Narrow lanes in Phoenix (Peoria: construction, live, authority)

[tsandy]

I lived in Texans, North East and Mid-west and now in Phoenix. For some reason I feel the lanes here are narrower. I-17/I-10 and even inner roads where you have 3x3 or 2x2. Is this just my perception or did any one else who moved from a different state feel the same?

[Bungle]

I-17/I-10 are interstate highways and should conform to national highways standard lane widths. As for surface streets there are so many variables it's not as clear as 'yes they are narrower here' or 'no they aren't'. I'm from the mid-west originally and everything out here feels nice and wide to me. There are older parts of the valley that may have narrower streets. Pretty much the further out from the core you get the more spread out things are.

[Mr_Polymath]

You've obviously never been to Denver. If you do, sell your compensator truck because thems some narrow lanes.

[ScottsdaleMark]

It depends on the street and the highway. I believe Pink Jazz can give the most info but I-17 is narrower than the Arizona state highways (e.g. the Loops) which are wider. Additionally some of the older arterials in Phoenix are narrower than the newer arterials that have been built more recently with the more modern/standard lane widths.

By and large, Phoenix metro is pretty good on lane widths but we do have our narrow spots.

[new2colo]

The lanes on the 17 south of Peoria Avenue are 11 feet wide, which is less than the standard of 12 feet. There are other sections of the 10, around junctions with other freeways where the lanes are only 11 feet wide too. 11 feet for freeway lane widths isn't really that rare. In California, 10-11 feet is standard on some older freeways. So Phoenix is not an rare case.

[Arizona89A]

Arizona state statute for all lanes, freeway and street, is 12 feet.
While most cities do this, for some reason, Phoenix, has very narrow lanes, perhaps 11 feet, except in some of the newer areas like Deer Valley, the North Valleys, and Anthem. I am not sure why Phoenix is allowed narrower lanes, since Arizona's urban planning is heavily controlled by the state.

Yes, California also has narrow lanes, with a few exceptions, as Riverside county requires wider lanes along with Rocklin, CA. And Carlsbad has wider lanes.

Wider streets, that also depends on state, county, and city laws in both AZ and CA.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by Arizona89A

Arizona state statute for all lanes, freeway and street, is 12 feet.
While most cities do this, for some reason, Phoenix, has very narrow lanes, perhaps 11 feet, except in some of the newer areas like Deer Valley, the North Valleys, and Anthem. I am not sure why Phoenix is allowed narrower lanes, since Arizona's urban planning is heavily controlled by the state.

Yes, California also has narrow lanes, with a few exceptions, as Riverside county requires wider lanes along with Rocklin, CA. And Carlsbad has wider lanes.

Wider streets, that also depends on state, county, and city laws in both AZ and CA.

The 12 feet standard is the current minimum lane width for Interstate highways specified by AASHTO. The portions of I-10 and I-17 with 11-foot wide lanes were probably grandfathered from an older standard.

And actually, most of the other freeways have standard 12-foot wide lanes. The only freeways with the substandard 11-foot wide lanes include I-10 in central Phoenix, I-17 south of Peoria, the southern portion of SR 51, and I think SR 143.

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

The 12 feet standard is the current minimum lane width for Interstate highways specified by AASHTO. The portions of I-10 and I-17 with 11-foot wide lanes were probably grandfathered from an older standard.

And actually, most of the other freeways have standard 12-foot wide lanes. The only freeways with the substandard 11-foot wide lanes include I-10 in central Phoenix, I-17 south of Peoria, the southern portion of SR 51, and I think SR 143.

If you look around the US, there are a lot of interstates that have been "grandfathered in" and do not meet current federal interstate highway standards, either median width, lane width, shoulder width, long enough exit/entrance ramps, etc. A great example of this is the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the Northeast Extension of the PA Turnpike, both of which have sections not meeting many of the standards, even though they are interstates. The turnpike authority has been reconstructing these original sections bit by bit, oven the last 20 years, doing 2, 3 ,5, 10, or 15 miles at a time. During these reconstructions they are adding a third new lane throughout. It will probably take another 20, 30 or even 40 years before all the original sections will be totally rebuilt.

[Arizona89A]

Originally Posted by cjseliga

If you look around the US, there are a lot of interstates that have been "grandfathered in" and do not meet current federal interstate highway standards, either median width, lane width, shoulder width, long enough exit/entrance ramps, etc. A great example of this is the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the Northeast Extension of the PA Turnpike, both of which have sections not meeting many of the standards, even though they are interstates. The turnpike authority has been reconstructing these original sections bit by bit, oven the last 20 years, doing 2, 3 ,5, 10, or 15 miles at a time. During these reconstructions they are adding a third new lane throughout. It will probably take another 20, 30 or even 40 years before all the original sections will be totally rebuilt.

California, in general, another good example such as narrow lanes on the Ventura Fwy, the 101, the nations busiest freeway.