Why is Tucson so Anti-Growth? (Phoenix, San Carlos: neighborhoods, buying, theater)

[TheNaturalist]

I like the small town vibes, but having an additional freeway that goes from Marana, Oro Valley and down through the east side of Tucson would make getting around town a lot faster for anyone that doesn't live in the center of the city and needs to get to the other side. There is a lot of open land out that way, so seems like it should be feasible. The only thing is I guess it would be an eyesore for the people that live along it's path.

[Bondurant]

How many people would be displaced by eminent domain and paid a "fair" value for their home to be seized? Might be more complicated than simply NIMBY's.

[Roli]

Downtown, 4th Avenue, and the Country Club and Speedway area is being developed like mad. Apartments and hotels all along the streetcar. Do you think the developers might know something? A lot of younger people want to live in the "frozen" 1978 midtown, not in the spooky nightmare of cookie cutter houses in a suburban HOA-ville.

There was an ad for Green Valley in the 1970s that said "That Green Valley grin comes from living good again!" All the kids sang "That Green Valley grin comes from drinking too much gin!"

[trailtramp]

There will never be an east west highway or freeway through Tucson. No government entity (city, state or fed) would spend the money it would cost these days to buy up enough land to do this. Maybe back in the 60's or 70's it would have been feasible. At this point its way too late for it, and it would rip the city in half or more.

[LS Jaun]

Born in Tucson, and 4th gen Arizonan. They just think it will control growth. That, and cheapness. Always been that way.

[JGMotorsport64]

You don’t want a freeway. The lack of freeway is what keeps midtown cool and limits bland suburbia ala Phoenix. You want vertical growth in a unique environment. That’s what is happening

[grmi66]

A freeway is never happening in my time, instead half hearted measures to speed up traffic flow on Grant, Speedway and Broadway will continue. Those measures didn't work in the 80's when they started and don't honestly do much now.

But the city and county government should really be pushing to add lanes on I-10 all the way to the state highway that goes down to Sonoita. I've started traveling out to the Rita Ranch area for work lately and can't believe that the freeway gets pinched down to two lanes in basically the middle of town.

Plus with no freeway through town, the northwest side of town is booming. This will be where much of the new growth will come from. Easy access to Phoenix, three lanes of freeway to take you either downtown or to Raytheon and plenty of land.

[steiconi]

Originally Posted by grmi66

A freeway is never happening in my time, instead half hearted measures to speed up traffic flow on Grant, Speedway and Broadway will continue. Those measures didn't work in the 80's when they started and don't honestly do much now.

But the city and county government should really be pushing to add lanes on I-10 all the way to the state highway that goes down to Sonoita. I've started traveling out to the Rita Ranch area for work lately and can't believe that the freeway gets pinched down to two lanes in basically the middle of town.

Plus with no freeway through town, the northwest side of town is booming. This will be where much of the new growth will come from. Easy access to Phoenix, three lanes of freeway to take you either downtown or to Raytheon and plenty of land.

If they ever decide on the I-11 route (I thought they were going to decide in 2020), development patterns might change.
https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.town...177782.pdf.pdf

The East option is just I-19 and I-10 up past Marana;
the West option creates a new roughly parallel road 15-20 miles west of I-10
Both options merge north of Marana, and veer west around I-8.

If they choose the West option, I think there will be growth between the two highways and west of I-11.
With the East option, things will go on as they are.

[wildflowers27]

I know the I-11 and Sonoran Corridor are somehow related, but I don't remember the specifics. In November 2021 they chose the route for the Sonoran Corridor -- about 20 miles that will connect I-10 and I-19.

"The route ADOT selected goes from El Toro Road at I-19, east along a new alignment, then north on an extension of Alvernon Way to Old Vail Connection Road; it would follow that road east to connect with I-10 at Rita Road."

https://www.gvnews.com/news/i-19-10-...ac90bb35f.html

I don't understand why they need the Sonoran Corridor in addition to the I-11, but there must be a reason.

[steiconi]

Originally Posted by wildflowers27

I know the I-11 and Sonoran Corridor are somehow related, but I don't remember the specifics. In November 2021 they chose the route for the Sonoran Corridor -- about 20 miles that will connect I-10 and I-19.

"The route ADOT selected goes from El Toro Road at I-19, east along a new alignment, then north on an extension of Alvernon Way to Old Vail Connection Road; it would follow that road east to connect with I-10 at Rita Road."

https://www.gvnews.com/news/i-19-10-...ac90bb35f.html

I don't understand why they need the Sonoran Corridor in addition to the I-11, but there must be a reason.

From the link you posted, the Sonoran Corridor appears to be an East-West link between I10 and I19, south of where they currently merge.

I11 runs north-south, ultimately from Mexico to Canada. That wouldn't solve whatever issues the corridor is supposed to address.