HikeArizona.COM

The all new variable speed limit section is ready to try to fix stupid.

$6.5 million in electronic speed limit signs, dust detection sensors, weather radar, speed feedback signs, and overhead message boards are now in place to help blind drivers make better decisions.

ADOT saved the money quote for the end of the story.

None of the technology can replace common sense when it comes to driving in dust storms.

Read all about it here.
https://azdot.gov/adot-news/first-its-k ... et-monsoon

chumley wrote: to help blind drivers make better decisions.

They need to do something to help all the other drivers, too. I dislike driving that stretch of road under any circumstances. I'll take NJ drivers over the Phoenix-to-Tucson insanity every time.

@big_load
That stretch is really nice now. Three lanes makes a big difference.
In 2037 when they get the 3rd lane between Chandler and Casa Grande done, the whole trip will be pleasant!

chumley wrote:That stretch is really nice now. Three lanes makes a big difference.

It seemed better when I drove it November, but I chalked that up to being more freshly away from my desk.

I sometimes have nightmares about when my brother-in-law's Greyhound-sized RV broke a drive shaft in Marana. We found a piece of vacuum cleaner pipe and some wire clothes hangers on the shoulder, spliced it together with traffic whizzing by, and drove back to Phoenix with Mrs. big_load's whole family inside. We never told them what we fixed.

Some 4 months ago I noticed the speed limit signs actually turned on in one section (not the whole thing), I didn't find them blinding or distracting. It was during the morning though after the sun had come up. Are there flashing lights or something that turn on in a dust storm? That would be distracting.

I agree that the third lane helps, if only flagstaff to tucson could be 3 lanes the whole way. I find the flagstaff to phoenix drive on sunday evenings worse than returning from tucson to phoenix on weekends, but both are pretty bad.

nonot wrote:I find the flagstaff to phoenix drive on sunday evenings worse than returning from tucson to phoenix on weekends, but both are pretty bad.

That's no fun, either.

nonot wrote:the flagstaff to phoenix drive

ADOT should implement a similar system that detects wildfires between SR69 and New River.

[ youtube video ]

And don't forget, if you pull off the road as far as possible, turn off your lights and get your foot off the brake. Better yet, just shut down.

@chumley
@big_load
@nonot
I have an idea! Just don't come up here on weekends!

Agreed. Do what I do and go midweek. You'll enjoy it more, have fewer crowds, and the traffic is a breeze.

@Jim_H
Ha, midweek is stupid too. Every single dispersed Camping Spot that you could see from FR 128 between Lake Mary Road and where it gets into 4x4 condition, was taken up by either RV's, Vans, Tent Campers, Truck Campers, you name it. I couldn't believe it. There must have been over 100 vehicles of some sort in that section. Sandy's Canyon TH lot was full and overflowing at 2:30 in the afternoon. If this is what Wednesdays look like Liz, don't worry, I won't be anywhere near there on a weekend. And I will continue to "start" my Hikes up there by 6:00 a.m.

@outdoor_lover
Dang. I've been staying in my motorhome at Canyon Vista Campground since Monday morning. Wish I had known you were around. Hiked a bit of Sandy's Canyon yesterday, starting from the campground. Road biked Lake Mary Road today. I'll be heading back to Doney Park on Monday, probably.

@azbackpackr
Wow, amazed we didn't run into you in Sandy's. But we were out by 2:30. I thought you were permanently over at Doney Park, so it didn't occur to me that you were in the area. I would have stopped by after we had a late lunch since I went back to Lake Mary and dinked around before heading home.

@outdoor_lover
Looking at my photos, to see what time I took them, I was hiking down into the canyon just before 2:30. Passed a group of 3 women who were hiking out, and other small family groups. Maybe we just didn't recognize one another?

@azbackpackr
We missed you by just minutes most likely. We were at the cars by 2:30 at the latest, might have been a little before.

@outdoor_lover
I might have passed you. I saw LosDosSloFolks photos. I have borderline prosopagnosia, so not recognizing people happens to me all the time. It's so bad sometimes it has brought me to tears at work, because I get people mixed up all the time. A lot of people look the same to me. Anyway I stepped way off the trail whenever I encountered anyone that day, but greeted everyone I saw.

@outdoor_lover
Maybe it's where you go? I saw no one and I mean no one when I was out west of Kendrick Mountain camping two weeks ago. Traffic on the interstates was not too bad, too. Going home last Friday afternoon I was fine, but traffic on northbound I-17 was horrible.

How close to Eloy or Picacho on I-10 is all this fun happening?

@Chumley Well, if the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce advertising can be believed, Eloy is just minutes from Flagstaff.

@Jim_H
Well, technically Everything is just minutes from Flagstaff ... I'm currently just 285 minutes from there myself.