ADOT preparing motorists for a helluva ride

The Glendale Star ^ | July 16, 2021 | Paul Maryniak

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Starting next week, billboards, social media, television and print media will carry messages urging thousands of Valley motorists, including those in the West Valley, to prepare for four years of disruptions in their driving routines.

It’s not exactly Armageddon that the Arizona Department of Transportation will be heralding, but it certainly won’t be a walk in the park either, especially for car and truck traffic on I-10.

West Valley motorists who need to get to the other side of the county or Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport can expect significant increases in traffic as motorists try to evade the inevitable tie-ups that will be caused by the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project.

“There’s no way to sugarcoat it,” said ADOT spokeswoman Kim Noetzel, who, as an Ahwatukee resident, is bracing for the project. “It’s going to be impactful.”

Seven years in the planning, the work is ready to begin as crews scrape the asphalt along 11 miles of Interstate 10 between the junction of the San Tan and South Mountain freeways and I-17 near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Motorists will soon start feeling the impact later this year as work picks up steam on a project aimed at preventing virtually round-the-clock rush-hour gridlock on I-10 in the heart of Maricopa County.

“When the first phase of construction begins this summer, drivers should prepare for weekend closures on I-10 and U.S. 60,” ADOT spokeswoman Alexandra Albert said in a virtual briefing last week for Tempe residents. “And the reason for that is over the weekends, they’ll be closing down to remove the rubberized asphalt that exists on the roadway today on all of the travel lanes.”

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Long, informative article, and the fun has already begun!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

PING!

[chiller]

We have a relative primative freeway system in Phoenix, but we do now have alternative freeways and main roads transiting from east to west and north to south.

[Zathras]

I10 and parts of I202 are really in tough shape.
Sure glad I seldom use them.
Its going to be bad!

[Dr. Sivana]

We have a relatively primitive freeway system in Phoenix

What would you consider to be a modern freeway. Include only those that don't have tolls. I live in South Mountain, and besides the highways themselves, I expect both Baseline and Southern Roads to be jammed as well, but having lived in several parts of the country I have found Phoenix' highways, as presently constructed to be very usable. Eons ahead of Hartford, New Haven and Madison. Better than most of Georgia. I can never move fast enough near Chicago to know if the highways are any good. The recently completed 202 is welcome and took pressure off of I-10. The more routes around Phoenix to CA, the better.

[Openurmind]

Because someone foolishly decided to use the “Environmentally friendly” rubberized asphalt. It DOES NOT work in the hot southwest. It gets too soft in the heat and can’t handle the load. I remember when they tried this through the desert in Ca 25 years ago and it didn’t work then. It was a huge failure...

[wildcard_redneck]

Are you an inmate of Ahwatukee as well?

[Jeff Chandler]

between the junction of the San Tan and South Mountain freeways and I-17 near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
.
West Valley

I guess we can't expect gerbilists to understand the difference between east and west.

[Jeff Chandler]

relative primative freeway system in Phoenix

That was true 20 years ago, but now it's quite nice.

[Dr. Sivana]

I10 and parts of I202 are really in tough shape.

It sounds like you have never driven much on northern highway systems. Spend a year in Rockford, Illinois, and you will kiss the asphalt on I-10 and the 202 at high noon in July.

[Dr. Sivana]

I guess we can't expect gerbilists to understand the difference between east and west.

Glendale is west valley (I just moved from the border of Glendale). I believe the paper is addressing Glendale residents who might be going east. I don't think it has to affect their trips to the airport, though.

[Laslo Fripp]

Not to worry…the new infrastructure bill will fix everything.

[Dr. Sivana]

The billboards for the “Broadway curve” have already begun. All billboards in Phoenix are assigned to the state, aggressive law firms, and cannabis dispensaries. I am hopeful these new signs will displace the “Mask Up Arizona” signs defacing the valley for the last year.

[Jeff Chandler]

Because someone foolishly decided to use the “Environmentally friendly” rubberized asphalt. It DOES NOT work in the hot southwest.

My goodness. Where to begin?

• The purpose of the disruption is to widen the road. It has nothing to do with the rubberized asphalt, which works quiet nicely in Arizona. They need to scrape it off during major construction.
  .
• The purpose of rubberized asphalt is to make the road quiet, which is does, and to protect the underlying concrete. It was never sold as "environmentally friendly."

[Jeff Chandler]

I believe the paper is addressing Glendale residents who might be going east.

Nah, they got it backwards. Twice.

[Jeff Chandler]

Zathras

The freeways in L.A. freeways were once the pride of the city. Now you have to dodge potholes.

We used to laugh at how you could tell what state you were in by the roads. They went from excellent to just fair going from California to Arizona. Now it's the other way around.

[Jeff Chandler]

Are you an inmate of Ahwatukee as well?

The freeway traffic near Ahwatukee can be a pain, but at least your sun sets earlier.

[Openurmind]

It was first done in Ca and sold as Environmentally friendly. I was there when they did. Had to be all replaced within two years because the weight of trucks in those two summers squished it out. Ended up with two deep ruts like a dirt road in each lane. Maybe they improved the formula since, but as a subcontractor I made good money on both those pave jobs. So I witnessed the reality of it. They have not tried to use rubberized asphalt through there since.

[Luke21]

Phoenix has one of the best freeway systems in the country. I remember when there was only the partial ten and The Black Canyon. People coming east had to drive in on Buckeye Road. Things changed about thirty years ago, and it eliminated a lot of in town road rage.

[Jeff Chandler]

We’ve had rubberized asphalt overlaying the concrete on Arizona freeways for decades. Smooth and quiet, Baby!

I take back the part about it not being hyped as environmentally friendly. The rubber is made from recycled tires. I sure they must have pushed that angle.

Was the asphalt in Cali a top course over concrete, or was it just asphalt?