UPDATED: Arizona (not Nevada) roads question

Just got back from a 6 week vacation and driven my camper all the way to Southern California and Southern Nevada to visit family and friends over a 7588.8 mile round trip !

The state boundaries still have not changed since I was raised in that area in the 1970s and personally driven from Needles to the US 95 Jct along westbound I-40 over three weeks ago on my way to Las Vegas as it is still within the state of California as noted that Nevada is nowhere near the I-40 route....

As noted, new pavement along that stretch of I-40 does exist.

Can't comment on the Arizona roads other than crossing in there from Needles and filling my fuel tanks at $2.589 per gallon and almost drove to Bullhead and Laughlin but reconsidered as it was getting heat of the day and didn't want to chance climbing the grade and getting potential fuel vapor lock again like I did driving up the Grapevine the week prior it was soooo hot, and lucky I coasted into the new rest area they have there and let the engine cool for an hour.

What I can attest to along driving eastbound I-10 from San Bernadino-Yucaipa I-215 interchange all the way to Whitewater, the two right lanes were so beat up I thought something bad was going to happen to the camper or suspension as there was so much traffic on a Sunday night I could not get even close to drive in the number one or two lane at that - Never seen Palm Springs bound traffic that busy ever, but then again I haven't driven along that stretch in 28 years either and it was a culture shock !!!

Heading back northbound out of Las Vegas I stayed along Western Nevada with their excellent roads and my first time along that area as I driven to Sparks - Reno which was the first time I had been there in 47 years since my childhood back in 1972 residing there for a year.

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
I40 only touches very little of Nevada and 10, not even a bit.

And 10 after California is one vvery very boring freeway.

And exactly where does I-40 touch Nevada?

lane hog wrote:
I-10 is in fairly good shape, but the traffic is horrible starting about 20 miles west of Phoenix until you're past Tucson. I used to drive back roads between Phoenix and Tucson just to avoid I-10...

Taking the so called Phoenix By pass south from I-10 down 85 through Gila Bend is the way to go. You miss all of the traffic nonsense in Phoenix and come out on I-8 where it merges {ends} on I-10 just south of Casa Grande. From there I-10 is fine down to and through Tucson. The ride from Gila Bend towards Casa Grande is actually one of the more scenic stretches of I-8.

Going west the By pass takes you back up through Gila Bend and you hit I-10 well west of Phoenix and from there it is pretty decent all the way to California {just fill your tank before crossing the Colorado unless you like paying an extra $1.50+ a gallon}.

:C

lane hog wrote:
I-10 is in fairly good shape, but the traffic is horrible starting about 20 miles west of Phoenix until you're past Tucson. I used to drive back roads between Phoenix and Tucson just to avoid I-10...

Ah, but the spot from Tucson to Casa Grande is widened so the real bottleneck is the lane reduction between Casa Grande to the metro area where it goes back to multi-lanes. Of course Phoenix I-10 is a great example of traffic engineering designed by kindergarten students. Hopefully the new 202 bypass around Phoenix and the I-10 will help, but as is typical, as soon as it opens, ADOT will start tearing it up for some crazy funded projects.

I-10 is in fairly good shape, but the traffic is horrible starting about 20 miles west of Phoenix until you're past Tucson. I used to drive back roads between Phoenix and Tucson just to avoid I-10...

Different strokes. We like the drive on I-40 from Barstow to Albuquerque.

bass n bob wrote:
last week I traveled I 40 east in Arizona and the road was terrible. I am a motorhome towing. Next week I have to travel it again. Can anyone tell me if I 10 would be better? I could take that and connect back to I 40 via I 25 later. Does I 40 get better after Arizona? .Thoughts? thx

We drove 10 to Texas back in June, road wasn’t too bad but getting there via 93 from kingman was horrible, much much worse than 40. My opinion FWIW.

I-40 from the California border to Flagstaff was repaved in the last year or two. Prior to that it was horrible with massive pot holes. I do not know the condition of I-40 from Flagstaff to New Mexico.

Gosh, I-40 is not that bad. It goes through the high country -- great views. It does get duller as you approach California.

And compared to the interstates in Calif., I-40 in Arizona is relatively well-maintained.

Both I-40 and I-10 are in decent shape but mind numbingly boring. After November first watch the weather carefully if contemplating traveling through Arizona and/or new Mexico on I-40.

Every year, often more than once, I-40 will be shut down between Albuquerque and Flagstaff for several days at a time. I-10 usually remains open throughout the winter months but can be subject to serious snow at the higher elevations {the Continental divide lies midway between Lordsburg and Deming}.

We spent last Christmas with our friends in Angel Fire New Mexico. Going home we had snow blocking some or all of at least one lane of southbound I-25 all the way to Truth or Consequences... check the weather - the internet is your friend.

:C