Will Tucson ever get HOV lanes? (Phoenix, Marana: upkeep, law, rail)

[Pink Jazz]

I was wondering, does anyone think Tucson will ever get HOV lanes?

While the traffic will eventually warrant them, I think many Tucson residents will be opposed to them. Just as Tucson residents are opposed to new freeways, I think they will also be opposed to adding HOV lanes on existing freeways.

[azdr0710]

until the majority of Tucson voters approve additional limited-access freeways, there very definitely will not be HOV lanes on the few already-existing miles of freeway.....

it works in Phx because there are plenty of freeways and plenty of lanes.....

[Bummer]

I seriously doubt we will see HOV Lanes in Tucson any time soon.

In my fairly limited experience, the rules / restrictions for HOV Lanes seem to be blatantly ignored and frequently violated. Law Enforcement Officers have more than a "full plate" as it is.

There are far too many First Person Singular Drivers out there now . . . HOV Lanes will only add more.

[JGMotorsport64]

It would be for such a small stretch during a relatively light Freeway rush hour. Seems unnecessary to me. Cross town expressway in some fashion should be a larger priority.

[Colt AZ]

Originally Posted by Bummer

I seriously doubt we will see HOV Lanes in Tucson any time soon.

In my fairly limited experience, the rules / restrictions for HOV Lanes seem to be blatantly ignored and frequently violated. Law Enforcement Officers have more than a "full plate" as it is.

There are far too many First Person Singular Drivers out there now . . . HOV Lanes will only add more.

All true. I personally see no real need for HOV lanes in the Tucson area. Phoenix has enough trouble with such a lane as it is!

[Pink Jazz]

If Tucson ever does get HOV lanes, I would think a good area to start would be on I-10 from Tangerine Road in Marana to Rita Road in southeastern Tucson.

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

If Tucson ever does get HOV lanes, I would think a good area to start would be on I-10 from Tangerine Road in Marana to Rita Road in southeastern Tucson.

They are currently doing a study about widening/adding lanes on I-10 and redoing all of the interchanges from the I-19 interchange all the way east to AZ-83. They have 3 alternatives they are looking at with differing amounts of lanes throughout the study area, starting with 4 lanes + an auxiliary lane in each direction at the I-19 interchange to 5 lanes and then going down to 4 and 3 lanes as you get to AZ-83. Another part of the study is to upgrade AZ-210 to a freeway from the I-10 interchange and Alvernon Way to Aviation Parkway.

The pdf's of the alternatives are interesting to look at if you are a "road geek".

Interstate 10 and State Route 210 Feasibility Study

And they are of course trying to upgrade I-10 going west to at least 4 lanes, if not 5 lanes in each direction from Ruthrauff all the way to Tangerine and trying to redo the interchanges at Ina, Cortaro Farms, Ruthrauff and make them like the ones at Prince and Twin Peaks where there is not an at-grade rail crossing.

Interstate 10: Ina Road Traffic Interchange Final Design

Interstate 10: Ruthrauff Road Traffic Interchange Final Design

Interstate 10 from Tangerine Road to Ina Road Study

[AlaskaErik]

Tucson needs to fix its roads before it does anything else. They are in horrible shape and the people of Tucson should be ashamed of them.

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

Tucson needs to fix its roads before it does anything else. They are in horrible shape and the people of Tucson should be ashamed of them.

I think Pink Jazz was talking about the interstate which falls under ADOT (Arizona Department of Transportation) and not the city of Tucson. If you are talking about the surface streets in the Tucson metroplex (which I think you are), then it is either Pima County or the city of Tucson who is responsible for their maintenance and upkeep. It's two different things.

[Prickly Pear]

lol.

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

It would be for such a small stretch during a relatively light Freeway rush hour. Seems unnecessary to me. Cross town expressway in some fashion should be a larger priority.

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

Tucson needs to fix its roads before it does anything else. They are in horrible shape and the people of Tucson should be ashamed of them.

^^ these...

Our road quality is actually sort of a joke here in Tucson. Sometimes I'll find a stretch of road not covered in potholes and I'll be driving thinking, "Wait, am I in Phoenix?? This doesn't seem like Tucson."

Speedway was supposed to be that cross-town expressway JG (hence it's name) but if you drive on it now... It should be renamed "Slothway"! Speedway and Broadway Boulevards are the only two roads in Tucson that fully extend to the East side of town. But making one of them a freeway will be shot down by NIMBYs. There was an idea that popped up a long time ago to make River Road a freeway but it was shot down... I think Tucsonans would be more supportive of improving public transit.