Speak, or forever hold your peace
Plans for Carefree Highway are in the works
by Kathleen Stinson

NORTH VALLEY – Residents of the North Valley have one more chance Jan. 17 to affect future expansion plans for the Carefree Highway Corridor.

Proposed are six lanes from Interstate 17 to Cave Creek Road and four lanes from Cave Creek Road to Scottsdale Road/Tom Darlington Drive.

“Nothing has been determined and we will incorporate the public’s input in coming to a consensus for the Carefree Highway Corridor footprint of the future,” said Roberta Crowe, spokes‑woman for the Maricopa County Department of Transportation.

Maricopa County, Cave Creek, Carefree, Phoenix and Scottsdale, along with the State Land

Department and Arizona Department of Transportation, are partnering to reach a consensus on whether–and if so, how–to expand the highway. 

The Jan. 17 open house meeting will be held from 5‑7 p.m. at Cactus Shadows High School cafeteria, 5802 E. Dove Valley Rd., one mile south of Carefree Highway between 56th and 60th streets.  

The purpose of the meeting is to get public comment on the partners’ proposal to add lanes based on projected traffic counts as the area grows. They are also proposing alignments, or what property will become public right‑of‑way, and median breaks where turns will be allowed along the highway. Those decisions will be made after taking public comment, Crowe said.

The governmental entities started the process by asking the public for input on their transportation needs at a public meeting in May of last year.

“I don’t think most people are aware of what’s up. I haven’t heard a lot of input on this,” said Terry Marron, vice president of the New River/Desert Hills Community Association. “People aren’t necessarily thrilled about it, but they figure it is just a matter of time. The growth is coming.”

The third and final public meeting, tentatively scheduled for May, will present the partners’ findings and recommendations.

“Nobody wants the growth that’s coming here. The challenge is to manage the growth,” Marron said. “We’d like to tie it in to revamping the scenic corridor plan, coordinate placing the streets and make sure the aesthetics are consistent and there is an even flow from Scottsdale to Phoenix.”

In addition to the lane increases proposed for an undetermined time in the future, the government agencies involved are suggesting various alignment options for the additional lanes and a raised median to run the entire length of Carefree Highway.

Alignments refer to where the additional lanes will be added, Crowe explained. For instance, on the I‑17 to Cave Creek Road segment, one lane could be added to each side or both lanes could be added to either the north or south side, among other variations. The future alignment is significant because it makes a difference as to whose property will be affected.

Existing development and right‑ of‑way acquisition costs are factors which can affect decisions regarding road alignment, Crowe added.

As a general rule, four lanes can accommodate up to 28,000 vehicles per day and two lanes 12,000‑14,000 per day, Crowe said. Traffic engineers use these numbers as an indicator of when to widen roadways.

According to MCDOT, the existing traffic count on Carefree Highway from I‑17 to North Valley Parkway (Tramonto) is 31,000 vehicles per day, compared to 55,000 projected in 2026. From 7th  to Central avenues, traffic will increase from 21,000 today to 26,000 in 2026.

By 2026, the number of vehicles between 7th and 16th streets will increase from the current 20,000 per day to 23,000, according to MCDOT projections. From 32nd to 48th streets, traffic is expected to increase from 21,000 to 33,000. And from 60th Street to Tom Darlington Drive/Scottsdale Road, the vehicle count is projected to increase from 15,000 today to 18,000 in 2026.

According to Crowe, to maintain roadway efficiency, the governmental partners are proposing a full median opening, with or without a signal, every half mile and every quarter mile a left‑turn directional median only. 

Signals will be considered at a later time during the conceptual design stage, Crowe stated. Some innovative types of lighting are available to minimize light upward into the sky, while providing the same degree of light where needed on the roadway.

“We’re hoping the street lighting will conform with the Dark Skies study,” Marron said.  

The public is invited to attend the Jan. 17 open house meeting and speak with project team members, according to a press release provided by MCDOT, the lead agency in the Carefree Highway Corridor Study.

Reach the reporter at kathleen@thedesertadvocate.com.