Alternate Route to Avoid Payson Leaving Phoenix to Philadelphia

[pathrunner]

Another reason I don't take I-17 is I-40 in AZ and NM is horrendous in my experience. I usually find truckers to be excellent drivers, but for some reason I've found that stretch to be treacherous with truckers, several times.

Back in late April, I got stuck on the I-40 20 miles west of ABQ in the middle of the night. We were stopped for 4-1/2 hours, until 6 a.m. I'm told it was a fatal accident (police officer at gas station). First we lost internet. Then we lost phone service. Everyone trying to get information. All communication dead until they finally let traffic through.

(Accident management, a topic for another thread.)

I despise the way truckers drive on I-40 out of AZ into NM and ABQ. It gets better east of ABQ. That's another reason I won't take the I-17 when I visit NM, AZ and CA. I go I-10 and stop in Gilbert at the water dog park whether going east or west

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by pathrunner

Another reason I don't take I-17 is I-40 in AZ and NM is horrendous in my experience. I usually find truckers to be excellent drivers, but for some reason I've found that stretch to be treacherous with truckers, several times.

Back in late April, I got stuck on the I-40 20 miles west of ABQ in the middle of the night. We were stopped for 4-1/2 hours, until 6 a.m. I'm told it was a fatal accident (police officer at gas station). First we lost internet. Then we lost phone service. Everyone trying to get information. All communication dead until they finally let traffic through.

(Accident management, a topic for another thread.)

I despise the way truckers drive on I-40 out of AZ into NM and ABQ. It gets better east of ABQ. That's another reason I won't take the I-17 when I visit NM, AZ and CA. I go I-10 and stop in Gilbert at the water dog park whether going east or west

Going down to El Paso and then back up again, as in travelling to Philly like the OP, adds about 200 miles to the trip, though. The endless truck convoy on I40 is annoying, but they do stick to 75 mph, so if you go 80+ things are easier. If you want to go less than 75, though, they are gonna make it rough on you.

[pathrunner]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Going down to El Paso and then back up again, as in travelling to Philly like the OP, adds about 200 miles to the trip, though. The endless truck convoy on I40 is annoying, but they do stick to 75 mph, so if you go 80+ things are easier. If you want to go less than 75, though, they are gonna make it rough on you.

That's not the route I described. Map it out. The route I described turns north at Deming, NM. I mapped it out on Google Maps. It's 35 hours and only 58 miles longer than going up I-17.

As for going only 75, that's a snort. Not trying to be snarky or contrary, but my experience on that stretch is different. Once you get east of ABQ, they start behaving better. But by far, the worst drivers are automobiles, not truckers. I had a very good experience both going to CA from No. AL, and back 2 months ago.

[Sonic_Spork]

When I moved here nearly a year ago, I did the trip between Colorado Springs and Phoenix six times (six one-way treks) driving. This was probably a ridiculous choice, and I won't get into debating the sense of it. I took 87 most of those times, but stuck to the highway a few of them. I've also driven to CO and back once since then.

I personally find 87 less unnerving than the bits of 17 can be when they get geographically interesting. Mostly because if you keep to the slower lane, people seem more understanding if you aren't driving super fast on 87 because the terrain makes you anxious. And keeping your speed slower feels more in control. On the interstate, people get more antsy and tailgate and you have semis to contend with more. But that's not really my main consideration....there is a segment of the 87 route that is just a 2 lane road that is long and flat and boring, and boy can you get stuck behind some slow movers on that road, and it's not always easy to pass. If I remember correctly, it's 377 southwest of Holbrook that drives me nuts in that way. But it isn't so many miles, really. And I-40 is just a slog. I have also encountered some perilous truckers on 40, as well as high winds, dust storms, and generally unpleasant conditions...though unless you take the southerly route, you'll deal with at least some of that, whether you take 17 or 87 to connect with I-40.

It never occurred to me to go through Tucson. What Google maps is telling me, is that the 87 route that OP doesn't want, from here to Albuquerque, is 6 hours, 28 minutes. Going up 10 to 17 and taking 40 over, is 6 hours, 52 mins. Through Tucson, with the Deming to Hatch shortcut, is 7 hrs, 55 mins. So it seems to add about an hour compared to the Flagstaff route.

I'm tempted to try it just to take in some different scenery, but probably won't because I'm also trying to get where I'm going in one stretch of driving and the quicker I can do that, the better. (I'm making another trip next month.)

I personally love 87, I find it a very enjoyable drive (at least that part of it, and 260.) But I can understand why not everyone might feel that way.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Sonic_Spork

When I moved here nearly a year ago, I did the trip between Colorado Springs and Phoenix six times (six one-way treks) driving. This was probably a ridiculous choice, and I won't get into debating the sense of it. I took 87 most of those times, but stuck to the highway a few of them. I've also driven to CO and back once since then.

I personally find 87 less unnerving than the bits of 17 can be when they get geographically interesting. Mostly because if you keep to the slower lane, people seem more understanding if you aren't driving super fast on 87 because the terrain makes you anxious. And keeping your speed slower feels more in control. On the interstate, people get more antsy and tailgate and you have semis to contend with more. But that's not really my main consideration....there is a segment of the 87 route that is just a 2 lane road that is long and flat and boring, and boy can you get stuck behind some slow movers on that road, and it's not always easy to pass. If I remember correctly, it's 377 southwest of Holbrook that drives me nuts in that way. But it isn't so many miles, really. And I-40 is just a slog. I have also encountered some perilous truckers on 40, as well as high winds, dust storms, and generally unpleasant conditions...though unless you take the southerly route, you'll deal with at least some of that, whether you take 17 or 87 to connect with I-40.

It never occurred to me to go through Tucson. What Google maps is telling me, is that the 87 route that OP doesn't want, from here to Albuquerque, is 6 hours, 28 minutes. Going up 10 to 17 and taking 40 over, is 6 hours, 52 mins. Through Tucson, with the Deming to Hatch shortcut, is 7 hrs, 55 mins. So it seems to add about an hour compared to the Flagstaff route.

I'm tempted to try it just to take in some different scenery, but probably won't because I'm also trying to get where I'm going in one stretch of driving and the quicker I can do that, the better. (I'm making another trip next month.)

I personally love 87, I find it a very enjoyable drive (at least that part of it, and 260.) But I can understand why not everyone might feel that way.

87 to Payson is one of the prettiest road trips in the state. I remember when was it a two lane winding along Sycamore Creek through Sunflower. I watched and marveled at the engineering that went into making a four lane road of it - the bridges and tunnels. They moved and replanted hundreds and hundreds of saguaros and other plants from the right of way to place along the road and restore it after construction. They kept them at the rest area/viewpoint just past Fountain Hills during construction. The rock cuts were treated with "eonite" - a chemical that made them look weathered like the surrounding rocks. ADOT at its best.

[pathrunner]

I love 87 to, especially the sagauros, and the lake at Payson. So pretty. I always stop there when passing through. I have a relative who lives up there too so it's a route I like to take. To avoid I-40, I head to St. John's and into New Mexico on "back roads." One can follow these roads all the way to I-25 if desired, through Pie Town.

[AlexZaz.]

You could take Interstate 10 to Interstate 95, Or take Interstate 20 as a shortcut starting from Texas which connects to 10, or you could take Interstate 10 to Interstate 25 to Interstate 70 to Interstate 76, those are just some options but you have plenty more to choose from on Interstates, I wouldn't reccomend using state highways as they could be narrow, so if you are using a highway, use a U.S. route.