Phoenix without freeways? Blame this ATROCIOUS design.

[@justinsolomon4053]

Coming from a Phoenix native, this is video is SHOCKINGLY accurate. The research necessary to get this done must’ve been substantial.

[@SurelyYewJest]

Ya. I think what played into his hands in terms of research was the relative lack of anything happening in Phoenix before 1985. The city's growth history is really wrapped up in the last 35 years, which is unlike any other major metro in the nation.

[@davidpaz9389]

As near as I remember when I first lived in Phoenix in early 1994 the 101 only had a few miles built in the far northwest corner where it crosses US 60 and the far southeast corner where it would eventually run into the 202. Litchfield Road only had gas stations at each corner of its I-10 exit. Passing through the Valley or staying for a work assignment over the years the area grew and grew and grew. On one trip we were headed south on the 17 to downtown to get on the 10. A sign read that the 101 was complete through the West Valley. It was an easy in and out to San Diego.

[@gonelucid6270]

@@SurelyYewJest they've been making movies in arizona for quite a while... Think westerns. Also aviation is huge here, since like forever.

[@ThatsJustMyBabyDaddy]

That's the point of research. Haha

[@AndrooUK]

@@ThatsJustMyBabyDaddy What's the point of research, to bust your arse, or to produce an informative and accurate video? You don't actually say what the point of research is.

[@Ravidist]

"We don't wanna become another LA." "So they became another LA, without freeways"

[@rubschen218]

And then they became another la

[@bryanibarra1142]

And then more LA people moved to phx to try to make it another LA

[@m8sonmiller]

We became another LA, without freeways, with freeways 🤔

[@red_light_3937]

*so california real estate moguls came and made it another LA But yeah...

[@moisesm9602]

So basically it just became another LA lmao

[@jcarp8471]

The urban heat island is real. I was driving into downtown Phoenix during a summer heatwave and watched the temp reach 127F (actually it was 52.5C since the VW was a European model but I digress). Even the night time temperatures will sometimes never dip below 90F since all the daytime heat is being held by all the asphalt and concrete.

[@joelv4495]

Absolutely! There's even a 3-5F difference where I live, in a town of about 150k, to the rural areas.

[@AMPProf]

Rock lawns few native trees

[@GarrettCaughern]

so true lol@@AMPProf

[@jordangarza8405]

And that may be the reason why phoenix never build these free ways two reasons actually cause the history of the state and also the hot as hell climate

[@zachgray4767]

​@@AMPProfare you suggesting rock lawns cause the heat island effect? What exactly do you think the surrounding wild desert is made of?

[@cjeam9199]

It’s pretty astounding watching these videos as a European. The idea of building a controlled-access Highway grade separated _through_ a metro area designing it to be used by local traffic seems completely insane.

[@6z0]

Shit happens bro. Deal with it. Clearly the Americans can

[@hj-mr5gg]

@@6z0 clearly they cant, have u seen how many children died this year

[@tonymouannes]

US cities are huge, like really huge. Metro phoenix is bigger than some small countries. You can drive over an hour at above highway speed limit with leaving the urban area. You need highways to be able to drive at those speeds. Without highways some trips are impractical.

[@6z0]

@@hj-mr5gg what are you talking about? Unfortunately, children die in every country. This freeway has been there for decades. How does an influx of child deaths in 2022 correlate to this freeway design, that’s been sitting there already designed and built for over 50 years? Maybe if people got off their phones when driving, people would stop dying.

[@irg008]

@@tonymouannes I see that, but i think the insane part is where these huge highways are built right *through* the cities, rather than keeping them around the cities yk

[@W0X42A]

Just remember when calculating commute times, Phoenix is an hour away from Phoenix.

[@christianp5486]

You're thinking of Boston. In my experience in Phoenix, everything is 20 minutes away.

[@sants.602]

Make it 35 now, but way better than LA ​@@christianp5486

[@PasleyAviationPhotography]

My family moved to Phoenix in the early 90s, so I have seen the growth but never knew the story. Ironically, I found your channel two days ago, what a coincidence.

[@jackielinde7568]

It was talked about in my AZ History class I took in high school back in the late 1980s. I didn't learn of the myth of Pullman's wife being the genesis of his hatred for the freeways, but he was the leading force behind halting construction. This piece really didn't bring how much he worked to stop the freeways. ANY TIME ADOT would approach city, county or state officials about funding, he'd orchestrate hit pieces. I remember going to see my grandparents in LA in 1979. My dad piled us in the van, and we would drive overnight to get there. In order to reach I-10, we would take McDowell out to Jackrabbit Road, then cut over to I-10. He lost a hubcap to a bump in the road on Jackrabbit. I also remember the 202 loop being built between Tempe and Phoenix, since I would use I-10 to go from my parents house in west Phoenix to ASU... That was something.

[@paulwoodman5131]

I left PHX in 1990 and didn't return for about 10 years and was amazed by all the new freeways. The insurance rates in any PHX zip code were outrageous.

[@spearmintlatios9047]

I don’t mean any harm by this comment but what’s ironic about that

[@adambarney1137]

I moved here in 2012 seen the sign of being put up along freeways for the Bicentennial Year! That phx had made it 🙌 1912 to 2012 100 ur mark i was amazed lmao.. By way of Seattle Wa but born and bred California The Capital region Norcali°

[@onlyangle129]

Maby you should move back, stupid democrat

[@JohnCran]

I have lived through the freeway madness that has engulfed my home town of Brisbane Australia. It was the worst thing we ever did. We ripped up one of the best public transportation systems of Trams and Trolley Buses and created peak hour. I'm so grateful that I don't travel anywhere near the freeway during 7am to 9am or 3pm to 6pm mon - Fri.

[@eriklakeland3857]

Good to see Cross River Rail progressing in Brisbane

[@RafiesAwesomeChannel]

Yeah this just sounds like highway praise to me. Although Phoenix was already built to be car centric before they had those new freeways

[@Awesome_Aasim]

@@RafiesAwesomeChannel It does not mean though that they aren't going back to the old way of designing cities for walkability first. We have literally run out of feasible places to build. Sure America has a lot of land, but a lot of land is susceptible to floods, fires, and landslides. A few years ago during Hurricane Harvey almost half of Houston, Texas was underwater. Camp Fire in 2018, although caused by PG&E negligence, wiped out Paradise, California, decreasing its population from 27,000 to only a few thousand. Meanwhile land in suburbs is not sustainable because of all the car infrastructure that is put in place. A car-dependent suburban store that uses only a couple of acres of land may be valued less than a walkable suburban store that uses far less land.

[@RafiesAwesomeChannel]

@@Awesome_Aasim One of my favorite solutions to our suburbia problem is for cities to allow home owners to open businesses out of their garages and homes. So that people can set up small grocery stores and restaurants in a place that's convenient for them and their neighbors. This is currently illegal in most US cities, even with permits. For the land of the free (market) we make it impossible to start a business, as you have to pay ridiculous rents for commercial spaces.

[@darkbin180]

the riverside expressway is so ugly

[@fitnesswithsteve]

This must take so much time and research to compile all of the reference material in this video.

[@patricknelson]

He’s very thorough. He even mentioned on his twitter, in making the video itself, that it had a pretty large number of assets going into it (during editing).

[@marcusdamberger]

Indeed, this is no wikipedia based You Tube video that so many just use as a source. He spoke to multiple people, direct sources, went into archives, used old media to show contemporary sources from that time, he even went and asked questions that most pro-freeway politicians would just ignore, and the impacts of those freeways, and what alternatives there are for the future. Really well done, it was engaging the whole video. Almost like a mini-documentary of sorts. I don't live in Phoenix, I've been multiple times, but had no clue it used to be more like Tucson. I haven't been back to Tucson in ages, but if they are not embracing freeways to ease the traffic, are they even embracing mass public transportation to provide alternatives? More people and more cars won't solve Tucson's traffic woes if they don't give an alternative or way to ease the congestion. Thanks for these videos, keep em coming!

[@danieldaniels7571]

@@marcusdamberger Tucson ain’t doing shit. It’s their way.

[@raoul9181]

15:05, I've never seen this much land wasted on parking spots in my life.

[@Banom7a]

that's most North American city are sadly (especially in the West)

[@dumbcow1]

I find it amusing you look at it as wasted, and I view it as well thought-out for usage. I know those lots are often packed from personal experience. Especially in Spring, as people park there, get food, and then go to Diamondbacks or Rockies spring training games at the baseball diamonds you can see on the north side.

[@haruhirogrimgar6047]

@@dumbcow1 The issue is that you *need* a car to travel in Az so you need a crap ton of parking spaces. If we were built better then half of that lot could be businesses, sidewalks, and community centers.

[@dumbcow1]

@@haruhirogrimgar6047 yeah. I much prerer it this way than hyper density.

[@haruhirogrimgar6047]

@@dumbcow1 Well it actively harms just about everyone to have such low density. Having a car with AC isn't a luxury in Az, it is mandatory to have a job/life. And if you don't have/can't afford a car then you basically lose your ability to live here without the ability to move to somewhere else. It also massively increases our infrastructure costs since the more spread out houses and businesses are, the more it costs for the city and state to maintain the roads and plumbing with decreasing returns on investments (suburbs just bleed money long-term with no hope for reprieve,) and it increases the alienation and disconnect between residents. When you have to drive 15+ minutes everywhere to hang out with friends or meet people it isn't going to be as easy to make plans. This is all without mentioning the huge environmental tolls as we utterly decimate the environment and desert with our expansion. This also has been part of why our monsoon seasons have been so f"cked over the past couple of decades and said spread leads to increased consumption of our limited water. Having spread out locations is okay for rural living, not for areas like Phoenix and Tucson. Density is necessary for us to not be bankrupt within half a century and face all the massive issues we do now.

[@wilson7660]

as a phoenician, part of me wonders, in our attempts to lessen the strain on freeways, if we would be better off if we had chosen to build an elevated or underground rail instead of the light rail, which although it is nice, has to go with traffic and stop at lights, making it extremely slow. could be an interesting topic for a video imo if someone hasn't already covered it.

[@ann-margretcochran399]

They wanted underground transit or overhead. The metropolitan region sits over a huge methane pocket, digging in certain areas is dangerous. Elevated would more than tripled the cost. Historic information can be found through Maricopa Association of Governments.

[@wilson7660]

I've heard that about building underground in Phoenix, but I really wish the government had just gone ahead and used the funding to build the, granted very expensive, elevated rail. Right now the light rail here is so slow because it goes with traffic and has to stop at every single light as well as its normal stops. I would totally use it more to commute if it didn't take so long!

[@ariearie7953]

The solution is simple: don't make them stop at light, give them priority

[@parnikkapore]

@@ariearie7953 tweaking traffic light timings to minimize stops for light rail vehicles is a cheap and impactful option. That is, as long as the traffic light controller supports it...

[@davidneill6820]

I'm not a native. This is the first place I've lived with this type of public transportation. The first thing I said when I learned the light rail was going to be built at street level? "What a joke." I took the light rail to go to dinner at a place near Sky Harbor about a month ago. I left my house in the far east valley a full hour before my reservation time, and was late. It would have taken half the time to drive there.

[@ClawBoss]

Absolutely the most underrated channel on KZbin. I love your videos Rob! 🤟🏼

[@mauriciocastillo2344]

Like and agree!👍🏼

[@benbathgate8603]

Same they are very interesting

[@evanmcroberts5427]

For real! Just discovered this channel 3 days ago. LOVE the content and production quality!

[@patricknelson]

He’s got a cult following ❤️ Don’t forget, hop on the Patreon train!

[@Natedog-gd7ny]

LITERALLY. It makes me mad that this guy doesnt have millions of subs/views

[@jdcnosse]

I've lived in Tucson and Phoenix and I can absolutely agree. In Tucson I rarely ever left my 5 sq mile area of town, but in Phoenix I can travel to the other side of town and think it's no big deal.

[@bperez8656]

That’s called a resounding success

[@aimeekreutzer-malkawi]

Tucson is still a nightmare!

[@etheriusmoon1809]

@@aimeekreutzer-malkawi yeah definitely

[@NewbombTurk.]

I live on the east side of Tucson, I'm at least 20 minutes from ANY I-10 on ramp. A trip to the north side takes me an hour outside of rush hour (forget doing it during).

[@SupaKoopaTroopa64]

@@NewbombTurk. I used to live on the west side of I-10, and the drive to the Rincon mountains was only slightly quicker than driving to south mountain in Phoenix.

[@MaxMaher]

Amazing level of detail

[@AndrooUK]

I just checked out your Instagram... keep the shorter hair. 😅

[@5446isnotmynumber]

Racist!

[@TheAnnoyingBoss]

Cut your hair bro satan is trying to turn us into women so it starts with growing your hair out and dressing up for halloween and before you know it your buying satchels and youre unsure about your sexuality. You want to start a business the landlord says "maybe arcade maybe yoga shop maybe a salesfloor" and youre there doing the downward dog with all these women who say your hair looks great but they wont date you because they thought you were gay. Theres a time for yoga with the ladies but if yiure wearing chapstick that imparts a color on your lips they will think youre gay and satan will be in his 4th dimention striking another one up as mission accomplished. Soon this will be censored eventhough im supposed to have freedom of speech youtube is fascismo like italy in 1933 so not here because i talk about these matters like im not afraid to say the F word and they will cancel me for it but they wont cancel someone actively prescribing chemicals to children to chemically castrate them and block their puberty to try to change their gender because they never took biology human anatomy or chemistry class

[@joeb6985]

Moved out here in 1983. I-10 and I-17 were the only two freeways. Turning north at the corner of Scottsdale Rd. and Bell it became a dirt road, and led you to Rawhide. It was amazing. Now there are just too many people. The air quality is horrible. Arizona used to be a mecca for people with allergies, now if you have allergies, it's one of the worst places to be. Progress isn't all it's cracked up to be.

[@CarsonSchmidt419]

Honestly so sad that Phoenix doesn't have a great tram network with a grid like that. Removing one car lane from each direction would massively increase traffic flow by providing viable alternatives. I visited the city about ten years ago and all I remember was sitting inside the house we were staying at and driving to a couple tourist traps. What's the point of living in a "nice" warm climate when you spend all your time locked inside a car or house? Canada is more hospitable and we basically freeze to death every year.

[@AssBlasster]

It's usually the more northern cold regions (Pacific NW, Northeast, Chicago, Minneapolis, SLC, maybe Denver) where you have functioning tram/rail networks and have higher bike modal shares. I couldnt imagine moving back to suburban Florida and live without a car again like when I was a teen.

[@escthedark3709]

I think that "nice" being in quotes there is a fair descriptor of the climate in hotter parts of the US. It's not nice, it's brutal.

[@michaelbruvolt4221]

Canada sucks because they have hardly any freeways. It's one of the many reasons I left that terrible country.

[@minrityreprt6302]

Pay for it yourself, then.

[@dantem4119]

@@minrityreprt6302if you knew the actual cost of roads and sprawl you wouldn’t make stupid comments like this

[@BIGMEME_Retro.trance]

I drive these freeways all the time and it's the most efficient designed freeway system in my opinion but I still think a light rail or a train like bus system would be a great benefit to big places like state farm stadium from downtown and the neighborhoods in between

[@johnchedsey1306]

I lived in Seattle for awhile and there was nothing better than having the light rail to the airport to avoid the traffic jams and/or figuring out airport parking. Also great for going to a ball game, enjoying several tasty beers and not needing to worry about driving home after.

[@ZePanthersGang]

Well the original plan back in 2009 The light rail was supposed to expand to the stadium. So I have no idea what happened

[@thomasrinschler6783]

@@ZePanthersGang Glendale City Council is what happened. For some reason, they decided against putting a light rail line through the city to the football stadium. I'm baffled by that decision - I use the light rail all the time to go to Chase Field and (the arena formerly known as) Talking Stick Arena downtown all the time, and it's so much easier than trying to find and pay for parking.

[@danieldaniels7571]

@@johnchedsey1306 Phoenix light rail goes to the airport. Quite effectively, I might add, as the 44th St Station has an enclosed air-conditioned people mover that takes you to the SkyTrain which connects to all the terminals. It’s also great for going to the ball game as long as that game isn’t at State Farm Stadium in bumfuck West Nowhere. There are stations adjacent to Chase Field, Talking Stick Arena, Sun Devil Stadium, Wells Fargo Arena and Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Your game ticket even doubles as a light rail pass.

[@danieldaniels7571]

@bigM10231 I think the fail isn’t on the lack of a light rail to State Farm Stadium as much as on the decision to build a football stadium way the hell out in West bumfuck nowhere instead of somewhere more centrally located near the light rail line.

[@BuckeyeNative001]

Arizona resident (lived in Phoenix for about five years), really appreciate the time dedicated to the environmental impact of freeways and the urban heat island effect throughout the Valley.

[@StephenTanner]

The amount of time it takes to research, set up interviews, interview, look for old footage, look through newspapers, and edit this is huge. However, Rob, you do a masterful job of making topics that may sound dull to an average viewer, become a masterpiece of information, footage, graphics and more. I just spent 30 minutes watching this video about Phoenix freeways, and I was enthralled. And I live in Dallas! Well done Rob.

[@bagaboiebailey]

I totally wish I had a childhood where I didn't have to be driven on the freeway everywhere, although now i realize I'm very lucky to live in a part of the country where rail transit is actually above the miniscule standard quality

[@TheAnnoyingBoss]

Trains are way worse than cars trucks and suvs

[@myrondalek2958]

​@@TheAnnoyingBoss why?

[@Grantos1ea]

I spent my youth riding my bicycle in desert areas and farm fields that are now covered by houses and ashhalt. Now there's no desert, no nature left. It's a sad thing to witness.

[@SpicyLobsta]

Human progress is sad? keep your honey boo boo farm life. Develop the empire into larger economic hubs, super cities, mega highways. Every farmville loser preaches wanting the simple life... then they go shop at walmart or costco two of the biggest mega supply chain conglomerates. You love progress, you typed this drivel on something developed out of progress. The desert farm life is not nearly as nice as the new masterplan communities being built lol. Another mega hot take for you, why are we growing things in a desert? build hydroponic recyclable ag structures or import food from land that isn't similar to the inferno of kuwait or sub saharan africa, duh... i know lets use 70% of our water to inefficiently grow shite produce in a desert. Every single farm should be a solar farm as far as the eye can see not using a gallon of water per single almond grown.

[@TheAnnoyingBoss]

Bro we have more nature than everyone except russia just leave the middle of the city and itd back to barren notbingness an empty wasteland expanse of sand and cactus

[@user-jb6oe7yk3w]

I grew up here too and i think you are romanticizing it. It was mostly industrial agriculture and cow fields. Theres still a ton of wild places outside the city boundaries, but i hesitate to call the former cotton fields that are now suburbs "nature."

[@sdsmt99]

Moved here last year, lived in and visited many cities. This is the best. Maybe you should move to St Paul.

[@jimc.goodfellas]

How does this channel have so few subscribers? Really interesting and well done productions, as good or better than TV shows.

[@StephenMortimer]

Patience he will be discovered like "BLANCOLIRIO" was

[@AlanHernandez-jn2mp]

I guess because he doesnt upload more 🤔

[@ClawBoss]

Because KZbin is broken and only cares about trash content. It’s sad. I love this channel.

[@Xostrich12X]

couldn't agree more!

[@YodaPagoda]

Yeah, this is quality content. Well, people have noticed, at least since I subscribed he's gotten about 5-10k more subscribers!

[@JoshDoesTravel]

Holy cow, this is some TV documentary level production quality! Great job Rob!

[@MTSVW]

One heartbreaking piece of trivia is that the center section of the deck park tunnel (currently fenced off and unused) was supposed to be a rail station. The plan was to connect Phoenix & Tucson with passenger rail. Bummer it never happened.

[@danieldaniels7571]

It was my understanding that it was supposed to be an express bus station, to allow the busses to come and go from the HOV lanes on I-10 without having to enter downtown surface streets. I would love to go down there and see just how much actually got built. It would be amazing and help downtown traffic a lot if it was to be finished and connected to the light rail directly above it.

[@User0000000000000004]

@@danieldaniels7571 You are correct, sir, it was supposed to be an express bus station. The exits above it are the only HOV freeway exits on the entire system and when I'm going to downtown during non-HOV hours I LOVE using those exits. The Phoenix-Tucson rail route was going to use the Phoenix Central Station, currently owned by SRP, but it never happened. The UP line there goes straight to Tucson.

[@omarrasheed3276]

I’ve been to many cities across the world and Phoenix has the most organized road system I’ve ever seen. Also the best quality. Maybe not the most grand as Texas highways but definitely better still. No Tolls !!!

[@glow1815]

Arizona resident here I agreed. Very easy to navigate no way you can get lost

[@gantmj]

5:55 Spoiler Alert: They turned into another Los Angeles.

[@calstongroup]

Except ALOT hotter !!!

[@Spido68_the_spectator]

Without the mad amounts of freeways and even worse walkability.

[@me-it9jn]

with way better traffic and cost of living. Also more highway miles per capita

[@PlayMates_]

@@me-it9jn Still a miles above better than Los Angeles.. tbh

[@garcjr]

The future will have to be a balanced transportation approach. We'll need freeways but commuter rail, BRT, and light-rail need to be incorporated in a regional transportation project.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

Don't forget subways! On a really hot day a cool underground railway station can feel downright delicious!

[@danieldaniels7571]

@@edwardmiessner6502 as nice as that would be, I don’t think any kind of subway or underground transit station is in Phoenix’s future. What wasn’t mentioned here (and is damn hard to find any mention of on the internet) is that the I-10 deck park tunnel has a huge underground public transit center in it. It was supposed to connect express busses and eventually commuter rail to downtown. It never got finished, with the project abandoned around 1990. Its empty shell is hidden completely inaccessible under the park. Most people in Phoenix have no memory of the planned project, and give me blank stares when I mention it, but the express bus entrances are covered by chain link fence and still visible from I-10 as you drive into each end of the tunnel. It’s one of my life’s dreams to make a documentary about it to raise public awareness and government interest in finishing it. I bet most city and state leaders don’t even know it’s there.

[@garcjr]

@@danieldaniels7571 I know that bus exit in the tunnel had been abandoned. I'm just curious what the future will hold for it.

[@garcjr]

@@edwardmiessner6502 A subway would be nice and cool but it's probably not the best bang for the buck as land in Phoenix is pretty cheap (compared to the eastern cities where subways are at).

[@coffeepandacat]

@@danieldaniels7571 HUH I think I've noticed those things before......I used to drive every single day for a year through those tunnels and wondered what the hell those were.

[@micktexas7995]

All I gotta say, Phoenix Grid system is a blessing.

[@r.pres.4121]

A grid system of streets is the best planned and most functional. It is far superior to the old time spokes of a wheel plan that older northern US cities like Detroit, Buffalo, and Washington DC have which were distorted by Frederick Law Olmsted with his parks and parkways plan which conflicted with the street patterns especially in both Buffalo and Detroit.

[@terrenceforbes8661]

Drunk

[@lesterroberts1628]

i tried Phoenix and London. London is much better even without a grid

[@micktexas7995]

@@lesterroberts1628 round about allow traffic to flow better I hypothesize

[@fabrv_del]

@@lesterroberts1628 most people in London travel by public transit.

[@zachpw]

Rob is a better editor than anything, and he’s good at all of it. This dude could switch to a documentary or journalism career no problem.

[@donaldthomason4588]

Great video. Living in Phoenix in the 80s as kid, I remembered this grid lock. My mom would drive me to Tucson on the weekends to see my dad.I remembered it took 5 hours from 19th Ave/Bell Road to eastside Tucson, 3 hours would be stuck solely on I-17. That lasted a few months before my parents realized flying from Phoenix to Tucson was a time saver and cheaper. Crazy!

[@JL-sm6cg]

That's crazy, but doesn't surprise me none. How much was a round trip ticket to Tucson back then?

[@tomvisel2267]

You lived near Turd Paradise? So did I!

[@Wasserkaktus]

In the early 90s I remember taking 7th Street south to school every day and the horrible congestion every single day: once the 51 was completed, a lot of that congestion went away.

[@glow1815]

Now will take you the most 2 hrs to get to Tuson

[@Wasserkaktus]

@@glow1815 And it takes you two hours to drive 20 damn miles in Tucson.

[@augustus2043]

Hey I loved this! I wish u would have mentioned the Tempe downtown trolley that’s almost done. Because it’s finally SOMETHING more than the one long light rail route. I wish we had loads more trains here.

[@cy_torrent]

Amtrak making a comeback, Tempe’s train depot is being redeveloped and will once again serve Amtrak as it did before 1996. We have commuter rail in mind but we can’t start construction since there’s no funding. In short we have trains in mind just no money to do some of it

[@jamesreynolds5776]

@@cy_torrent with the infrastructure bill passed, we should see more progress for the Valley in the next few months and years.. 👍

[@Nova-bv5qb]

I love trains. I've never had the chance to be on one and I very rarely see them :(

[@CoastalKite]

I get a university level lecture every time I come here. All for the low, low price of a few ads.

[@Levman74]

Get an ad blocker and you'll watch with no ads.

[@48laws45]

That's a pretty low bar for University standards .. doesn't take much to impress the common denomination.. you should however most definitely invest in engineering books and you'd be surprised to see how much the city was robbed for when you do the math.. billable hours, realistic prices of actual materials compared to the padded bill and oversized 100 man crews to handle a job that only required 20 is not impressive it's theft..and YOU paid for it... LMFAO how do you like that home grown predatorial capitalism for size LOL... That kind of Filth shouldn't be taught in the universities anyway.. entire business sections dedicated on how to teach people to fuck others over is not my idea of a civilized society. There is better information out there but this documentary was very telling on how much money was milked from people for years

[@CoastalKite]

@@48laws45 Can you just let me compliment this man? Geez

[@trademark4537]

Fantastic content. I love how you always supplement your opinion with people who are experts in the particular fields you cover. Anyone can talk about something but the ability to have the humility to defer to others opinions adds so much depth and credibility to your videos.

[@jayjackson5705]

I agree, but notice how all of the urban planners agreed that building more highways was a very bad idea?

[@trademark4537]

@@jayjackson5705 I 100% agree that building urban highways is a bad idea. But we have to recognize that the majority of the public's perception is not in line with urban planners. There are many perspectives to consider and it's important to listen to them

[@jayjackson5705]

@@trademark4537 That's because the public doesn't know what is best for them! There's a famous quote from Henry Ford that if he asked his customers what they wanted they would have said "I want a faster horse." I know that might be a bit facetious but there's a lot of truth said in jest. Case in point, our town (which has a state route through it) performed a road diet (4 to 3, 1 and 1 with a TWLTL 'two way left turn lane') and the town went bananas on a facebook group lol...until they used it and realized it was much less stressful and traffic actually flowed better. There's a few geometric issues with some signing and striping but we are working on it. I work for the state and the road is MA-28 in Reading, MA. I'm not against highways, they should just either end at city limits or go very far around cities, much the way Europe and specifically the Netherlands has done it.

[@adamt195]

@@jayjackson5705 Thank you. Cars are here the stay in the world. In some shape or form, we will have cars and highways. But when you look at some of the greatest cities on the planet, they all focus on walking and taking public transit, not a massive highway cutting straight through.

[@UzumakiNaruto_]

@@adamt195 Why not look at places like Tokyo that have tons of freeways and rail lines running throughout its city and few people seem to have an issue with it? Different parts of the world have different ways of doing things and in places like North America where there's plenty of space to build on, building based around cars isn't necessarily a bad thing. If people don't want to build around cars and have more sprawl, then they should tell city planners to start designing with more density in mind.

[@benmathews2762]

As a Phoenix native, I seriously could not imagine the valley without the freeways we have now.

[@hobog]

It's worse off for living off them

[@TreeFilms1]

I love how route 60 goes all the way to Virginia, it’s actually the Main Street in my small town in Virginia

[@utistudent099]

Pacific Ave in Virginia Beach is I guess where it end on the Atlantic Coast.

[@jasonpawloski]

This was on my "watch later" list for a long time and I'm just now watching this. As a Phoenix native (and a former MTR poster 20 years ago) this is absurdly well researched and extremely well-done. I learned a few things about my home city. Kudos!

[@blndpblo]

I love this nerdy infrastructure stuff

[@aegisfate117]

Cities Skylines

[@stereotype.6377]

This is ain't nerdy tho, because if they were they wouldn't be building according to American style zoneing and mobility philosophies

[@isaacanderson5083]

@@stereotype.6377 Exactly, they should've invested some actual money into public transportation, not more fucking freeways

[@jeuno.]

@@stereotype.6377 I mean roads are still definitely a core part of the transportation infrastructure, especially in rural areas. But I definitely agree, I would say that public transportation would've been a MUCH better option for inner-city transportation over freeways.

[@aryanbhuta3382]

@@stereotype.6377 Oh no, people are building suburbs because they'd rather live in a single-family house than an urban apartment! We'd better hurry and take that choice away from them. The purpose of society is efficiency, after all!

[@tylerkochman1007]

What bothers me is, why didn't they include room for transit in the median of the highways. By 1985, that was a well-established practice

[@nothrabin]

In some places we did. Like in the picture you can see the tunnel under the central park included transit lanes for buses, and actually had plans for a bus stop. The tunnel in the middle for busses is still there, been unused since it was built. A lot of other areas were left open in the middle, but later the demand became so high they just put more lanes there and have the buses running with the rest of the traffic or in the carpool lane. There are a number of reasons why it might not be a good idea to put transit in the middle of a freeway as well.

[@TransitAndTeslas]

You don’t live in Phoenix I guess. Valley Metro is expanding the light rail right in the middle of I-10 to the west. This space in the median of the freeway was designated for this since they built the freeway. Again more LA like we get. They had freeway light rail for years.

[@bearworldwide101]

Chicago pioneered it in the 50s and 60s with the Eisenhower and Dan Ryan expressways but the Eisenhower is currently in plans on proposed reconstruction which might put the expressway underground with tolled managed lanes the CTA Blue Line might go back to its pre 50s look as an elevated structure while the street level area would be room for Boulevards or Parkways replacing the old frontage routes. Depending the design choice would change the expressway scene in Illinois.

[@joeyknight8272]

100%

[@joeyknight8272]

@@TransitAndTeslas really? That sucks

[@AutisticMexican]

As a Phoenix native im melting over this video.

[@mirzaahmed6589]

Everyone is always melting in Phoenix.

[@jackielinde7568]

As someone who's "As close to a Phoenix native without actually being born here", I'm with you, I remember the times before I-10 was built in town, and I watched a lot of that being built. Still, Rob didn't try to drive from Mesa on the 202 to the west valley outside of "unprecedented times". I normally work from home, but my "office" when I need to go in is in Mesa. The commute is 1.5 fricken hours long, when it's only 30 minutes on the weekend. What the hell!

[@RZFX619]

I had the same thought. It's always fun to see coverage of your home city!

[@danieldaniels7571]

@@jackielinde7568 If that’s where your office is, why do you not live in Mesa, or at least closer like Scottsdale or Gilbert?

[@jackielinde7568]

@@danieldaniels7571 Because the house I have is a white elephant that I need to fix up before I can sell it. And I was in the house long before I got my current position. And, I mostly work from home. Before the pandemic, I was only going into the office once a month. Next year, my daughter is graduating from high school and likely to pick ASU. Either way, I'm selling this house.

[@coflyer2949]

Honestly Phoenix has some of the best highways I've ever experienced.

[@Boskibro]

It is ridiculous. I moved here from Seattle, the population is more than double in Phoenix but traffic is like 25% of what I had to deal with in Seattle. Awesome!

[@razony]

OMG you are young!

[@mattschehr163]

The Loop 202 is really nice especially along south mountain kinda wish they could extend 303 to 60 in Apache junction to connect to the future pinal north south

[@redditstop1653]

And the worst public trandit

[@coflyer2949]

@@redditstop1653 when cars are so cheap to buy it doesn't matter :P

[@nateyauck772]

One more generation of highway resistance and we could have seen a freeway-free modern Phoenix with complex and efficient public transit. Imagine that. A sprawling suburban city like phx mastering mass transit would be a beacon of hope and inspiration for American cities

[@ccroy2001]

I grew up in Los Angeles and learned to drive there. Then I when to school in Phoenix in the early 1980's The only freeway that went into Phoenix was the 17, I-10 stopped way out in Goodyear AZ, and you took Buckeye Rd into town. The saving grace at the time was the grid layout: Roads ran east-west, East of Central Ave were streets, west were avenues. Easy to navigate. I occasionally go back to Phoenix and the growth is amazing and the freeway network. Excellent explanation, thanks

[@danieldaniels7571]

I grew up in Phoenix in the ‘70s and vividly remember I-10 ending at Litchfield Road. But you didn’t have to take Buckeye Road into Phoenix. You could also take Van Buren, McDowell, Indian School, Camelback, Glendale, Northern or Olive. I’ve traveled and driven in many cities, and never seen anywhere with a more functional and sensible arterial street system than the Phoenix area.

[@mattschehr163]

Except for the West Valley west of Buckeye and east of Exit 81 needs more urban like Tempe and Mesa

[@stevenmorrell6922]

@@danieldaniels7571 vividly would be Jackrabbit Trail

[@willp.8120]

"The 5" , "the 10", the this, the that. Why do Californians do this?

[@ccroy2001]

@@willp.8120 It's just how we roll 😊

[@finchman1]

I really like the design and Southwest and Native American touches to the Phoenix freeway system.

[@lancelotkillz]

I'm from California but I remember the Southwest A e s t h e t i c design of the freeways system everytime we passed trough AZ during family road trips...

[@etheriusmoon1809]

Yeah I will always appreciate that

[@travisleeds2910]

Yep extra large toilets hanging on top of sound walls, I didnt realize that was an American native theme, who knew

[@Duck-dp7mq]

@@travisleeds2910 is such a waste of money. The freeway "art" is so dumb.

[@jbhvanimal4497]

Same!! Love the highway designs on the walls :)

[@FelineSublime]

As a GIS tech who does transportation mapping, I always find these videos fascinating. I grew up in Phoenix in the 80s and 90s and watched this video with Dad, who was a senior accountant and later Finance Director w/Scottsdale, AZ in the 70s through late 80s. He's either met or worked with nearly every person you've interviewed from the Valley. Additionally, my grandfather was Chief Photographer with the AZ Republic from after WWII until '72 and worked with everyone from those newspaper clippings from the 60s. Wonderful video, and brings back a lot of memories, both good and otherwise.

[@christinave5156]

I've been to Phoenix and knew there was a story behind the freeway system because it looks so new. This takes me back to my SDSU Urban Planning course. I enjoyed the story of how Phoenix changed over time. Thank you for making this video :)

[@porcupinepunch6893]

South Dakota State University?

[@EdgeXXI]

I lived in Tucson most of my life and I am not surprised that someone flipped off your camera at Speedway and Campbell. LOL I used to loath driving on Speedway growing up and ironically now my entire life revolves on the street: work, home, my favorite pub, dining out, its a total nightmare but having lived in LA for a time its nothing I can't handle. Thanks for your video, very informative.

[@MeDicen_Rocha]

Well designed highways, and a push towards light rail to compliment that and avoid overwhelming the highway system? Phoenix really learned from the mistakes of everywhere else, didnt they? Now all they need to do is stabilize growth, and start building upwards where light rail is being built to control sprawl and Phoenix could avoid completely becoming LA.

[@Lildizzle420]

actually the highway system is becoming insolvent, and Phoenix isn't making the investments. when they say we should act like a large city, they exclude we're the ONLY one with no commuter rail, no amtrak, no subway, no bus lanes now they're cutting light rail service

[@danieldaniels7571]

Unfortunately almost the entire valley has zoning height restrictions that prohibit building upwards. In most of the valley nothing can be built that exceeds three stories. Several years ago before he was a politician, President Trump wanted to build another Trump Tower in the Biltmore area that would have been mixed use of luxury retail and dining, a luxury hotel, and luxury residential. Phoenix denied him a zoning variance to build up, so it never happened. I live within 5 miles of downtown Phoenix, 4 miles of downtown Tempe and 2 miles of Sky Harbor and light rail. There are huge tracts of empty land within two miles of me in every direction, particularly between me and the two downtown areas, as well as no shortage of vacant commercial property. As long as land is cheaper farther out adjacent to nicer newer neighborhoods, that land isn’t very attractive to developers. I really can’t think of anything that would stabilize the sprawl that doesn’t violate the rights of the property owners in the outlying areas. Also, most people I know would rather own a larger more affordable house father out with a yard and garage than live packed and stacked renting apartments on top of each other in denser development. The monthly cost here is about the same, but with the house you’re building equity and probably accruing an increased property value. Regardless of how many people have disdain for sprawl, the free market is essentially creating what the people here want. Love it or leave it!

[@Lildizzle420]

@@danieldaniels7571 yes of course that's what people would prefer, that's why they drive 50-100 miles as far as eloy but that's not sustainable, not economically nor climate change, or just air quality index. the city of Tempe is not increasing density, we're using transit oriented development and have created 8.2 billion in development, don't you see Tempe? we're becoming just as important as phoenix, we have more riders and now a streetcar.

[@nixcails]

Unceremonious dumping you onto city streets. Like the Motorways into London ending on big roundabouts or the M5 "Holiday Highway" dumping RV's, Lorries and Towing Vehicles onto Roman and medieval street plans. Like the infamous quotes from American tourists at Stonehenge "Why did they build it so close to a Freeway?"

[@thebestspork]

London is of course missing most of its planned inner motorways. The M25 is just a bodge together of two others, so it was doomed from the start.

[@nixcails]

@@thebestspork I quite pleased the Motorway box was never completed. You only have to look at places like Plymouth, Coventry and Birmingham to see the mess that car focussed cities have left behind.

[@Post_Stall_Maneuver]

@@nixcails and then the m25 becomes the country's most congested motorway you want less motorways but end up overcentralizing the roads by making nearly off of southeast england use the m25 and end up with the spectacle of traffic that is the m25

[@BigGoldenYoshiFan]

I used to live in Ahwatukee foothills during the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway Project and have a ton of pictures of their building, they tore down homes near two schools and now there's an massive wall. It really made the community kinda depressing.

[@beverlyroemer5161]

Wish they could have moved the road instead of the homes and history

[@danieldaniels7571]

To be fair, All White Tukee was already kinda depressing.

[@BigGoldenYoshiFan]

@@beverlyroemer5161 I wish too but sadly, they had no choice.

[@craigthescott5074]

I was born in Phoenix in the 60’s I’ve seen all of this and I wouldn’t have been possible without the advent of air conditioning and bringing water in from the Colorado river. We are the 5th largest city in the nation now!!

[@SonsOfSevenless]

so your city only exists because we've become better at wrecking the planet? bravo, phoenix, bravo

[@craigthescott5074]

@@SonsOfSevenless got news for you that’s what humans do. Spread around the world. It’s called manifest destiny.

[@SonsOfSevenless]

@@craigthescott5074 enjoy your water conflicts and climate refugees, maybe you're too much of a crotchety old boomer to be effected, but your grandkids will appreciate the gift you've given them. god bless.

[@jaidusjones6844]

@@SonsOfSevenless why are you pressed that our city exist smh

[@SonsOfSevenless]

@@jaidusjones6844 because i care about the survival of the human race. call me dramatic, but places like phoenix and dubai shouldn't exist. and in 300 years i don't think they will.

[@joshk5470]

Moved from Seattle to Phoenix. There's traffic, it's not that bad. It's not Seattle, and it's not LA. Being the #4 biggest city, makes the traffic relatively pleasant

[@RasseruS]

Phoenix could of been another city that embraced mass transit in the early years. But, choose to not improve either way; it is nice that they have made a freeway network to solve long-distance traveling in the city. But smartly, some people realize that freeways are not the long term solution for city. So by slowing the outer city expanding with mass transit; this helps balance local economies and keep the freeway from being overcrowd in the future.

[@danieldaniels7571]

@@peterjszerszen It’s an absolute shame the I-10 tunnel transit center is still sitting under there unfinished. I had never heard about a transit station in the basement of T4. It’s odd that that wasn’t made use of when they built the SkyTrain utilizing an underground route to it after leaving East Economy Parking instead of that huge bridge over the taxiway. Wouldn’t have made sense to give it that catchy SkyTrain name then, though. That said, digging is prohibitively expensive here, which is why very few homes have basements. I’ve always felt our best option for mass public transit would be to place ground level and elevated rails on the already existing canal and freight train easements. Passenger Rail from Queen Creek to Surprise along the Rittenhouse and Grand Avenue rail lines with stops at all the historic passenger stations in Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix and Glendale would be awesome, and could also have stations by the County center near US-60, Mekong Plaza, Sky Harbor, the state Capitol, Alhambra, Peoria, Sun City and El Mirage. A route along the Arizona Canal could connect nicely to Scottsdale, Arcadia, Biltmore, Sunnyslope, Metrocenter, and Thunderbird Paseo, with a termination at Arrowhead Towne Center. I also think it was a mistake to build street level rail along Central instead of putting it back on 3rd Street where it was for nearly 50 years. I don’t know what the future holds for public transit in the Valley of The Sun, but Tempe’s trolly strikes me as an absolute waste that won’t do anything that the Orbit buses weren’t already doing with less disruption to traffic. I also fear the planned light rail extension along Central into South Phoenix is going to cause the kind of gentrification that displaced long term residents and businesses to further line the pockets of the already wealthy. Scottsdale has gone so anti-transit that the little blue signs declaring there is no longer bus service at a bus stop is one of the easiest ways to tell you’re there. One thing is for certain: As long as it’s substantially quicker to drive to your destination than to take transit, transit won’t have much appeal to the average person in Maricopa County. Also, nobody wants to walk farther than a quarter of a mile or wait longer than 10 minutes in the heat to use transit.

[@jdog22c34]

The light rail is doing nothing to slow outward expansion

[@kayzeaza]

I’m glad to hear that the Indians weren’t screwed over in the end like how it usually happens:

[@dasanders13]

Thanks mr. president

[@dannyornelas9914]

It's like we actually learned something

[@williamhaynes7089]

What is funny about that is the land the Indians have in scottsdale, az was considered garbage when they were given it... now that is one of the most expensive area in the state

[@maxcourval2045]

That's subjective, depending on who you talk to and which project. There were many protests by indigenous people over the construction of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, as it excavated through part of a mountain that they considered sacred.

[@9HighFlyer9]

@@maxcourval2045 yeah, but they were offered the chance to have the land go through the rez. They declined thinking they could get a deal like they did with the 101. Turns out ADOT just moved it north and to reduce costs there aren't many exits and none with access to the reservation. So now even if they build some fantastic shopping center or casino/resort right by the 202 there's not going to be a way to get to it.

[@TheIntimacyGram]

They built the 101 loop in segments. For many years, the freeway segments went nowhere...

[@dontgetlost4078]

It's always in segments, anyway. In QC I know of 3 freeways that... just awkwardly end in a partly built diamond interchange (A-410 in Sherbrooke is a dumbbell interchange).

[@SonsOfSevenless]

@@dontgetlost4078 are you suggesting to connect the 410 to the 610? there is no need for that, and it will make the st francois river uglier.

[@rileysmith9843]

610 is planned to become 10 in the Sherbrooke area.

[@RogueGhost24]

Interestingly enough the well built freeways in the Phoenix area have contributed to unaddressed issues like sprawl, loss of farmland, and rubberized asphalt is one of the biggest culprits of heat island which is why it doesn't cool down at night anymore.

[@jim1hurley]

With your knowledge, production value and likable personality, I could easily see your channel as a PBS series on American Road Infrastructure. I stumbled across it about two weeks ago with your Bus Rapid Transit vs light rail video and have been hooked. Great stuff!

[@williamwarner3982]

Even knowing this, Phoenix planned their city brilliantly. Same population size as the Los Angeles metroplex to San Bernardino, but you wouldn't know it. Traffic moves so freely there by comparison. Hope the south west part of Loop 303 gets built soon.

[@danieldaniels7571]

People who complain about the traffic in Phoenix don’t know how good they have it. Every time I leave and spend some time driving in another city I’m so glad to be driving back home when I return.

[@HiBoBeaux]

😂

[@rumblereverend]

Traffic doesn't flow very well in PHX. Y'all are crazy.

[@danieldaniels7571]

@@rumblereverend it does compared to every other city I’ve ever driven in, including many that are tiny by comparison. If you’re stuck in traffic in the Phoenix area, it’s because you don’t know when to use another route. I laugh at people stuck in traffic on Loop 101 as I drive right by them doing 50mph on Pima Rd.

[@Carguylogan]

The H1 on Oahu every day is as bad as the WORST days on the i10 downtown.

[@Brianrockrailfan]

just building freeways is not going help by its shelf there has to be other modes of moving people to !

[@hse6144]

17:42 32% of the funding went to things other than freeway.

[@calebjiang4056]

@@hse6144 so 68% less than it should've been

[@zacharyesparza9300]

I live around the PHX area and have noticed the city start to build its city transportation system. They’re already almost completed construction on adding the street car and connecting it to the light rail so you can get around Tempe.

[@hse6144]

@@calebjiang4056 that’s not what the taxpayers voted for.

[@geoman798]

@@hse6144 Well they weren't really given the option, it was either that or do nothing

[@kevingreen2400]

My oldest daughter grew up in the Phoenix metro area so I visited there a few times and was intrigued by the freeway system there, thinking it was a lot more orderly and better laid out than the system was in Cincinnati. But then seeing the late start that the city got on the freeway and the massive fights that they had to develop them, gave me a better appreciation. This is such a well documented and filmed series. Great job

[@michelleortega1514]

I remember when interstate 17 was it and Interstate 10 started at the durango curve going east.Interstate 10 west was buckeye road.

[@mikeytoolica33]

I remember when I was a kid, whenever we’d go north in the 17, when u got to cactus rd there was/still is a big cross next to the freeway on the SB side. When u got there, there was absolutely nothing until u got to Adobe mountain jail.

[@williamnoll7935]

Does anyone remember the 'Golden Toilet' augmenting the SR-51 Squaw Peak Parkway (original name) Pots?

[@hondah35]

I remember the pots, not sure I remember the golden toilet. I certainly remember the original stoplight at the 51 and Thomas, which I guess some engineer thought would be a good cost cutting measure.

[@ann-margretcochran399]

Yes, they hired some artist from back East and that stupid theme of pots was extremely expensive.

[@Duck-dp7mq]

I will always call it squaw peak.

[@pizzandoughnutspage7817]

That toilet was the ultimate answer to the expensive art work that graced the 51, I think it was there for about 15 years. Not sure if it caused wrecks with people rubber necking.

[@vect0r858]

I remember being a kid and loving to spot the pots as we drove by. Now, there's 1, maybe 2 left.

[@johnspence3191]

I love how interested you are in the mundane things people don’t notice and take for granted. Infrastructure design is the most under appreciated art form, and huge engineering effort makes sure it stays that way. Awesome channel 👍

[@johncrandall5782]

This is extremely fascinating. I’ve always wondered why Arizona doesn’t have 3-digit highways and why Tucson had so few highways

[@jackielinde7568]

As in I-101? The Interstate Highway numbering system is for the roads that go between states. They are odd numbered for the North-South running ones, with the low numbers on the west coast and the high numbers on the east coast, and even numbered for the East-West with the low numbers in the south and the high numbers in the north. So that's why the two main interstate freeways in Phoenix are I-10 and I-17. (No three digit interstates.) As far as the Loops in the valley, I can't tell you why they are numbered 101, 202, and 303. However, they're called Loops instead of the AZ designation because they're regional freeways (circling the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, normally called "The Valley") instead of connecting remote parts of states together. And all the US routes (like US-60 in the east valley) were the old 1930 to 1950 highway systems of old.

[@danieldaniels7571]

@randsterama they’re actually built to a notably much higher standard than most interstates.

[@Fater4511]

@randsterama Interstate number works like this. Even interstates. (10, 20, 40, 70, 76, 80, 86, 90) run east-west. Even start in the south and higher numbers are up north. Odd numbered interstates (5, 17, 71, 77, 85, 95) run north-south and start in the west and higher numbers are to the east. Three Digit interstates. if the first number is even 240, 695, 865, etc.) the interstate goes around the city. if the first number is even (195, 395, etc.) it goes into the heart of the city.

[@JordanMSeverns]

There's a few 3 digit state routes such as the 347

[@azhaircountess9798]

But.....we do have 3 digit highways

[@genericyoutube]

I drive that transition from 60west to 10 south every week day and I get off at baseline and drive along the south mountain. it was trippy to see my exit in your video.

[@breadmaster1714]

what if they spent all that money on a good regional rail system? just a thought

[@R160A]

On the subject of interstate gaps, how’s this for a video suggestion: the history of I-95’s gap on the NJ-PA border until 2018?

[@chrispontani6059]

Yes! This is a rabbit hole. This gap lasted for decades, all the while people thought the Jersey Turnpike and 95 were the same thing. But they weren’t. But they were. But 95 disappears and reappears. And this ties in with the unbuilt roads in Philadelphia. Roosevelt Blvd.?

[@R160A]

@@chrispontani6059 I was one of those that thought the same thing for the longest time, until I realized there was no 95 in South Jersey, wondering where it went. And then heading north, thinking “Why is 95 going into PA?”

[@danieljackett4193]

There's still a gap in 1-70 in Pennsylvania

[@edwardmiessner6502]

@@danieljackett4193 the infamous Breezewood exit off the turnpike where motorists and truckers have to negotiate two traffic lights and a surface artery to get onto Route I-70 East? My family travelled that one when I was a little kid! 🙂

[@ericpaul4575]

I70 is not so much a gap it is that I70 does not have direct connections to the PA Turnpike. This was due to federal restrictions on highway funds when there was a toll road involved. This was changed and allowed I95 to be tied into the PA an NJ turnpikes.

[@ahwatukeeskate7222]

I actually grew up to the new south mountain freeway and I gotta say that’s the coolest stretch of freeway in The Valley besides AZ SR 51 between northern n Shea

[@kevinpeterson1398]

We moved to Phoenix in 1972. I can remember driving through miles of orange groves and cotton to get to the I-10 for California. Good times.

[@Ashphinchtersayswhat]

I remember those days. I moved there in 75-76 just left 2 years ago.

[@willp.8120]

Why do so many Californians say "the" in front of freeway names?

[@Azlehria]

@@willp.8120 Holdover from when our freeways had inconsistent (and often unknown to the public) numbering, but had well-known _names_ like "the Harbor Freeway". These days the names change but the numbers don't. Mostly. I-215/CA-91/CA-60 is an example of a 4-way interchange where only one numbered highway continues in a straight line (the 60). Yes, 3 numbered highways but only a 4-way interchange. And 2 of the highways exit the interchange in 2 directions each, but they're _not_ the pair that cross . . ..

[@maxpower9848]

Yeah I lived in Phoenix in the 1984 era and it was no freeway across town. I worked for Great Western produce and went to get parts which was on 35th Street and I drove the 35th avenue didn't find a part store and realize that Central Street was zero and streets went one way and avenues went the other way and I had to drive 70 blocks across town to find the parts store. It was absolutely living f****** hell!

[@calvinsmith6681]

This video makes me think more and more we need a Road Guy Rob/Not Just Bikes/Streetcraft collab

[@frempy4426]

Somehow I think NJB would have a lot of disagreements

[@koreajong]

You should do a video on Vancouver, BC, the only major city in North America without freeways in its city limits. Its metro is about as big as Portland or Charlotte, and only has one or two freeways in the entire area.

[@cyberlee]

No wonder Vancouver is so livable and doesn't look like a place cars live with their human pets

[@josecarranza7555]

Because many Asians live there.

[@gorak9000]

Yeah, you should try driving anywhere there - f'ing nightmare. Takes forever, traffic light ever other street.

[@cyberlee]

@@gorak9000 That's why you take the train or public transit? Why drive when there is actually good public transit ?

[@evankrosney6759]

I'm not sure where the myth of Vancouver being the only major North American city without urban freeways came from. I live in Winnipeg and the closest thing we have to an "urban freeway" is a ring road encircling the city limits, going nowhere near downtown or any urban core. Much like Vancouver, our city's urban freeway plans were kiboshed in the '70s and '80s after a combination of public outrage and lack of political will halted every single proposed project. To this day, the only remnant of our expressway plans is a small two-lane bridge crossing a river and train tracks where the speed limit is 60km/h (just under 40mph)-hardly a freeway by any definition. Unfortunately, unlike Vancouver, our political leaders never made any concerted effort to invest in mass rapid transit either until a few years ago when construction began on a bus rapid transit network, which still struggles for adequate capital and ongoing funding. Plans from the 1950s for a subway network were never followed through on and our transit network has suffered ever since then. It's left us with a hodgepodge network of grid streets and stroads with wide boulevards where streetcars used to run, all unevenly smashed together due to the city being a combination of a dozen different small municipalities until the 1970s. It's a really interesting story that's often overlooked by urban planners.

[@johnchedsey1306]

I got a long comment coming, so buckle up! I lived in Arizona from 89-95 and have visited every so often since, so this video was a bit of a trip down the ol' memory lane. I do recall driving through the I-10 tunnel for the first time after it opened, rather than duplexing with I-17. I also had a college girlfriend whose family home was ultimately demolished for SR 51's construction. Years later, driving that freeway, I did wonder precisely where I might have been driving through the living room where I met her parents the first time. It was also a hassle to drive back from Tucson to where we lived northwest of Phoenix back around 1990. You could take I-10 west to Dysart Road to Grand Ave, or go north of the city to SR 74. A couple years ago I drove through the metro region from Apache Junction to Wickenburg and got to enjoy the 303. But, I also felt that the sprawl of the last 30 years is not exactly great, either, since a lot of farms are now gone. And regarding Tucson, where I plan to move at some point. Having lived in the Seattle area for the last 15 years, I can safely say Tucson traffic is quaint and charming in comparison!

[@garcjr]

I moved from Tucson to Phoenix. In Phoenix everybody hauls ass and makes driving not so fun. I'm pretty much not adapting to the big city life. My goal is to move to Flagstaff and retire as a snowbird in Tucson.

[@riwach]

You could have added some photos or video of how Phoenix decorates their freeway interchanges with different colors and designs of landscape rock. Aren't they beautiful? I lived in Tucson for 16 years. Same mentality of: if we don't build it they won't come, but unfortunately CA is so bad people are fleeing and coming to Arizona. Tucson needed an interstate loop 20 years ago, but everyone says, "not in my backyard," so it never gets built.

[@alanminer5249]

The main reason Phoenix was 30 years behind building its Freeways, is because Barry Goldwater did not want them. Barry Goldwater told the Federal Government he did not want I-10 going through his city of Phoenix. After arguing with Barry Goldwater for many years, the Federal Government bypassed Phoenix by abruptly turning West at Casa Grande just before Phoenix and built the Interstate 8 Freeway straight to San Diego. When Barry Gold Water left the Senate in 1987, the freeways started getting built everywhere, starting with the Papago Interloop. The Papago Interloop replaced all the stop lights on Lower Buckeye with I-10 going straight through Phoenix. Consequently, leaving I-8 almost abandoned to this day.

[@johnmack85730]

So now, here I am stuck in Tucson. A city of over 1 million people and the city council that refuses to be like Phoenix. Only ONE freeway here. Let's see you do a story on this mixed up mess.

[@poshko41]

This was extremely interesting. I just move away from Arizona after living there for 3 years. The 202 expansion was big news, but I had absolutely no idea the 101 wasn’t started until the early 1980s. Being born and raised in the Midwest, the Valley highway system does have a comparatively modern, efficient feel to it.

[@danieldaniels7571]

I grew up in Phoenix in the 1970s, and well into the ‘80s I-17 which became I-10 at the Durango Curve was simply referred to as “the freeway” because it was the only one.

[@beauy1980]

Very interesting video, and I like that even though you are pro freeway, you take the time to get other views and present them thoughtfully and in an unbiased way. Well done!

[@theemaxwilson]

This video kept slapping me with Phoenix nostalgia and I’m not mad about it

[@Solsaar]

I grew up in Tucson, lived in Phoenix for a year, and now I live in LA. Can confirm I never really left my “area” of town in Tucson because the traffic/commute is ass and rarely worth the drive.

[@tlreclipse1126]

As a Phx/Metro area resident for over 20+ Years I'm glad the Lightrail exists.

[@MarkReviews]

Whoa. Just whoa. Road Guy Rob, I've been following your video career for over a decade, and this is next-level! It's your Magnum Opus. Keep this kind of content coming!

[@AutisticMexican]

I love our Phoenix freeways. So much better than LA freeways. Cool to see you got an clip with the famous Detour Dan!

[@danieldaniels7571]

Detour Dan is a radio legend!

[@danieldaniels7571]

So glad you finally covered Phoenix and included Detour Dan. I listen to him almost daily on KTAR. He’s a radio legend. He nearly died from a stroke last year, and it’s such a joy to have him back on the air.

[@bryanchesley9435]

Thank you. I was a kid in PHX in the 70's and I remember "The Durango Curve." I grew up watching the freeways get built and in the 90's I worked as a truck driver and hauled materials for the "Red Mountain" free way. This was a well done documentary.

[@ViniciusSC10]

Imagine if they had secured some money to public transit right from the start, that would be 30+ years of building other options of transportation. It’s crazy how the problems of having a car dependable city were known 40-50 years ago and most cities kept building more freeways and roads.

[@markbeiser]

Whenever I get into some bad traffic in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, I think back to driving an MGB in Phoenix and Tuscon in the mid 80's, and realize DFW traffic is nothing. :)

[@dimarscars329]

This was an excellent presentation! (Yes I made it to the end) I’d love to see you come out to New York, where we have a pre-interstate era system of parkways, some of the oldest limited access highways in the country. While New York is known for its transit, we do have a TON of highways.

[@alexanderfretheim5720]

Yes, and Robert Moses' grid is truly inspired. If the downturn post COVID becomes permanent, you might consider finishing the last missing link in that system: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_78_in_New_York#Lower_Manhattan_Expressway

[@LandParkColby]

The Boston Old Post road ... there are books written about that one ...

[@theendarkenment]

This was a very interesting watch. When I first arrived in Phoenix in 2003 from northern Virginia, it seemed like there was no traffic at all, and the highways felt modern and enjoyable to drive. I figured they were really good at planning; had no idea what actually led up to it. Even if there were inadequate interstates, the grid system of that city is fantastic. There is always another route option. Here in NOVA we mostly have haphazard cow paths that expanded into major roads over time, not a recipe for success.

[@danieldaniels7571]

I’ve lived in Phoenix since 1972. Interestingly enough, that’s more or less how the grid street system in Phoenix came to be. They were almost all originally dirt roads along irrigation canals that went to the fields and citrus groves that filled this valley before it became the giant suburban mecca that it is today.

[@lukasg4807]

Phoenix roads seem great for getting places, but incredibly boring to drive. Landed there on a layover at night once, there's not a single curved road in the entire city. Funnily enough that probably means muscle cars would be the track stars if there was a le mans style race around pheonix.

[@Brandon_metab]

Traffic to some outlying cities here is absolutely horrendous. Queen Creek/San Tan Valley are two of the fastest growing cities in AZ but there is only one half ass highway that links up to the other freeways. The traffic backs up for at least an hour despite being two hours out of Phoenix. Constant construction here too. You live here, you know what I’m talking about.

[@JL-sm6cg]

What you need to do, if you already haven't, is a video on why California freeways didn't number their exits like most other states did until 2002. It's really interesting as to why. Also, the reason they picked exit numbers instead of mile markers, when to me if they had to pick one or the other, mile markers would've been the way to go, since Californians are so used to not having exit numbers, they don't even use them when telling someone which exit to get off at to this day.

[@thebluexb]

Wow, what an amazing video, I wish my professors taught lectures like this...

[@ericstephen1318]

I work for a state DOT and I find these videos more fun than work!

[@luisvalencia4995]

I don’t even live in the states, but this channel is super interesting to watch

[@Mgameing123]

tbh bulding new freeways won't solve traffic! it will make it worse because MORE people would use the roads.

[@jerrykr7kz]

Arizona needs to fund four new freeway systems from Wilcox north to Stafford, northwest to Florance, then linking up to the 202 in southeast Phoenix. Another one linking Interstate 10 with Interstate 8 through Buckeye. Another new system from Interstate 40 down HWY 93 to Phoenix. Lastly, finish Interstate 11 from Nevada Stateline to Interstate 40.

[@nikolapetrovic10000]

Love your videos! Honestly, to me (a European person), this all just seems like a horrible nightmare that you can't wake up from, and the only thing you can do is keep building more and more highways, even though you know it will ultimately lead to your demise. I wish all the best to American people who have to deal with traffic every day, you sure don't have it easy.

[@jayjackson5705]

You are absolutely right. Smart cities aren't building new highways for a reason.. they don't work! I'm from Boston BTW.

[@m8sonmiller]

Yes

[@etheriusmoon1809]

Do yalls not have freeways?

[@nikolapetrovic10000]

@@etheriusmoon1809 We do, it's just that we are not so reliant on them for everyday commuting, because our cities are more compact. Most of American cities (except some older ones) were designed in such a way that you can not function without a car, and you could not get anywhere in a reasonable timeframe without freeways. That is not the case in most European cities (there are always exceptions). It's just different city planning style.:)

[@paintup46]

@@nikolapetrovic10000 Many Europeans cities are a nightmare to navigate. Don’t fool yourself. We have a lot more land to utilize and support a much larger population. Living in Phoenix is like living in multiple large cities, “compacted” into one. What you have on one side of the city you probably have on the other side as well. There are people living in Mesa who have never even been to Buckeye. Phoenix is incredibly easy to navigate and there is a lot of traffic but it flows so much better than other large cities, it has a lot more room.

[@loguesmith]

I lived in Phoenix from 1983 to 1985. I always found it odd that I-10 ended in Buckeye and you had to take surface streets to get into town. Thanks for the comprehensive story of why this was the case and how the metro area chose to address the issues.

[@coasterjaz89]

Wow, such an incredible video! I grew up in Arizona, and never knew the entire story behind the valley’s interstate system. I always knew our interstate system was newer and more intricately planned out, however I never realized how late in the game, the system was actually built. Perhaps my favorite part of the video is the comparison between driving in Phoenix vs. Tucson. Tucson, even though it’s so much smaller, can be a nightmare at times!

[@Destinysproblemchild]

Try living in Tucson we don't even have a freeway system

[@r.pres.4121]

Tucson is just like Austin Texas, no true freeway system. Just I-35 that gets backed up most of the day and also serves as a Berlin Wall between poor East Austin and wealthy West Austin. There is also the US 183 freeway that is built in segments and there are gaps in it.

[@craigthescott5074]

And your roads suck!!

[@yoyobeerman1289]

I grew up in a small town on the Kansas-Missouri border. When I moved to Phoenix after high-school, I was amazed by the 101 loop and other freeways there. I thought (and still think) that the winding skyways are beautiful testaments to human ingenuity. Honestly, some of my fondest memories of Phoenix are watching the sun-set light up the skyways and mountains in the background with deep purples and pinks.

[@iamtobler]

Fantastic! I was looking for a video about Phoenix freeways on your channel just yesterday, and now here it is today! Great timing, thank you!