I-17 Flagstaff to Phoenix

[COCJ]

Has anyone driven this stretch lately? We are thinking about doing a trip from Montrose, Colorado to Wickenburg. This last spring we made that trip and it was 120 miles of the most bone jarring, teeth rattling, stretch of potholes and busted up pavement that I have ever traveled. We have a small Class C on a Chevy chassis, so we don't have the benefit of the cushy suspension that many of the larger Class As have. If they have not repaved that section, we will do something else. Any info is appreciated.

 

[tanglemoose]

Sorry, it seems ALL interstates in Arizona are God awful! We took I 40, I 8, I 10 last year, all were awful. Hopefully someone can say they were on recently and they were fixed!

 

[Mr Lars]

We traveled that stretch about 6 or 7 years ago, with a rental car. Needless to say it is pretty much downhill all the way. LOL.

 

[DonTom]

Sorry, it seems ALL interstates in Arizona are God awful!

I discovered the same a couple of years ago. I-40 was especially bad until I hit NM where then it was then road construction. But at least NM was fixing their I-40 unlike AZ where they are not doing anything. Has the state of AZ gone broke or what?

But since then, Texas did a great job of fixing their roads in the west (save for inside their small towns where the speed limit is 25 mph). I was hoping the same for AZ.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Mountain high]

If they fixed it in Arizona, then more people would drive on it.

Why Denver and L.A. Are Backing Away from Highway Expansions

New rules that require measuring greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector as well as concerns about air pollution have led to the cancellation of what critics are calling highway “boondoggles.”

www.governing.com

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

They've repaved I-17 from Flagstaff south. I last drove it about 3 months ago. There were still a couple of sections where it went down to one lane where they were still working. It should be done by now. AZ511 doesn't show any construction up that way anymore.

I-17 from Sunset Point rest area (MP 252) south to W Anthem Way (MP 229) is under construction for widening. I-17 has long-term shoulder closures in place. All lanes are open during the day but there is some closures late at night for blasting.

I drove from Camp Verde to Phoenix last Monday. All lanes were open and traffic was moving at the speed limit or better.

If you're going to Wickenburg I would get off at the New River exit. Turn right and take New River road. It dead ends into SR74. Turn right on 74 and it will dead end into SR60 just south of Wickenburg.

 

[darsben]

I drove it 2 days ago. They are doing heavy construction between milepost 252 and 232. It is not a nice drive tight now. Narrow lanes in spots. For 3-4 days in early January parts will be shut down for blasting. Construction ongoing for next year or so.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

I drove it 2 days ago. They are doing heavy construction between milepost 252 and 232. It is not a nice drive tight now. Narrow lanes in spots. For 3-4 days in early January parts will be shut down for blasting. Construction ongoing for next year or so.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

The lanes are the same width as they have always been. They are just shifted in some spots which takes up the shoulder so there is no shoulder in those spots.

They only close down for blasting in the middle of the night. No blasting during the day.

 

[Gizmo]

Sounds like little has changed since we moved out of AZ 5-plus years ago. It seemed little attention was paid to the roads and when they did “repair” potholes, they made tank traps out of them.

 

[DonTom]

Sounds like little has changed since we moved out of AZ 5-plus years ago

I don't think they have even touched many of their roads in AZ in the last five years--so they have gotten worse.

IMO, AZ now has the worse roads in the USA. Used to be Texas, but they improved most of them in the last few years.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[COCJ]

Yes, usually get off at New River exit. So, from Flagstaff south it is nice, new, smooth pavement? No giant potholes and busted up pavement? Last year we came back across I-40 on the way back because I-17 was so bad. It was even worse! People pulled over changing tires and dozens of broken off mufflers laying on the shoulder. Saw one ADOT truck the whole trip and I think he just pulled over to take a nap.