); the combined statistical area with Nogales is 1+ million. Here's the Top 10 AZ cities by population from Wiki (2010 US census):

1 Phoenix 1,563,025
2 Tucson 531,641
3 Mesa 471,825
4 Chandler 260,828
5 Gilbert 247,542
6 Glendale 240,126
7 Scottsdale 236,839
8 Tempe 175,826
9 Peoria 171,237
10 Surprise 128,422

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by WilmaWildcat

Tucson is the second largest city in the state. The metro area is estimated at about 980,000 (2015); the combined statistical area with Nogales is 1+ million. Here's the Top 10 AZ cities by population from Wiki (2010 US census):

1 Phoenix 1,563,025
2 Tucson 531,641
3 Mesa 471,825
4 Chandler 260,828
5 Gilbert 247,542
6 Glendale 240,126
7 Scottsdale 236,839
8 Tempe 175,826
9 Peoria 171,237
10 Surprise 128,422

Funny to see Glendale tumble like it has, I remember when they used to tout themselves the 4th largest city in the State, then it was the 4th largest in the valley, now? 4th largest suburb?

What a lot of people don't realize about Tucson, because yes it feels like a cowtown, is that when you elevate yourself in the hills to the North or West, the city is very low density yet endlessly sprawls.

[WilmaWildcat]

An easy way to get the idea is the view south at various places along the Catalina Highway, like Frog Mountain/Babad Do'ag pullout against Redington Pass and the Rincons on the east; on up to Windy Point and then by the telecom stations there at the Mount Lemmon trail head parking lot, up past Ski Valley at the gate end of Observatory Road.

We did the Mount Lemmon Sky Center public telescope program one summer, which is on the tip top of Mount Lemmon on the western edge past the observatories gate (private); and from there you can get the rest of the view of the west and northwest side. I wonder if that prediction some people had that Tucson and Phoenix would meet along I-10 is really going to happen and when; if they don't iron out water issues, I don't know. That is some dry stretch there, the two hours of creosote flats. But if they did, I would be curious to see it.

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

What a lot of people don't realize about Tucson, because yes it feels like a cowtown, is that when you elevate yourself in the hills to the North or West, the city is very low density yet endlessly sprawls.

That's one of the ironic parts about Tucson, I assume one of the main reasons people who were against building a crosstown freeway and/or beltway was to slow/limit the sprawl, but it didn't. Now if there was some crazy, bizarro world where a majority of Tucsonans wanted a crosstown freeway and/or beltway it would never be built due to it being cost prohibitive.

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by WilmaWildcat

I wonder if that prediction some people had that Tucson and Phoenix would meet along I-10 is really going to happen and when; if they don't iron out water issues, I don't know. That is some dry stretch there, the two hours of creosote flats. But if they did, I would be curious to see it.

Will never happen, due to the Gila River Indian Reservation. Plus in order to "fill in" the gap between the two metroplexes, you need something more than service section jobs along the I-10 corridor, you would need some major industries/businesses relocating along I-10 to spur growth. Sure people like to mention Casa Grande as a "bedroom community" for both metroplexes, but that is some killer commute for sure.

[WilmaWildcat]

People were against building a cross-town freeway for the same reason that some California cities now wish they hadn't built them: it destroys neighborhoods. Instead of looking up at a cross-town freeway on pylons, Tucson has neighborhood streets lined with a bajillion small businesses with customer cars parked out front. Getting from one end of Tucson to the other by car is a comparative breeze. When I'm in town, I'm always amazed how easy it is -- and more interesting to look at.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by cjseliga

That's one of the ironic parts about Tucson, I assume one of the main reasons people who were against building a crosstown freeway and/or beltway was to slow/limit the sprawl, but it didn't. Now if there was some crazy, bizarro world where a majority of Tucsonans wanted a crosstown freeway and/or beltway it would never be built due to it being cost prohibitive.

At this point the focus needs to be on removing cars from the road. The freeway was yesterday's news it won't happen because it can't. And the only place it could go runs right through the wealthiest area of town, they won't stand for that.

[the topper]

How women, mid level entry employment, hiking near scottsdale and watching temps approaching 120 for fun

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by WilmaWildcat

People were against building a cross-town freeway for the same reason that some California cities now wish they hadn't built them: it destroys neighborhoods. Instead of looking up at a cross-town freeway on pylons, Tucson has neighborhood streets lined with a bajillion small businesses with customer cars parked out front. Getting from one end of Tucson to the other by car is a comparative breeze. When I'm in town, I'm always amazed how easy it is -- and more interesting to look at.

I don't know it's a pain depending on the time and which road. I feel like Speedway and Broadway are messes. Grant is a hit or miss. River is really good road if you're in the northern part of town. But I think what people don't realize is that almost every road at a half mile is a major road. So there's 5th/6th street, Glenn, Tucson, Prince, Stone, Columbus, etc. all major roads that aren't a minimum of a mile apart from another major road. Tucson doesn't become a normal grid model like Phoenix until roughly Craycroft. So while there are less freeways there are more surface streets.

Tucson however on Maps looks like a normal grid. For an example Prince and Speedway are marked yellow for major roads BUT Stone is not. Stone is a major road I think as it goes from River all the way into Downtown and past it into 18th street. So it's a good road for commuting into DT. But not marked yellow. 6th/Saint Mary's/5th street isn't marked either and that takes you all the way to Wilmot and far west into Gates Pass.

I believe the cross-town freeway was proposed on River which would have interfered with the foothills and the rich people which is why I didn't think it passed. Grant or 22nd street would have been better Imo.

[WilmaWildcat]

The cross-town freeway wasn't built because many regular people didn't want their neighborhoods destroyed. Neighborhoods are a significant deal in Tucson. It was put to a city vote.

Also freeways don't get you anywhere fast, in my experience. Living in SoCal and Chicagoland, it takes two hours just to get out of town; so I find getting across Tucson using major arterials a pleasant experience.