12/21/2009 10:53:00 PM Williamson Valley Road widening begins
Matt Hinshaw/The Daily Courier
The Daily Courier
Construction crews begin to clear brush off the side of Williamson Valley Road Monday afternoon.
An electronic sign posted near Granite Mountain Middle School says to expect delays on Williamson Valley Road through March 2011.
Fann Contracting, Inc. started construction Monday on the south portion of Williamson Valley Road - from Shadow Valley Ranch Road to Pioneer Parkway. Hours of construction are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, with some minor work on Fridays.
Work includes closing two-way traffic and routing traffic through work zones with a pilot car and flaggers.
The road construction is part of the Williamson Valley Road Improvement Project that involves widening to five lanes south and north sections.
Yavapai County Public Works Department does not anticipate starting the north project for about five years or longer, according to a press release.
Posted: Saturday, December 26, 2009
Article comment by:
Questions for Tom V
Tom, The Sheriff has said that "generally speaking, when you widen a road, speed increases". However, the good news is that the County has said they will reduce the speed limit to 40 MPH. Your comment "Witness the smooth operation of Pioneer parkway" is a good point. It was built several years ago, still has no traffic to speak of, and is now in need of repair. What a waste of taxpayer money.... It should have been 3 lanes until traffic demanded wider. As far as slower drivers take the right lane, haven't you ever been trapped in traffic with slowpokes in both lanes? I have! So, do you really need to get there 1 minute faster? Am I willing to spend $80 million so you can? No!
Posted: Thursday, December 24, 2009
Article comment by:
Astounded
Ridiculous, I also wonder why the stretch between the middle school and Shadow Valley rd will remain 2 lanes. Makes no sense at all unless the engineers were thinking a choke point would help slow traffic down.
Still doesn't make any sense.
On another point, the speed limit is 35 which doesn't seem to do much good. It should be at least 45 as that seems to be the speed most actually go.
There is a ton of traffic using WV rd coming off Iron Springs so I think this is going to be a major problem during construction.
Posted: Thursday, December 24, 2009
Article comment by:
Tom V.
"Four lane" does not equal "raceway." Having another lan to choose from would allow the deliberate drivers to travel their own speed and those in a hurry to travel theirs, without the unsafe bumper-to-bumper travel or the desparate dives for the "passing zones" which people's different desires create in the current two-lane situation. People settle upon a speed they can maintain without external hazards; witness the smooth operation of Pioneer parkway. Most of the drivers are at or near the speed limit, and those who are not are accommodated by the majority.
Roads and cars were developed so people and goods could get to their destinations; how much more would these whiners be crying if their personal vehicles were broken down and they didn't have the mobility they wish to deny to others?
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Well done
We moved from the area in 2005 because of the [ankest]of all of this. We now live in a place where 20 miles of dirt road is no big deal. Gas is 12 miles,food is 68 miles and people wave or stop and say hello. You get what you asked for.
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
RJ
Growth in Arizona has slowed to a trickle. The State is close to bankruptcy. The answer......widen a road that doesn't need it. Let under-privilged children suffer. Way to go Arizona. Dumbkopfs.
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
JMN
I think that a highway from Prescott to Seligman would be a good thing for Prescott and area businesses. I know from working on committees trying to attract good industries to the area that transportation and alternative and direct routes in and out of Prescott has always been a major consideration. Transportation in and out of town is a positive thing - for tourism the more people who pass through the better; manufacturing and industry depends on direct delivery both ways - more industry means more better paying jobs - and the better the roads (or wider) the better for these factors.
The WV group probably doesn't much care that it might effect Prescott in a positive way but it could also turn out to be a positive thing for them in the long run - or more likely won't at all effect the "rural" lifestyle they think they have. (just owning a pickup truck and 1 1/2 or 2 acres 10 miles from town does not make it rural, it's just farther to the grocery store - especially if it's in the middle of sprawling housing developments, golf courses and you have 10,000 neighbors. It sure isn't what those of us who have spent much of our lives in real rural areas would consider "rural"- but I understand their intent.)
A highway through the countryside doesn't have to change or define the area. On a recent trip back east I observed that I-40 passes through some of the most "rural" areas of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma - returning home on I-80 through the rural farm and cattle country of Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado I recognized the same. That freeway doesn't seem to have changed their rural lifestyle much at all.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
tired
And their are still roads in the city limits that are still dirt and some almost unpassable. Wow! What ninkinpoopery!
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
To WV Whiners go back to school and learn ENGLISH Also study up on your grammar.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
Maveth
Gee, I remember way back in the old days when ADOT seriously talked about pushing through and paving WV road all the way to Seligman.
Wonder if that idea is still in play.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
WV whinners
Whine, sniffle, cry, clueless. First part of the area is in the city limits not county.Summmer break last a total of 6 weeks anymore and Fann and alll the other contracters are loooking for jobs.County got a great bid, Fann can but stafff to work and whats the differance if the traffic is backed up for a mile which is everyday now or two miles because of construction soon. Thr retired SOCAL group willl whine regardless the need and it is needed.Laugh all you want by 2025 WVR will be a state highway from Seligman. If you don't like it, well whine or move.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
Ridiculous
Anyone who knows Williamson Valley Rd. well, will attest to the fact that arguably the most dangerous part of the road just happens to be the soon to get worse swithchbacks between the Middle School and Shadow Valley Ranch Rd. How could they bypass this stretch? Four lane, two lane, four lane? Ridiculous!
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
MIKE B.
DESPITE MY INVOLVEMENT IN THE WILLIAMSON VALLEY PLAN, I'M GLAD THE ROAD IS GOING TO 5 LANES. PLEASE DON'T WRITE AND TELL ME I'M FULL OF IT. THAT'S MY OPINION AND I AM ENTITLED TO IT.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
I HEAR TELL THAT THE TRUCKING ASSOC. WOULD REALLY LIKE THE ROAD PUNCHED THRU TO SELIGMAN.THEY SAY IT WOULD SAVE ALOT OF TIME AND FUEL FOR TRUCKS COMING FROM THE WEST AND GOING SOUTH. NO ICE AND SNOW LIKE GOING THRU FLAGSTAFF IN THE WINTER.
POSSIBLY EVEN A TRUCK STOP ACROSS FROM TEXACO.
YOU JUST NEVER KNOW.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
Kale
There goes the last two lane road heading into Prescott from the north. I don't know about you but my "hometown" wasn't all 4 lane divided highways (ie. raceways). Maybe it's time to think about leaving the area, it's getting too big.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
Lyn
great the Board of Supervisors can pay for it.For those of you ignorant ones who feel you get stuck behind someone who does not drive fast enough for you I wish for you many tickets, tickets, tickets.Your the problems not the solution.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
azlaydey
Williamson Valley Rd is County jurisdiction, Hwy 89 is State............. It's too late to stop the widening project on the south part of WV, but not going farther north. I don't live on WV Rd, but I've traveled it for 43 yrs.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Who was the brain surgeon who decided the construction should begin right in front of two schools at this time of the year? Wouldn't it made more sense if that portion was done when school was out for their summer break?
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
Starfish
FINALLY!!! So tired of being stuck behind someone who doesn't know the speed limit and following them for MILES. Yahoooo!
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
I am also for the widening of WVR but feel this maybe an open invitation for people to continue going above & BEYOND the POSTED speed limits. I hope the Sheriff's Dept will put speed traps or monitor the road to help pay for it. People, stop doing 80 mph on this road!
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
While I am for the widening of WVR, I am perplexed why the widening of 89 between Chino Valley and 89A isn't even on the future projects list for ADOT. This was supposed to be done years ago, and the traffic between Chino and Prescott has only gotten heavier. One minor accident and traffic can be backed up into Chino and we add 30 minutes to our commute time. I hate to see more construction, but this problem is only getting worse, and will be tenfold when they eventually decide to widen 89.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
GOOD!
woohoo!!! let the fun begin! Only 1.5 years until I'm no longer stuck behind old man river doing 25 mph!!!
