Is traffic in Phoenix becoming worse? (Mesa: apartment, employment, school)

[Ponderosa]

Live closer to work, while great advice does not always work. If you are going to stay in the same job the rest of your life, maybe. I lived close to work at first (it was easier when the city was smaller), but then I changed jobs several times for economic and career advancement and the new job was much farther away. Then, my employer relocated on me as well.

[Chowhound]

How does it compare to the LA area? Lots of complaints here on this thread, but I work 18 miles from home and the commute can be an hour and twenty minutes for that. On a good day it's about an hour. It shouldn't take a damn hour to drive 18 miles.

I'm hoping to move to Phoenix in the next few years, traffic here being a major factor.

[Sno0909]

Originally Posted by Maroon197

Once again, the level of critical thinking that seems to accompany many decisions to move to phx is akin to "me like sun, me move to phoenix." Then everyone moves here and suddenly its, "what do you mean there's awful traffic? what do you mean the cost of living is skyrocketing? what do you mean its 110 every day in the summer? what do you mean the air quality is the worst in the country? what do you mean there aren't forested walking paths? what do you mean the water is metallic garbage? what do you mean the lot sizes are designed for dollhouses? what do you mean registration is expensive? what do you mean I have to drive 80 miles round trip to visit my coworker?"

Exactly this.

[Bondurant]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

If you want to talk about cost, it costs more for the employees in gas & vehicle maintenance the further away they live from work. If you're fine with that, more power to you. All I can say is get used to worse traffic because Phoenix is already a large metro area, and it keeps growing by leaps & bounds. With more people living here and the suburban areas becoming work center oriented, this is creating increased congestion all over. The idea of an easy flowing "reverse commute" is essentially becoming non existent. Anybody who chooses to live in the central city and work in the 'burbs has no business complaining about traffic or commuting.

You're great at making assumptions that miss the mark. I've completed the leg work. Moving closer is not more cost effective.

[TedMosby]

Originally Posted by Chowhound

How does it compare to the LA area? Lots of complaints here on this thread, but I work 18 miles from home and the commute can be an hour and twenty minutes for that. On a good day it's about an hour. It shouldn't take a damn hour to drive 18 miles.

I'm hoping to move to Phoenix in the next few years, traffic here being a major factor.

Every commute is different. I think there can be too many generalizations about traffic in the Valley. It's a huge metro area. Commuting hell can vary greatly depending on proximity to work and area of the Valley. With that being said, it doesn't seem like a lot of people posting on City Data here have to make the BIG commute of traveling East and West on I10 during rush hour. Maybe they're just too tired from their commute to post anything.

The example above, 18 miles in an hour and twenty minutes. A very similar experience can be had here also. Lets say a commute from a west valley city out near the 303 and I10 to the central Phoenix area (18-22 miles) could certainly take an hour plus (all dependent on the day/accidents/construction .. you name it). That commute will allow you to be able to experience "LA like" freeway congestion, right here in the Phoenix metro. Oh .. and I am from SoCal and know the traffic there very well. Now I realize few cities have traffic that compares to LA, but sitting on the I10 in a sea of automobiles jammed up on a 6/7 lane freeway for many many miles doesn't feel drastically different. I don't think transplanted Californian's that have to make that commute honestly sit there and think about how great traffic is here compared to LA. Don't get me wrong, there is a much better overall standard of living here though.

As many previous posts have stated, the area is collecting a huge influx of people and they are bringing their vehicles with them. Traffic is definitely getting more congested. The west valley is exploding in population and development. Within the westside the traffic is getting bad.

Even though the congestion can get ridiculous in some areas, the freeway infrastructure is pretty good and seems well designed. There also seems to be an attempt to get ahead of the population growth and traffic (imminent CA migration apocalypse).

My opinion (as an Ex-Californian): Phoenix has become a medium sized Los Angeles .. or the Inland Empire on steroids.

[mags61]

Totally preposterous to wonder if traffic is becoming worse or to expect this city to have no traffic tie-ups. I mean it's not horribly bad like California, Boston, or New York but if it's gotten so bad to start a thread about it, maybe it's time to move near your job.
I had to drive from Arcadia to Chandler on my last job here and the long drive isn't fun, but I worked a night shift so the traffic wasn't as much of a concern.
Maybe work a flex shift or later hours to avoid some of the bad traffic, don't ya think?

[CAHLUV]

[QUOTE My opinion (as an Ex-Californian): Phoenix has become a medium sized Los Angeles .. or the Inland Empire on steroids.[/quote]

Once its a huge-sized L.A. it will be time for me to move indeed!

[jaredC]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

Add to that the fact that it seems almost every road I take these days is under construction, it's very frustrating! I really need a work from home job.

Tell me about it! I am so sick of the constant road work on damn near every stretch of roadway here. I swear, I can't go in any one direction longer than a mile without hitting several construction zones.

[bobsell]

Then add in the snowbirds who start coming in. Traffic gets worse around this time of year.

[john3232]

Originally Posted by slowdude222

In Chandler it is becoming a nightmare. I have noticed more tailgating and cars driving too fast.

The traffic here isn't quite as bad as Southern Cal but it's getting there. I was in Chandler yesterday at 5 p.m. on the 202 heading to Mesa. Heavy traffic.

I take my wife to her yoga class in downtown Phx on Saturday morning. Even heading into downtown Phx on a Saturday morning there is a lot of traffic.

However, nothing here at the moment is as bad as the 405 going into/ leaving LA. Or the 101 leaving/going into San Francisco.

My biggest complaint in Mesa is the 45 speed limit on city streets. I'd make it 35 or 40. The car accidents I see are always serious. Cars just smashed up. I often see people going at least 50 better be it during rush hour or not.

I'm also seeing more rude drivers. My wife was driving the other day and literally one second late in turning and the person behind hit their horn.