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Old 07-09-2017, 11:37 PM   #1
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Horrible Road Conditions I40 Flagstaff West to CA

Just got back from a trip that took us from El Paso, to SoCal, North to Monterrey, Central Valley, then west through the AZ desert Flagstaff then south back to El Paso .

I want to warn everyone even thinking of taking I40 in Arizona, which is a particularly heavily travelled RV road because of Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon:

The road essentially from Needles Ca to Flagstaff AZ is one giant pothole. No matter the speed, no matter the lane, no matter how good you think you are at finding that "lane sweet spot," no matter the traffic conditions, expect to have doors flying open, drawers flying open, crap flying all out of your cabinets, and general mayhem because of the incredibly poor road conditions. Expect your tires to take a beating. Make sure you have correct pressure. You are going to need every PSI you can get. I had an overhead cabinet door just completely come off and I lost my Gray Water release handle somewhere along that route. I was averaging about 55 MPH through that stretch.

There is on and off construction which limits travel to one lane. Some of the warnings are ridiculously long, like "Right Lane Closed Ahead" and the lane closure is about ten miles from the warning. On other occasions, it is about 500 feet from the warning.

I have never ever experiences such a poorly maintained stretch of interstate for such a long expanse. Well over 200 miles.

Way to go Arizona!! Those tax cuts you are giving everyone sure are paying off!

Seemed like 500 miles.
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Old 07-10-2017, 12:17 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TimHolt View Post
Just got back from a trip that took us from El Paso, to SoCal, North to Monterrey, Central Valley, then west through the AZ desert Flagstaff then south back to El Paso .

I want to warn everyone even thinking of taking I40 in Arizona, which is a particularly heavily travelled RV road because of Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon:

The road essentially from Needles Ca to Flagstaff AZ is one giant pothole. No matter the speed, no matter the lane, no matter how good you think you are at finding that "lane sweet spot," no matter the traffic conditions, expect to have doors flying open, drawers flying open, crap flying all out of your cabinets, and general mayhem because of the incredibly poor road conditions. Expect your tires to take a beating. Make sure you have correct pressure. You are going to need every PSI you can get. I had an overhead cabinet door just completely come off and I lost my Gray Water release handle somewhere along that route. I was averaging about 55 MPH through that stretch.

There is on and off construction which limits travel to one lane. Some of the warnings are ridiculously long, like "Right Lane Closed Ahead" and the lane closure is about ten miles from the warning. On other occasions, it is about 500 feet from the warning.

I have never ever experiences such a poorly maintained stretch of interstate for such a long expanse. Well over 200 miles.

Way to go Arizona!! Those tax cuts you are giving everyone sure are paying off!

Seemed like 500 miles.
What tax cuts? Mine certainly haven't been cut!

I-10 between Palm Springs in CA through Benson, AZ (maybe further, I haven't been any further than that in the past few decades) is in pretty good condition (west of Palm Springs, I-10 gets pretty rough). Since you were heading to El Paso, that would have been a better route. Take AZ 85 west of Phoenix down to I-8, then east to bypass Phoenix traffic. I-8 will meet merge into I-10 at Casa Grande.

I-10
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Old 07-10-2017, 07:39 AM   #3
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We usually go that route, but thought the northern route would be a bit cooler.

I just assumed they are cutting taxes because they certainly are not using it for road improvements on I40...grin
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Old 07-10-2017, 07:42 AM   #4
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Used to live in the area and travel that area all the time. Go through that area every few months now and never had an issue.
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Old 07-10-2017, 08:26 AM   #5
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Few things worse that feeling trapped while your vehicle gets hammered to death. Nothing you can do, but go even slower, which just raises my blood pressure. And raises the blood pressure of those around you.
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Old 07-10-2017, 08:46 AM   #6
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Few things worse that feeling trapped while your vehicle gets hammered to death. Nothing you can do, but go even slower, which just raises my blood pressure. And raises the blood pressure of those around you.
Especially on single lane interstates!
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Old 07-10-2017, 09:12 AM   #7
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Must have been beat a lot in the last year or so. Last summer, we traveled I-40 east on a trip to Colorado, and it didn't seem that bad. Although, there was significant bumper to bumper about halfway between Kingman and Seligman for road work.

I dunno about Arizona, but here in California, every time they want a bigger tax chunk taken from the taxpayer, they claim they need the money for the roads, highways, and bridges. A few years later, when we all take our eye off the ball, they simply divert the money to other "programs", and go right back to complaining they don't have enough money to keep the roads in good shape.
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Old 03-14-2023, 08:29 AM   #8
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Eastbound I-40

Planning a route on I-40 eastbound from Kingman AZ to NM in April. Last year (2022) we took that stretch through Flagstaff the road conditions were not good. I don't want to repeat that experience, it beat the crap out of my RV and my nerves.

Has anyone drove this stretch eastbound recently? Has any roadwork been done, even if just filling potholes???
TIA!
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Old 03-14-2023, 09:36 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TimHolt View Post
Just got back from a trip that took us from El Paso, to SoCal, North to Monterrey, Central Valley, then west through the AZ desert Flagstaff then south back to El Paso .

I want to warn everyone even thinking of taking I40 in Arizona, which is a particularly heavily travelled RV road because of Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon:

The road essentially from Needles Ca to Flagstaff AZ is one giant pothole. No matter the speed, no matter the lane, no matter how good you think you are at finding that "lane sweet spot," no matter the traffic conditions, expect to have doors flying open, drawers flying open, crap flying all out of your cabinets, and general mayhem because of the incredibly poor road conditions. Expect your tires to take a beating. Make sure you have correct pressure. You are going to need every PSI you can get. I had an overhead cabinet door just completely come off and I lost my Gray Water release handle somewhere along that route. I was averaging about 55 MPH through that stretch.

There is on and off construction which limits travel to one lane. Some of the warnings are ridiculously long, like "Right Lane Closed Ahead" and the lane closure is about ten miles from the warning. On other occasions, it is about 500 feet from the warning.

I have never ever experiences such a poorly maintained stretch of interstate for such a long expanse. Well over 200 miles.

Way to go Arizona!! Those tax cuts you are giving everyone sure are paying off!

Seemed like 500 miles.
40 is not good, 10 is about as bad but you can thank a very snowy, wet winter, over weight trucks (notice them on that road) and a lack of money from three years of shutdown and a federal government that is supposed to be funding a part of that but wants to spend money elsewhere.

Ever driven Oklahoma roads?
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Old 03-14-2023, 10:57 AM   #10
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40 is not good, 10 is about as bad but you can thank a very snowy, wet winter, over weight trucks (notice them on that road) and a lack of money from three years of shutdown and a federal government that is supposed to be funding a part of that but wants to spend money elsewhere.

Ever driven Oklahoma roads?

I'm from Michigan, I know bad roads! I was wondering if I should avoid I-40 eastbound from Kingman.
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Old 03-14-2023, 11:21 AM   #11
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I'm from Michigan, I know bad roads! I was wondering if I should avoid I-40 eastbound from Kingman.

I have not been on it this winter but as I mentioned, considering the weather conditions we had, all of the over the road trucks that travel it, and the fact that some of it was redone, and some is not completed, my guess is it is going to be rough.
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Old 03-14-2023, 11:32 AM   #12
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I'm from Michigan, I know bad roads! I was wondering if I should avoid I-40 eastbound from Kingman.
Whenever we are going East from Kingman we always take the old Route 66. It's basically flat, no trucks and no potholes and 65mph. It's surprisingly in good shape for being a 100 year old road. It will rejoin I-40 at Seligman, or you can continue on 66 to rejoin I-40 just West of Ashfork.

It's a relaxing drive, lots of wildlife to see, as well as the old Burma Shave signs along the way. It adds about 18 miles to the trip, but not having to deal with the up and down hills, speeding semi's and potholes it's well worth the extra 1/2 hour..
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Old 03-14-2023, 12:10 PM   #13
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Whenever we are going East from Kingman we always take the old Route 66. It's basically flat, no trucks and no potholes and 65mph. It's surprisingly in good shape for being a 100 year old road. It will rejoin I-40 at Seligman, or you can continue on 66 to rejoin I-40 just West of Ashfork.

It's a relaxing drive, lots of wildlife to see, as well as the old Burma Shave signs along the way. It adds about 18 miles to the trip, but not having to deal with the up and down hills, speeding semi's and potholes it's well worth the extra 1/2 hour..
X2! Did the 66 stretch last summer enroute to the Grand Canyon and it was a pleasant, uncrowded drive. A relief after getting beat to pieces on I-40 from Needles.
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Old 03-14-2023, 01:57 PM   #14
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Let's throw in I-95 in South Carolina! It is an embarrassment. If going south, it is like turning off the light switch leaving NC, and turning it back on entering GA.
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Old 03-14-2023, 06:07 PM   #15
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Let's not get carried away and pick on every interstate we don't like. OK?

+1 to the Route 66. Slow down, smell the roses, enjoy the Burma Shave signs, Seligman, and Ash Fork, which has an interesting local museum by the way.
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Old 03-14-2023, 06:23 PM   #16
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Let's not get carried away and pick on every interstate we don't like. OK?
Why not? I wish someone had “picked on” I-40 before we drove it. Forewarned is forearmed.
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Old 03-14-2023, 07:51 PM   #17
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Love Seligmsn but it adds more than 16 min
Let's say 2 hours after you stop at the many old timey places !
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Old 03-14-2023, 09:32 PM   #18
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Why not? I wish someone had “picked on” I-40 before we drove it. Forewarned is forearmed.
Well how about a separate thread just for that topic. "Interstates/freeways/roads to avoid." Seems worthy of it's own thread to me. Somebody may not be interested in I40 between Kingman and Flagstaff, but I-95 in South Carolina may be of interest.
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Old 03-14-2023, 11:38 PM   #19
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Been there, done that: https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...-to-95404.html
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Old 03-15-2023, 02:20 AM   #20
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I know it not the area being mentioned above but we ran I-40 last fall from Santa Rosa to Ok City......great road, sit back and relax!
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