Isn’t
it great to
have something
to look forward
to? For those
of us living
in the North
Valley,
it
seems our
lucky numbers
are somewhere
between 2021
and 2026.
Whoopee! If
I live long
enough, I
will see the
widening of
I‑17
north of Carefree
Highway.
When
state transportation
officials
told 150 residents
at a meeting
in Anthem
the “good
news” about
its plans
to improve
the interchange,
the group
broke out
into laughter.
What was so
funny? The
brave folks
from ADOT
(Arizona Department
of Transportation)
were lucky
a riot didn’t
erupt after
they announced
their “good
news.” It
could have
gotten really
ugly.
I
like driving
I‑17,
especially
to points
north. Of
course, Friday
and Sunday
nights have
become nightmarish
experiences–one
wreck can
cause a six‑hour
delay. How
could the
only major
north‑south
artery in
the state
become so
overlooked
and neglected?
And if we
are to believe
that in the
next ten years
another 180,000
people will
be living
north of Happy
Valley Road
up to
the New River
exit, then
it’s going
to be one
constant mess.
If
we add another
half million
cars and trucks
into the mix,
then I‑17
will be clogged
from morning
till night
24/7. If we
think it’s
pretty bad
now, just
wait. Dear
Readers, now
is the time
to find a
friend and
car pool,
to immediately
tell our bosses
that we are
all working
from home,
and to start
preparing
for more travel
time whenever
we do have
to leave our
abodes.
Los
Angeles is
coming to
a city near
you, namely
Phoenix.
The
cost of widening
I‑17
has been estimated
at a mere
184 million
bucks. This
is chump change.
Phoenix is
putting aside
a whopping
900 million
greenbacks
to “rebuild”
their urban
core, and
the University
of Phoenix
paid 154.5
million to
have their
name on the
Cardinals
Stadium.
Hey,
don’t get
me going ...
what about
the millions
being spent
on light rail?
How did the
dire needs
of millions
of motorists
and hundreds
of thousands
of residents
move so easily
to the back
burner?
Perhaps
we’re approaching
this in the
wrong way.
I think we
should ask
the University
of Phoenix
to donate
a big chunk
of money to
help widen
our highway.
For a small
fee ($184
million),
we can allow
them to have
billboards
along the
road every
few miles.
We
could even
rename I‑17
and call it
Interstate
University
of Phoenix.
Heck, I’d
even let them
have University
recruiters
set up at
every freeway
exit if it
meant we could
get a few
more lanes
opened up
sooner than
later.
Our
priorities
are all wrong.
No
one wants
to stay in
a cement jungle
in the “core”
of Phoenix
in July.
Once triple
digits hit
the
valley, all
of those urban
dwellers will
be driving
up north to
cool off.
And what road
will they
travel? Ha!
I thought
so ... I‑17!
I
have another
idea–we could
create toll
roads. Anyone
living south
of Happy Valley
can pay five
bucks if they
want to head
north on the
interstate.
If people
are living
south of Camelback,
the fee jumps
up to about
twenty dollars.
Why
should some
folks get
all the light
rail and infrastructure
bucks, so
people in
the North
Valley can
wait twenty
years for
help?
Maybe
ADOT could
run a contest
for naming
rights to
the northern
stretch of
I‑17,
though it
might make
more sense
to limit growth
and development
until more
lanes are
added. How
about our
elected leaders
demanding
that we get
our own light
rail system
from Phoenix
to Flagstaff?
Okay,
that probably
wouldn’t work,
but throw
us a bone
here.
Well,
at least we’re
getting an
“improved”
interchange
at Carefree
Highway and
I‑17
in a couple
of years.
I’m so happy
I could have
a party.
The
long and narrow
road to points
north will
someday be
widened. I
was hoping
I would see
it while I’m
still driving
and not in
an assisted
living center,
but Rome wasn’t
built in a
day.
In
the meantime,
drive carefully,
slowly (of
course), and
honk if you
know of someone
who has an
extra 184
million dollars.
