Aerial Photo of Parkway w/ "Michigan Left Turns"

IMAGE

1

MCDOT has studied opportunities to enhance traffic flow while also decreasing the need for new freeways throughout our landscape, which led to the concept of the "AZ Parkway" (see attached link to BQAZ). Not only does this concept help with auto traffic needs, but it also creates opportunities for enhanced right-of-way for safer biking/walking and offers better streetscape alternatives. As an added benefit, such corridors preserve right-of-way for future rail projects where warranted.

I propose that we prioritize retrofitting any major roadway with seven existing traffic lanes for this type of design, as well as work with ADOT/MAG and affected land developers and business owners to explore whether this concept can mitigate the need for planned freeways, suicide lanes, and other controversial plans for increased flow. As an example, the contentious Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway has already been reviewed for such a design, which the Laveen community widely supported before being told that the full freeway would be necessary (which is now the widely supported alternative).

Not only would this help to mitigate the ill effects of through-traffic, but it also offers the opportunity for safer pedestrian/bike crossings and enables us to plant densely vegetated medians to offer natural view corridors and sound mitigation, as well as perhaps a little bit of air pollution mitigation. Specifically, as proposed in my earlier idea, "Trees! Trees! Trees!" (http://www.myplanphx.com/shaping-phoenix-s-future/trees-trees-trees), we can use drought tolerant native trees and let them grow into unobtrusive and easily maintained mesquite bosques, which integrates the natural beauty for which our surrounding desert is best known. We can even add low-maintenance cactus gardens near intersections, which would serve as natural sculpture gardens.