General Phoenix Metro Discussion Thread

[locolife]

Originally Posted by plinko

Thank you for the reminder of why I no longer live in the Valley.

When I lived there in the 80s and 90s (left in 2002) the distances were somewhat manageable. Then again, I rarely went west of I-17 or outside the 101 to the north or east.

I love Phoenix, but the idea of freeways and subdivisions stretching to places like Florence or Peeples Valley is absolutely scary to me.

FWIW as a Tempe resident, I don't regularly find a need to venture much beyond boundaries areas you mention above, minus Westgate for games/concerts and soon the new resort when VAI opens up.

I find it nice to have so many areas to go explore but I don't see as necessary to go into any of them. Is being big scary to me? Not really, I guess.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by xymox

Sonoran Desert Parkway actually ends at Cave Creek Rd - between Jomax and Dynamite. The eventual plan is that it would align with Black Mtn Parkway (basically 40th st) and connect to where that currently terminates at Pinnacle Peak. This was done due instead of extending the 303 all the way out to SR-87 as originally proposed - along the Dynamite Rd corridor more or less. (Was strongly opposed by every community along its path.) So this will essentially connect L303 to at least SR-51 by way of a parkway vs freeway. Whether or not they could add additional transition lanes to The L101 E/W from that seems questionable.

In the early 2000s, there was an alternative proposed for I17 that would have extended SR-51 all the way up through the north valley, essentially through the Prescott area and then up to I-40 as an alternative to just adding lanes to 17.

Yes, Cave Creek not Tatum. Thanks for clarifying that. A Black Mountain Parkway connection would be easier than a 64th Street route in terms of connecting to the 101 and/or 51.

[Obadno]

FINALLY, 40 years too late but I digress. Finally the proliferation of cheap abundant nuclear energy is upon us.

https://azbex.com/legislation-issues/legislation-to-reduce-nuclear-restrictions-moving-forward/

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Obadno

FINALLY, 40 years too late but I digress. Finally the proliferation of cheap abundant nuclear energy is upon us.

https://azbex.com/legislation-issues/legislation-to-reduce-nuclear-restrictions-moving-forward/

I'm all for any power that does not produce greenhouse gas emissions at this point. But are these things feasible? I've never heard of a small modular nuclear reactor before. Is this similar to a nuclear submarine? Can do some research online but since you seemed into the idea thought you may know more.

Also, curious where the waste will go since I believe the half-life of the radioactive isotopes may be 100,000 years or so?

[xymox]

Originally Posted by locolife

I'm all for any power that does not produce greenhouse gas emissions at this point. But are these things feasible? I've never heard of a small modular nuclear reactor before. Is this similar to a nuclear submarine? Can do some research online but since you seemed into the idea thought you may know more.

Also, curious where the waste will go since I believe the half-life of the radioactive isotopes may be 100,000 years or so?

Yes, very feasible. And they use fissile material that can't meltdown. There are various designs - not sure what the prevailing one is these days. I do recall reading that there are even some modules that are the size of a fridge that are designed to be 'plugged into' the neighborhood grid and it could power a few hundred homes for 25 years. Swap it out with a new one and keep on truckin'.

[xymox]

Now Nvidia is investing in AZ. Sharing TSMC with Apple for chips and building testing facilities here. Manufacturing of their AI computers to occur in TX. I think we got the better end of the deal here for once vs TX!

https://ktar.com/arizona-business/tech-giant-nvidia-arizona-chips/5693716/

[xymox]

Originally Posted by xymox

Now Nvidia is investing in AZ. Sharing TSMC with Apple for chips and building testing facilities here. Manufacturing of their AI computers to occur in TX. I think we got the better end of the deal here for once vs TX!

https://ktar.com/arizona-business/tech-giant-nvidia-arizona-chips/5693716/

And now AMD announces more or less the same. At first I never thought we'd have a chance at seeing this site fully built out. Now I don't think they could build it fast enough. I am expecting to see announcements for Fabs 4-6 here next...

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amd-launch-u-made-venice-123447449.html

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by xymox

And now AMD announces more or less the same. At first I never thought we'd have a chance at seeing this site fully built out. Now I don't think they could build it fast enough. I am expecting to see announcements for Fabs 4-6 here next...

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amd-launch-u-made-venice-123447449.html

The expansion to 9 fabs and 2 packaging facilities in January is clearly needed at this rate.

They better speed up construction.

[combusean]

Just wanted to say I have moved back to the Valley for a bit to help out with family and complete my bachelor's degree.

ASU's biotechnical somethingoranother engineering would be nice to be on my horizon after so many years serving webapps from the San Francisco area where i've been the last 13 years but who knows.

Anyways, thanks to y'all here at the forum for keeping up the place. It looks nice here.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by combusean

Just wanted to say I have moved back to the Valley for a bit to help out with family and complete my bachelor's degree.

ASU's biotechnical somethingoranother engineering would be nice to be on my horizon after so many years serving webapps from the San Francisco area where i've been the last 13 years but who knows.

Anyways, thanks to y'all here at the forum for keeping up the place. It looks nice here.

Welcome back, we thought the last building cycle was impressive just wait for the next several years as all this investment money from Semiconductors, mining and other manufacturing begins to work its way into the local economy.

You picked a good time to come back.

[muertecaza]

Orpheum Lofts penthouse is up for sale. Who here is gonna volunteer to plop down $2.2m to get some pics for the forum?

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/114-W...&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare

https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/for-sale-downtown-phoenix-penthouse-hitchcock-psycho-21829557

[phoenixwillrise]

Originally Posted by xymox

Yes, very feasible. And they use fissile material that can't meltdown. There are various designs - not sure what the prevailing one is these days. I do recall reading that there are even some modules that are the size of a fridge that are designed to be 'plugged into' the neighborhood grid and it could power a few hundred homes for 25 years. Swap it out with a new one and keep on truckin'.

This is great news having no background in solar but just seeing all of these solar panels being installed in the desert and on roof tops. I have to wonder, is this exasperating the heat island effect and if these small nukes work should solar be banned in AZ?

[DesertRay]

Originally Posted by phoenixwillrise

This is great news having no background in solar but just seeing all of these solar panels being installed in the desert and on roof tops. I have to wonder, is this exasperating the heat island effect and if these small nukes work should solar be banned in AZ?

It is helping the heat island effect. It takes the solar energy and converts it to electricity. If anything, solar should be accelerated and implemented in all sorts of shade structures. By all means, let's get more nuclear, but solar is absolutely a no-brainer and should be accelerated.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by phoenixwillrise

This is great news having no background in solar but just seeing all of these solar panels being installed in the desert and on roof tops. I have to wonder, is this exasperating the heat island effect and if these small nukes work should solar be banned in AZ?

Solar if anywhere is perfect for our region. Nuclear and ideally Fusion some day are the ideal. Nuclear fission despite peoples fears is extremely safe. Our entire navy has run on small reactors for decades without any serious accidents. Even at Chernobyl the most serious of every nuclear incident it was a steam explosion not a nuclear meltdown and 3/4 reactors at Chernobyl remained in operation AND STILL ARE TO THIS DAY.

I think for the rest of the century we are looking at a mix of Solar and Fission for our area as Oil and LNG slowly phase out. But the truth is LNG is very clean burning and a completely reasonable and extremely affordable fuel source.

The idea that we could go full Solar and Wind was always nonsense. It would have never worked. Oil isn't going away its used for far more than just Gasoline.

[TllrSkyline-01]

Originally Posted by phoenixwillrise

This is great news having no background in solar but just seeing all of these solar panels being installed in the desert and on roof tops. I have to wonder, is this exasperating the heat island effect and if these small nukes work should solar be banned in AZ?

I think we need a balanced approach to this issue. None should be banned. I support all types of energy sources...solar, wind, nuclear, LNG and yes, in moderation clean coal. None should be banned IMHO. All can work together and keep our national grid well fed. I enjoy the solar panels in my home, and love it...but it has huge limitations on a grand scale. Adding solar on buildings and parking areas makes perfect sense in AZ, CO. NM, TX, but obviously not for my friends in Michigan.

The Spain power outage a few weeks ago was caused by many factors, but the lack of 'grid inertia' with reliance on solar power was a huge contributor. I have family and friends living there, so they provided a little insight on what was reported.

[DesertRay]

Originally Posted by Obadno

Oil isn't going away its used for far more than just Gasoline.

Totally agree. I think that we owe a huge debt of gratitude to petroleum products. I'm actually in favor of us talking about the highest-value uses of petroleum (applications in transportation, housing, medical, etc.) and us getting away from this good/that bad all for/all against discussions. We're smarter than that.

[phoenixwillrise]

Originally Posted by DesertRay

It is helping the heat island effect. It takes the solar energy and converts it to electricity. If anything, solar should be accelerated and implemented in all sorts of shade structures. By all means, let's get more nuclear, but solar is absolutely a no-brainer and should be accelerated.

I have no clue but how is it helping the heat island effect? What about the reflection off that solar panels? Sure seems like that would have some effect similar to the reflection of heat off of pavement.

[DesertRay]

Originally Posted by phoenixwillrise

I have no clue but how is it helping the heat island effect? What about the reflection off that solar panels? Sure seems like that would have some effect similar to the reflection of heat off of pavement.

It's actually pretty complex, but the simplest way to know it is better is where it is placed. If it is put on something dark (which it usually is--most roofs are, in aggregate, dark), then the energy removed for the electricity reduces the gain. The problem with the pavement isn't the reflection, it is the absorption. Dark materials are not as reflective (although some of that doesn't matter, since carbon in the air absorbs some of that heat--but I digress). Roofs and asphalt are notoriously hot, but light-colored surfaces are less so, and cool off quicker (this is part of the reason that Cul de Sac is 15-20 degrees cooler, since it is painted white, like you see in places like Greece). So, in sum, roofs get a little cooler, we generate non-carbon emitting power to cool the inside, and we free other power sources to generate for other optimized uses. Win-win-win.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by phoenixwillrise

I have no clue but how is it helping the heat island effect? What about the reflection off that solar panels? Sure seems like that would have some effect similar to the reflection of heat off of pavement.

There is a very simple way to help. Subsidize Shade trees, lawns, fountains, white paint, permeable surfaces etc.

Agriculture uses 70% of our water in the state yet we now have subsidies to make people pull out their grass and trees to replace them with plastic turf and rock which makes the urban heat island WORSE.

Its ass backwards, we should be punishing agg to grow different crops or be more efficient in their water (Which they can easily) and encouraging people to plant trees as much as possible.

But for poltiics its way easier to say "Kill your lawn save water"

Drives me INSANE

[azcats]

Petroleum products: If people want to sound so enlightened and superior regarding ridding the world of petroleum - fine. Then they need to WALK EVERWHERE stark naked. Because EVERYTHING has petroleum byproducts in it. Years ago, I attended a city council meeting in the municipality that had one of the largest refineries in the state. On the agenda was an issue regarding the refinery. One speaker was a woman that was always at council meetings - needing to make comments. This meeting, during her rant against the refinery - she commented, "...We will bury the fossil fuel industry!" Earlier that evening, I just happened to follow her into the parking lot before the meeting. She was driving a late model, gas guzzling Mercedes. I motioned to the company rep - that I would like to get up and praise the beautiful car she was driving. The guy just shook his head and said, "Forget it."

Regarding the heat and sun: All the comments - have jogged my memories of growing up in the Phoenix area - some memories that I haven't thought of for years! Young people and transplants that moved to the Valley ...let's say, in 2007...have no clue what the area was like growing up in the 60's. There is no doubt that the 5 million that now exist - and everything covered with asphalt and concrete have made the summer heat so much worse. I grew up truly in the desert: on a cul-de-sac just before the corner of Mockingbird and Cheney. They "scraped" it last year. Our house was just a family house built in the late 50s - room for 5 kids. Even the driveway was dirt. Parents paid $36,000 for it in 1962. In today's dollars: $381,000. That was Paradise Valley - not so long ago. However, our enclosed backyard was very green (not the "green" spoken today) and we probably used more water than we should have. Every summer, we had to whitewash the trunks of the citrus trees - so, they didn't get scorched by the sun.