On Thursday June 26, 2014 I attended a public hearing on the new proposed highway corridor for Interstate Highway 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This newest unit of the interstate highway system would connect Las Vegas to Phoenix, which are the two largest cities in the US that do not have a direct limited-access, 4-lane divided freeway linkage. There are lots of reasons given by boosters for why this highway is needed - economic development, free trade/NAFTA, adding a second freeway system that links the Mexican and Canadian borders (the Canamex Highway), the mandate for endless growth in a region already being stressed by population gains and diminishing water supplies, etc. I wont discuss the pros and cons of this or whether I think its sensible or necessary (I really dont is the short answer) but I will draw your attention to the first photo in the post. Do you see that blue loop in the center of the image, south of Kingman and between the veiny network of proposed routes in both Phoenix and Vegas? Do you see the purple cross-hatching? Do you know where that is? Its a proposed alignment of I-11 down Alamo Road, right outside my front door. Now before you all panic (and before I panic) I should state that it appears that this proposed alignment of I-11 along Alamo Road has been eliminated from serious consideration in favor of the existing US Hwy 93, which runs about 30 miles to my east, along the eastern side of the Hualapai Mountains. US 93 is already four lanes and divided for most of its length between Wickenburg, Arizona and Las Vegas, and the commission studying the various options has determined that the least-expensive and most feasible option would be to finish upgrading the remaining segments of two-lane roadway and exit ramps/interchanges on US 93 and renaming it I-11 when completed. Where to put I-11 near Phoenix and Vegas are far more difficult questions to answer, and I-11 is still at minimum 20 years from becoming a reality. But the process is underway and may eventually be completed. Still, I have to imagine what would happen to my life should the specter of I-11 resurrect to eat away everything I have worked so hard for in the name of commercial progress and corporate free trade. The alignment of I-11 in my narrow little valley between the hills would be about 800 feet wide. My house is set back no more than 400 feet from Alamo Road, plus there has to be space left for the wash channel to flow. I literally would have to move, because there would be no future here for me anymore should I-11 displace me and my gardens, not to mention the native animals and plants and my neighbors on currently vacant parcels. I would feel spiritually homeless if this were to happen. Its an extraordinarily unpleasant thought. But allow me to reiterate that after speaking to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) official in charge of the study yesterday afternoon that the Alamo Road option has been killed and is not being recommended in any way, shape, or form. I-11 will not be coursing outside my front door anytime in the near future, and probably never. I can breathe a sigh of relief about this, but I fully intend to keep up with the process of planning this freeway in future years just to monitor it and be sure. I have to wonder who else will be impacted by I-11 closer to Phoenix and Vegas instead? No one signs up for this when they buy a house and build a life....
Posted on: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 10:12:53 +0000
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