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arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
s in the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard in Tempe continues east as Main Street in neighboring
Mesa A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by ...
and then as Apache Trail in
Apache Junction Apache Junction is a city in Pinal and Maricopa counties in the state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,499, most of whom lived in Pinal County. It is named for the junction of the Apache Trail and Old West Highway. Th ...
. Although Broadway Road maintains the same name through Goodyear, Avondale,
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, Tempe, Mesa, and Apache Junction, each town uses a different reference point for address numbers.


Arizona Avenue

Arizona Avenue is a north–south
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the southeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway comprises the portion of
Arizona State Route 87 State Route 87 (SR 87) is a north–south highway that travels from I-10 near Picacho northward to State Route 264 near Second Mesa. Route description SR 87 begins to the north of I-10 at a junction with an unsigned orphan segment of SR 84 ...
(SR 87) within the city of
Chandler Chandler or The Chandler may refer to: * Chandler (occupation), originally head of the medieval household office responsible for candles, now a person who makes or sells candles * Ship chandler, a dealer in supplies or equipment for ships Arts ...
. The entire length of Arizona Avenue is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial. Arizona Avenue begins at Hunt Highway, which forms the south city limit of Chandler and also the
Maricopa Maricopa can refer to: Places * Maricopa, Arizona, United States, a city ** Maricopa Freeway, a piece of I-10 in Metropolitan Phoenix ** Maricopa station, an Amtrak station in Maricopa, Arizona * Maricopa County, Arizona, United States * Marico ...
Pinal county line. This intersection also forms the northern terminus of SR 587; SR 87 briefly heads east on Hunt Highway before turning southeast fully into Pinal County. Arizona Avenue heads north as a four-lane divided highway. Between
Riggs Road Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
and Chandler Heights Road, the road expands to six lanes. North of its
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with SR 202 (Santan Freeway), the highway reduces to four lanes and passes through downtown Chandler. At the north end of downtown, Arizona Avenue passes the
Chandler Center for the Arts Chandler Center for the Arts (CCA), is located in Chandler, Arizona and is jointly owned by the City of Chandler and the Chandler Unified School District. The Chandler Center for the Arts functions dually as the home theater for Chandler High Scho ...
and Chandler High School and becomes a six-lane road with
center turn lane A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
. The highway continues through an intersection with
Elliot Road Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
to the Western Canal, where SR 87 continues north into the city of
Mesa A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by ...
as
Country Club Drive Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
.


Baseline Road

Baseline Road is a significant east-west arterial road. This road is so named because it runs along the length of the primary baseline for Arizona as given under the
Public Land Survey System The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) is the surveying method developed and used in the United States to plat, or divide, real property for sale and settling. Also known as the Rectangular Survey System, it was created by the Land Ordinance of 1 ...
. This line runs east-west from the "zero point" atop a hill near the confluence of the Gila and Salt rivers, on Avondale Boulevard (115th Avenue) at Baseline Road. This site is next to
Phoenix Raceway Phoenix Raceway is a 1-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona, near Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually including the final championship race since 2020. ...
. Avondale Boulevard is laid out atop the north-south base meridian, called the Gila and Salt River meridian. Due to natural obstructions, Baseline is not continuous. The longest continuous stretch of Baseline Road is approximately . The road is located in
Maricopa County Maricopa County is in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,420,568, making it the state's most populous county, and the fourth-most populous in the United States. It contains about 6 ...
and
Pinal County Pinal County is in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. According to the 2020 census, the population of the county was 425,264, making it Arizona's third-most populous county. The county seat is Florence. The county was founded in 187 ...
. There is also a rural road named Baseline Road in southern
La Paz County La Paz County is the 15th county in the U.S. state of Arizona, located in the western part of the state. As of the 2020 census, its population was 16,557, making it the second-least populous county in Arizona. The county seat is Parker. Th ...
close to the
Colorado River The Colorado River ( es, Río Colorado) is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river drains an expansive, arid drainage basin, watershed that encompasses parts of ...
which is located near Arizona's baseline. Because of the
grid plan In urban planning, the grid plan, grid street plan, or gridiron plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid. Two inherent characteristics of the grid plan, frequent intersections and orthogona ...
used by cities in Arizona, the name for the road is applied for non-contiguous sections and is theoretically reserved for future east-west roads built at the same latitude.


Route description

Starting from east, the road begins in Apache Junction in Pinal County, named Baseline Avenue and is a small segment of thoroughfare in a residential neighborhood at the foothills of the
Superstition Mountains The Superstition Mountains ( yuf-x-yav, Wi:kchsawa) is a range of mountains in Arizona located to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area. They are anchored by Superstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular recreation destination for ...
. The route picks up again and runs due westward, running parallel to
US 60 U.S. Route 60 is a major east–west United States highway, traveling from southwestern Arizona to the Atlantic Ocean coast in Virginia. The highway's eastern terminus is in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where it is known as Pacific Avenue, in the ...
. At the Maricopa County border, the road enters Mesa and is named Baseline Road. It becomes a major arterial road as it passes through
Gilbert Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...
and Tempe. In Tempe, it intersects
Loop 101 Arizona State Route 101 (SR 101) or Loop 101 is a semi-beltway looping around the Phoenix Metropolitan Area in central Arizona. It connects several suburbs of Phoenix, including Tolleson, Glendale, Peoria, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, and C ...
and then
Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
. Continuing, the road runs through south Phoenix and the major arterial segment of the road terminates in the
Gila River Indian Community The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) (O'odham language: Keli Akimel Oʼotham, ''meaning "Gila River People"'', Maricopa language: Pee-Posh) is an Indian reservation in the U.S. state of Arizona, lying adjacent to the south side of the city of ...
, approximately where the Salt River joins the
Gila River The Gila River (; O'odham ima Keli Akimel or simply Akimel, Quechan: Haa Siʼil, Maricopa language: Xiil) is a tributary of the Colorado River flowing through New Mexico and Arizona in the United States. The river drains an arid watershed of n ...
. The road reappears on the other side of the Gila River at an orthogonal junction with Perryville Rd. as CR-85 and continues westward through central Buckeye. From there, it continues through farmland in western Maricopa county in various non-continuous segments. The segment of Baseline Road farthest west in Maricopa County is just past 547th Avenue. Due to the ease of navigation on this extremely long route, as well as the significant number of municipalities that the route encompasses, it is a favorite street for those electing not to use Phoenix's many freeways such as I-10 and US 60.


Landmarks

Notable locations along or near Baseline Road include
Arizona Mills Arizona Mills is an outlet shopping mall in Tempe, Arizona within the Phoenix metropolitan area and it is one of the tourist destinations in Phoenix, Arizona and it was owned by the Mills Corporation (which owned 25%) and Taubman Centers. However ...
and
Phoenix International Raceway Phoenix Raceway is a 1-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona, near Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually including the final championship race since 2020. P ...
. Baseline Road runs through the historical farming community of Laveen.


Bell Road

Bell Road is a major east-west arterial road in northern metropolitan Phoenix. Bell Road is one of the few roadways to cross the
Agua Fria River The Agua Fria River (Spanish for "cold water") is a long intermittent stream which flows generally south from east-northeast of Prescott in the U.S. state of Arizona. Prescott draws much of its municipal water supply from the upper Agua Fria w ...
in the northern part of the metro area, providing a link between the growing suburb of Surprise with Phoenix. As a result, the portion of Bell Road passing through Surprise and Sun City is the busiest arterial road in the state of Arizona.


Route description

The main segment of Bell Road, approximately in length, begins at the corporate boundaries of Phoenix and Scottsdale at its intersection with Scottsdale Road; east of Scottsdale Road, the roadway curves to the southeast and becomes Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard. Traveling west, the road intersects with State Route 51 and
Interstate 17 Interstate 17 (I-17) is a north–south Interstate Highway entirely within the US state of Arizona. I-17's southern terminus lies in Phoenix, at I-10, and its northern terminus is in Flagstaff, at Milton Road north of I-40. Most of I-17 ...
in Phoenix, the western leg of State Route 101 in Peoria, and U.S. Route 60 and State Route 303 in Surprise. West of the Beardsley Canal, the roadway curves around the
White Tank Mountain Regional Park The White Tank Mountain Regional Park is a large regional park located in west-central Maricopa County, Arizona. Encompassing of desert and mountain landscape, it is the largest regional park in the county. The bulk of the White Tank Mountain ...
, becoming the Sun Valley Parkway through northern Buckeye. East of 66th Street, Bell Road takes a south-easterly bend and, at its intersection with Scottsdale Road, becomes Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, named in recognition of architect and designer
Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements o ...
. This alignment was built in the mid-1970s during the construction of the
CAP A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...
canal. In this area of Scottsdale, a non-contiguous segment of Bell Road approximately long exists north of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, which includes an intersection with the eastern leg of State Route 101.


Landmarks

Prominent locations on or near Bell Road include the
Scottsdale Municipal Airport Scottsdale Airport is north of downtown Scottsdale, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, but Scottsdale Airport is SDL to the FAA and SCF to the IA ...
,
Turf Paradise Turf Paradise is a thoroughbred and quarter horse racetrack located at 19th Avenue and Bell Road, in the Deer Valley section of Phoenix, Arizona in the United States. It opened in 1956. It is owned and operated by local entrepreneur Jerry Simms. ...
, The Villas on Bell,
Arrowhead Towne Center Arrowhead Towne Center, often referred to by locals as Arrowhead Mall, is a super-regional shopping mall located in Glendale, Arizona (west suburban Phoenix). The mall is owned by Macerich & GIC Private Limited. It is anchored by Macy's, Dillard' ...
and the
Peoria Sports Complex The Peoria Sports Complex is a baseball complex located in the Peoria suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, USA, near Peoria's main shopping district on Bell Road. It consists of the main baseball stadium (Peoria Stadium) and 12 practice fields. It is one ...
. Bell Road also forms the boundary of the original town site of Surprise.


Camelback Road

Camelback Road is a prominent street in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The street stretches continuously for approximately 33 miles from Scottsdale in the east to Litchfield Park in the west, and runs through the city of Phoenix.
Scottsdale Fashion Square Scottsdale Fashion Square is an upscale luxury shopping mall located in the downtown area of Scottsdale, Arizona. It is the largest shopping mall in Arizona with approximately of retail space, and is among the top 30 largest malls in the country ...
is located at the corner of Camelback and Scottsdale Roads. Camelback Road runs directly south of Phoenix's famous
Camelback Mountain Camelback Mountain ( ood, Cew S-wegiom) is a mountain in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. The English name is derived from its shape, which resembles the hump and head of a kneeling camel. The mountain, a prominent landmark of the Phoenix metro ...
and the Phoenician Resort. Further west, the upscale Biltmore district of Phoenix is located along Camelback Road, including the
Arizona Biltmore Hotel The Arizona Biltmore Hotel is a resort located in Phoenix near 24th Street and Camelback Road. It is part of Hilton Hotels' Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts. It was featured on the Travel Channel show ''Great Hotels.'' The Arizona Biltmore h ...
(to the north),
Biltmore Fashion Park The Biltmore Fashion Park is an outdoor retail and dining mall located in the Biltmore District of Phoenix, Arizona, along East Camelback Rd. The Biltmore Fashion Park, as well as the surrounding business and residential district, are named afte ...
, as well as one of Phoenix's primary business districts (sometimes called the ''Camelback Corridor''). In Litchfield Park, Camelback Road passes the historic Wigwam Resort, built in 1918. West of Litchfield Park, Camelback Road skirts the southern boundary of
Luke Air Force Base Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States., effective 20 December 2007 It is located west of the central business district of Glendale, and west of Phoenix. Luke AFB is a major training ...
.


Carefree Highway

Carefree Highway is an east–west
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the northern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway begins where
Arizona State Route 74 Arizona State Route 74 (SR 74), locally known as the Carefree Highway, is a state highway in central Arizona that stretches east to west from its junction with U.S. Route 60 (US 60) just south of Wickenburg to its junction with Inter ...
(SR 74) meets the north end of
Lake Pleasant Parkway Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
in northern Peoria; SR 74 continues west along Lake Pleasant Road. Carefree Highway extends east through
Interstate 17 Interstate 17 (I-17) is a north–south Interstate Highway entirely within the US state of Arizona. I-17's southern terminus lies in Phoenix, at I-10, and its northern terminus is in Flagstaff, at Milton Road north of I-40. Most of I-17 ...
(I-17), which is the eastern terminus of SR 74, to Scottsdale Road on the border of Scottsdale and Carefree. The entire length of Carefree Highway is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial. Carefree Highway is the inspiration for
Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960 ...
's eponymous song. Carefree Highway begins at Lake Pleasant Parkway in a rural part of the city of Peoria; SR 74 continues west as Lake Pleasant Road toward its western terminus at U.S. Route 60 near Morristown. Carefree Highway heads east as a two-lane road through open desert in the northern parts of Peoria and then the North Gateway
urban village In urban planning and design, an urban village is an urban development typically characterized by medium-density housing, mixed use zoning, good public transit and an emphasis on pedestrianization and public space. Contemporary urban village id ...
of the city of
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
. Shortly before reaching I-17 (Arizona Veterans Highway), the highway passes the
Ben Avery Shooting Facility The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is a public outdoor shooting range located in northern Phoenix, Arizona. At 1650 acres (668 hectares) it is the largest public operated shooting facility in the United States. It is operated by the Arizona Game an ...
. SR 74 reaches its eastern terminus at the
partial cloverleaf A partial cloverleaf interchange or parclo is a modification of a cloverleaf interchange. The design has been well received, and has since become one of the most popular freeway-to-arterial interchange designs in North America. It has also bee ...
interchange with I-17; Carefree Road continues east as a four-lane divided municipal highway. The highway curves through a mountain range before returning to its longitudinal course, along which it leaves the city of Phoenix and then follows the northern city limit along the Desert View urban village. Carefree Highway then follows the south town limit of Cave Creek and briefly enters that town around its intersection with
Cave Creek Road Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
. The highway drops to two lanes and follows the border between Scottsdale to the south and Carefree to the north before reaching its eastern terminus at a three-legged intersection with Scottsdale Road, which heads south into Scottsdale, and Tom Darlington Drive, which heads north into Carefree.


Cave Creek Road

Cave Creek Road is an
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the north central part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial from its southern terminus at Seventh Street in
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
north to
Carefree Highway Arizona State Route 74 (SR 74), locally known as the Carefree Highway, is a state highway in central Arizona that stretches east to west from its junction with U.S. Route 60 (US 60) just south of Wickenburg to its junction with Inte ...
on the border of Cave Creek and Carefree. Cave Creek Road continues as a
collector road A collector road or distributor road is a low-to-moderate-capacity road which serves to move traffic from local streets to arterial roads. Unlike arterials, collector roads are designed to provide access to residential properties. Rarely, juris ...
north and east through Cave Creek, Carefree, and the far northern part of Scottsdale to its northern terminus near Camp Creek. Cave Creek Road begins at a five-way intersection with north–south Seventh Street and east–west Dunlap Road in the North Mountain
urban village In urban planning and design, an urban village is an urban development typically characterized by medium-density housing, mixed use zoning, good public transit and an emphasis on pedestrianization and public space. Contemporary urban village id ...
of the city of Phoenix. The highway heads northeast as a four-lane road with
center turn lane A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
between North Mountain to the west and Stoney Mountain to the east. Cave Creek Road curves north as it enters the urban village of Paradise Valley and intersects another principal arterial, which heads northwest as
Thunderbird Road Thunderbird, thunder bird or thunderbirds may refer to: * Thunderbird (mythology), a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture * Ford Thunderbird, a car Birds * Dromornithidae, extinct flightless birds k ...
and east as Cactus Road. The highway expands to six lanes and heads northeast along the west flank of Shadow Mountain before heading straight north through an intersection with Bell Road and becoming a six-lane divided highway at its a
single-point urban interchange A single-point urban interchange (SPUI, or ), also called a single-point interchange (SPI) or single-point diamond interchange (SPDI), is a type of highway interchange. The design was created in order to help move large volumes of traffic thro ...
with
Arizona State Route 101 Arizona State Route 101 (SR 101) or Loop 101 is a Ring road, semi-beltway looping around the Phoenix Metropolitan Area in central Arizona. It connects several suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix, including Tolleson, Arizona, Tolleson, Glendal ...
(Pima Freeway). Cave Creek Road enters the Desert View urban village as it crosses over the
Central Arizona Project The Central Arizona Project (CAP) is a 336 mi (541 km) diversion canal in Arizona in the southern United States. The aqueduct diverts water from the Colorado River to the Bill Williams Wildlife Refuge south portion of Lake Havasu ne ...
aqueduct. The highway curves north-north-east toward Cave Creek, drops to four lanes, and passes through several miles of open desert between lobes of suburban sprawl. Cave Creek Road returns to the suburban sprawl of Desert View before the principal arterial portion of the highway ends at Carefree Highway.


Central Avenue

Central Avenue extends from
South Mountain Park South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona is the largest municipal park in the United States, and one of the largest urban parks in North America and in the world. It has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride. Geography and ecology South ...
to North Mountain in Phoenix. The Central Avenue Corridor, roughly from Camelback Road to McDowell Road, is one of Phoenix's most heavily trafficked stretches of roadway. The Central Avenue Corridor bisects the area known as Midtown, Phoenix, a collection of neighborhoods north of Downtown and south of the North-Central and Sunnyslope areas. For the most part, Central Avenue marks the "zero" point of east/west addresses in the Phoenix area.


Country Club Drive

Country Club Drive is a north–south
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the southeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway comprises the portion of
Arizona State Route 87 State Route 87 (SR 87) is a north–south highway that travels from I-10 near Picacho northward to State Route 264 near Second Mesa. Route description SR 87 begins to the north of I-10 at a junction with an unsigned orphan segment of SR 84 ...
(SR 87) within the city of
Mesa A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by ...
. The entire length of Country Club Drive is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial. Country Club Drive begins at the Western Canal at the south city limit of Mesa; SR 87 continues south into the city of
Chandler Chandler or The Chandler may refer to: * Chandler (occupation), originally head of the medieval household office responsible for candles, now a person who makes or sells candles * Ship chandler, a dealer in supplies or equipment for ships Arts ...
as Arizona Avenue. Country Club Drive heads north as a six-lane road with
center turn lane A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
that becomes a divided highway at the south end of the S-curve in which the highway intersects
Baseline Road Baseline Road may refer to: ;United States *Baseline Road (Arizona) in Phoenix *Baseline Road (Colorado) in Boulder *Baseline Road (Southern California) *M-102 (Michigan highway) in Southeast Michigan ;Canada *Baseline Road (Ottawa) in Ontario *Bas ...
. North of Baseline Road, the highway has a
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with U.S. Route 60 (Superstition Freeway). At the southwest corner of downtown Mesa, Country Club Drive has a
one-quadrant interchange A quadrant roadway intersection adds an additional "quadrant roadway" between two legs of an intersection. This roadway adds two three-way intersections in addition to the original four-way intersection moving all left turns (in right-hand traff ...
with Broadway Road and then immediately passes under the
Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
main line. West of downtown, the highway intersects Main Street and the
Valley Metro Rail Valley Metro Rail (styled as METRO) is a light rail line serving the cities of Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa in Arizona, USA. The network, which is part of the Valley Metro public transit system, began operations on December 27, 2008. In , the sys ...
light rail immediately to the west of its Country Club/Main Street station. North of McKellips Road, Country Club Drive has a diamond interchange with SR 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) and reaches its northern terminus at SR 87's bridge across the Salt River. SR 87 continues north along Beeline Highway.


Elliot Road

Elliot Road is an east–west
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the southeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway extends from 44th Street in far southern
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
east through Tempe,
Chandler Chandler or The Chandler may refer to: * Chandler (occupation), originally head of the medieval household office responsible for candles, now a person who makes or sells candles * Ship chandler, a dealer in supplies or equipment for ships Arts ...
,
Gilbert Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...
, and
Mesa A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by ...
to Meridian Road at the
Maricopa Maricopa can refer to: Places * Maricopa, Arizona, United States, a city ** Maricopa Freeway, a piece of I-10 in Metropolitan Phoenix ** Maricopa station, an Amtrak station in Maricopa, Arizona * Maricopa County, Arizona, United States * Marico ...
Pinal county line. Elliot Road is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial from
Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
(I-10) at the Phoenix–Tempe border east to
Arizona State Route 202 Arizona State Route 202 (SR 202) or Loop 202 is a semi-beltway circling the eastern and southern areas of the Phoenix metropolitan area in central Arizona. It traverses the eastern end and the southern end of the city of Phoenix, ...
(SR 202) in Mesa. Elliot Road begins at 44th Street in the
Ahwatukee Ahwatukee Foothills (also Ahwatukee) is an urban village of Phoenix, Arizona. Ahwatukee forms the southernmost portion of Phoenix, and is considered part of the East Valley region of the Phoenix metropolitan area. In 2022, ''Niche'' rated Ahwatu ...
urban village In urban planning and design, an urban village is an urban development typically characterized by medium-density housing, mixed use zoning, good public transit and an emphasis on pedestrianization and public space. Contemporary urban village id ...
of the city of Phoenix. The road loops southwest as Elliot Warner Loop, which curves counterclockwise to Warner Road, which parallels Elliot Road to the south. Eliott Road begins as a four-lane road with
center turn lane A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
but expands to a six-lane divided highway at 48th Street. The highway leaves Phoenix and enters Tempe at its
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with I-10 (Maricopa Freeway). Within Tempe, Elliot Road intersects
Rural Road Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
. The highway meets SR 101 (Price Freeway) at a diamond interchange and enters Chandler, where the highway reduces to a four-lane road with center turn lane. Elliot Road intersects SR 87 (Arizona Avenue) west of a rail line that forms the Chandler–Gilbert border. Within Gilbert, the highway passes the historic Gilbert Elementary School building. At the Eastern Canal, Elliot Road becomes divided again, which the road stays until midway between Recker Road and Power Road. The highway continues with two lanes through Power Road, where the highway enters Mesa. Elliot Road crosses the East Maricopa Floodway and expands to a six-lane divided highway at its diamond interchange with SR 202 (Santan Freeway). The highway's median becomes a center turn lane shortly before the road reaches its eastern terminus at Meridian Road at the east city limit of Mesa, also the Maricopa–Pinal county line.


Grand Avenue

The portion of U.S. Route 60 that enters Phoenix from the northwest Valley is known as Grand Avenue, a street which slices through west Phoenix at a 45-degree angle. This makes it instantly recognizable on any City of Phoenix map, and it represents the final leg of US 60 into the heart of Phoenix. Although US 60 departs Grand Ave. at an interchange with 27th Avenue, Grand Ave. itself continues southeast towards the intersection of 7th Avenue and Van Buren Street. As of 2006, Lower Grand Avenue, between Roosevelt Street on the north and Van Buren Street on the south, has been experiencing a renaissance, as art venues, bars, cafes and small businesses have emerged amid the work being done to restore historic properties, including decaying warehouses. On the first and third Fridays of every month, Grand Avenue hosts cultural events. Some of the venues associated with the Grand Avenue art scene include the Trunk Space, the Lodge Art Parlor, ShopDevious, the Icon Gallery, the Chocolate Factory, the Paisley Violin, La Melgosa Complex: Deus Ex Machina, the Phoenix Fall Space, Stop n' Look & Comet's Corner, the Annex: Soul Invictus, the Lucky Rabbit & Gallery Marsiglia, Lady Luck Tattoo, and other design houses and studios. As a result of this revitalization the Grand Avenue Merchants Association (GAMA) formed to address a "Grand New Vision" and to bring the Grand Avenue community together with other neighborhood associations to form an arts, culture and small business district with a mind towards
adaptive reuse Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an existing building for a purpose other than which it was originally built or designed for. It is also known as recycling and conversion. Adaptive reuse is an effective strategy for optimizing the o ...
of historical buildings, infill projects and both small business and community based outreach. In 2011, the City of Phoenix was chosen as one of five U.S. capitals to receive federal design assistance through the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon pro ...
(EPA) Greening America’s Capitals program, with the goal of creating a more environmentally and economically sustainable design along the lower Grand Avenue corridor.


Happy Valley Road

Happy Valley Road is an east–west
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the northern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway extends from 163rd Avenue in Surprise east to Seventh Street in
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
. Happy Valley Road is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial from SR 303 to
Interstate 17 Interstate 17 (I-17) is a north–south Interstate Highway entirely within the US state of Arizona. I-17's southern terminus lies in Phoenix, at I-10, and its northern terminus is in Flagstaff, at Milton Road north of I-40. Most of I-17 ...
(I-17). Happy Valley Road begins at 163rd Avenue in Surprise. It travels east for six miles before intersecting
Loop 303 Arizona State Route 303 (SR 303) or Loop 303, also known as the Bob Stump Memorial Parkway (formerly the Estrella Freeway), is a freeway that serves the west part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The freeway, originally a two-lane r ...
(Bob Stump Memorial Parkway) at a
single-point urban interchange A single-point urban interchange (SPUI, or ), also called a single-point interchange (SPI) or single-point diamond interchange (SPDI), is a type of highway interchange. The design was created in order to help move large volumes of traffic thro ...
in an
unincorporated area An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
west of Peoria. Happy Valley Road expands to six lanes east of Loop 303 and crosses the
Agua Fria River The Agua Fria River (Spanish for "cold water") is a long intermittent stream which flows generally south from east-northeast of Prescott in the U.S. state of Arizona. Prescott draws much of its municipal water supply from the upper Agua Fria w ...
into the city of Peoria. The highway intersects
Lake Pleasant Parkway Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
and passes along the south flank of Sunrise Mountain before crossing the New River. Shortly after entering the
Deer Valley Deer Valley is an alpine ski resort in the Wasatch Range, located east of Salt Lake City, in Park City, Utah, United States. The resort, known for its upscale amenities, is consistently ranked among the top ski resorts in North America. Deer ...
urban village In urban planning and design, an urban village is an urban development typically characterized by medium-density housing, mixed use zoning, good public transit and an emphasis on pedestrianization and public space. Contemporary urban village id ...
of the city of Phoenix, Happy Valley Road becomes a four-lane road with
center turn lane A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
and passes to the south of Ludden Mountain. The highway expands to six lanes, crosses Skunk Creek, and meets I-17 (Arizona Veterans Highway) at a
diverging diamond interchange A diverging diamond interchange (DDI), also called a double crossover diamond interchange (DCD), is a subset of diamond interchange in which the opposing directions of travel on the non-freeway road cross each other on either side of the inte ...
. Happy Valley Road continues east from I-17 as a six-lane divided highway but then reduces to two lanes east of 19th Street. The highway crosses the
Central Arizona Project The Central Arizona Project (CAP) is a 336 mi (541 km) diversion canal in Arizona in the southern United States. The aqueduct diverts water from the Colorado River to the Bill Williams Wildlife Refuge south portion of Lake Havasu ne ...
aqueduct before curving south toward its end, where it seamlessly becomes Seventh Street.


Indian School Road

Indian School Road runs continuously east/west for approximately 41 miles with the
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
at the east end and Buckeye & Maricopa County White Tank Mountain Regional Park at the west end. It intersects with Arizona State Route 101, Arizona State Route 51,
Interstate 17 Interstate 17 (I-17) is a north–south Interstate Highway entirely within the US state of Arizona. I-17's southern terminus lies in Phoenix, at I-10, and its northern terminus is in Flagstaff, at Milton Road north of I-40. Most of I-17 ...
, US 60/Grand Avenue and Arizona State Route 303. Though running predominantly through the metro Phoenix area, Indian School Road does continue west of the White Tank Mountains from approximately 27600 West to 41100 West (411th Avenue being an overpass and access to Tonopah and
Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
) to 46700 West, and from 48700 West to Harquahala Valley Road (52000 West). Indian School Road was named in territorial days as the road to the
Phoenix Indian School The Phoenix Indian School, or Phoenix Indian High School in its later years, was a Bureau of Indian Affairs-operated school in Encanto Village, in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. It served lower grades also from 1891 to 1935, and then served as a ...
(1890-1991) located on the site of the present Steele Indian School Park.


Landmarks

* Arcadia High School 4703 East. Past students include
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...
,
Lynda Carter Lynda Jean Cordova Carter (born July 24, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss World USA 1972 and finished in the top 15 at the Miss World 1972 pageant. Carter is best known as the star of th ...
and Astronaut Bill Shepherd. *
Carl Hayden Carl Trumbull Hayden (October 2, 1877 – January 25, 1972) was an American politician. Representing Arizona in the United States Senate from 1927 to 1969, he was the first U.S. Senator to serve seven terms. Serving as the state's first Representa ...
Veterans Administration Medical Center, 650 East, named after Arizona's first Representative (1912–27) and US Senator from Arizona (1927–169) succeeded by Barry Goldwater. * Steele Indian School Park, 300 East. Original site of the
Phoenix Indian School The Phoenix Indian School, or Phoenix Indian High School in its later years, was a Bureau of Indian Affairs-operated school in Encanto Village, in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. It served lower grades also from 1891 to 1935, and then served as a ...
; there are historical buildings that were once part of the Indian School campus, specifically the Dining Hall, built in 1902, and Memorial Hall, built in 1922. More recently, this was the site of a fatal helicopter crash on July 27, 2007 when
KTVK KTVK (channel 3) is an independent television station in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It is owned by Gray Television alongside CBS affiliate KPHO-TV (channel 5) and low-power LATV affiliate KPHE-LD (channel 44). KTVK and KPHO-TV share s ...
and
KNXV KNXV-TV (channel 15) is a television station in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside CW affiliate KASW (channel 61). Both stations share studios on 44th Street on the city' ...
choppers collided during a police chase, and wreckage landed in the park. * Phoenix Air Haven Airport, 2700-3300 West, was located on the south side of the road from 1945 to 1960. It is now an industrial office complex. *
Maryvale Mall Maryvale Mall, originally known as Maryvale Shopping City, was a shopping mall in the Maryvale area of Phoenix, Arizona that, for a time, was the biggest shopping mall between Dallas, Texas and the West Coast. The mall was located on 51st Aven ...
5100 West. Now closed, the site consists of two schools (an elementary and a middle) utilizing former buildings of the mall. A nearby
Walmart Supercenter Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
was built with a new structure. *
Verrado High School Verrado High School is a public high school in the Verrado community of Buckeye, Arizona, United States. Operated by the Agua Fria Union High School District, the school primarily serves the Verrado area and is the fourth school in the distric ...
20050 West.


Lake Pleasant Parkway

Lake Pleasant Parkway is an
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the northwestern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway extends from the intersection of 83rd Avenue and Beardsley Road west and north to
Arizona State Route 74 Arizona State Route 74 (SR 74), locally known as the Carefree Highway, is a state highway in central Arizona that stretches east to west from its junction with U.S. Route 60 (US 60) just south of Wickenburg to its junction with Inter ...
(SR 74), all within Peoria. The entire length of Lake Pleasant Parkway is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial, along with the section of 83rd Avenue from the southern end of Lake Pleasant Parkway south to Bell Road. The principal arterial segment of 83rd Avenue is also described in this section. The principal arterial section of 83rd Avenue begins at Bell Road, which at that intersection forms the border of the cities of Peoria and
Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''. It may refer to: Places Australia * Glendale, New South Wales ** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre *Glendale, Queensland, ...
. 83rd Avenue continues south fully into Peoria, where it serves the
Peoria Sports Complex The Peoria Sports Complex is a baseball complex located in the Peoria suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, USA, near Peoria's main shopping district on Bell Road. It consists of the main baseball stadium (Peoria Stadium) and 12 practice fields. It is one ...
, the
spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
home of the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
and
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
. From Bell Road, 83rd Avenue heads north fully into Glendale and passes to the west of
Arrowhead Towne Center Arrowhead Towne Center, often referred to by locals as Arrowhead Mall, is a super-regional shopping mall located in Glendale, Arizona (west suburban Phoenix). The mall is owned by Macerich & GIC Private Limited. It is anchored by Macy's, Dillard' ...
. The four-lane divided highway crosses over SR 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) without access; Bell Road has an interchange with the freeway just west of 83rd Avenue. 83rd Avenue parallels and then crosses the New River before reaching Union Hills Drive, which also provides access to SR 101. The avenue expands to six lanes as it continues into the city of Peoria to Beardsley Road, where the highway continues as Lake Pleasant Parkway. The parkway curves west; within the curve is an intersection with another section of 83rd Avenue, where the parkway reduces to four lanes. Lake Pleasant Parkway continues west until 98th Avenue, where the highway curves north. North of Happy Valley Road, the highway's surroundings gradually change to open desert. North of its
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with SR 303, Lake Pleasant Parkway reduces to two lanes and crosses the
Central Arizona Project The Central Arizona Project (CAP) is a 336 mi (541 km) diversion canal in Arizona in the southern United States. The aqueduct diverts water from the Colorado River to the Bill Williams Wildlife Refuge south portion of Lake Havasu ne ...
aqueduct. The highway passes to the east of
Pleasant Valley Airport Pleasant Valley Airport was a privately owned public-use airport located in Peoria, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It closed in 2022 due to the lease for the land (on state Trust Land) not being renewed.http://www.airfields-freeman. ...
before reaching its northern terminus at SR 74, which heads west as Lake Pleasant Road and east as
Carefree Highway Arizona State Route 74 (SR 74), locally known as the Carefree Highway, is a state highway in central Arizona that stretches east to west from its junction with U.S. Route 60 (US 60) just south of Wickenburg to its junction with Inte ...
.


Mill Avenue

Mill Avenue is a
historic History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
street in Tempe. In north Tempe near
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
, the street runs through a popular, pedestrian-friendly shopping and
nightlife Nightlife is a collective term for entertainment that is available and generally more popular from the late evening into the early hours of the morning. It includes pubs, bars, nightclubs, parties, live music, concerts, cabarets, theatre, c ...
district. Mill Avenue was originally centered around the Hayden Flour Mill, which, while disused, still stands on the north end of the Avenue. Today, the avenue plays host to many bars, designer shopping stores, as well as many
fairs A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Types Variations of fairs incl ...
, and city
festivals A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival co ...
. It was described in 2010 by a ''New York Times'' reporter as "a
bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Beer * National Bohemian, a brand brewed by Pabst * Bohemian, a brand of beer brewed by Molson Coors Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, origin ...
commercial strip next to Arizona State University". At the northern end of the shopping district, the two Mill Avenue bridges cross the Salt River at
Tempe Town Lake Tempe Town Lake is an artificial perennial reservoir located just north of Tempe Butte at the confluence of the intermittent Salt River (Arizona), Salt River and the ephemeral Indian Bend Wash Area, Indian Bend Wash in Tempe, Arizona, United State ...
. One bridge was completed in 1931, the other in 1994.


History

After the founding of Fort McDowell on the east side of central Arizona’s Salt River Valley in 1865,
farmers A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mi ...
moved into the area. These early settlers further developed the irrigation canals that the
Hohokam Hohokam () was a culture in the North American Southwest in what is now part of Arizona, United States, and Sonora, Mexico. It existed between 300 and 1500 AD, with cultural precursors possibly as early as 300 BC. Archaeologists disagree about ...
people originally created and built new ones to carry Salt River water to their
farms A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...
. Agriculture in the Salt River valley soon gave food to Arizona’s
military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
posts and mining towns. In 1871, Hiram C. Hodge commented that there were two stores and a
population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...
of about 100 in Tempe. A substantial addition to the Tempe economy was established in 1877, when
Charles T. Hayden Charles Trumbull Hayden (April 4, 1825February 5, 1900) was an American businessman and probate judge. His influence was felt in the development of Arizona Territory where he helped found both the city of Tempe and Arizona State University. ...
, a business man from
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, opened a flour-mill operation that was supplied with water from the Tempe Irrigating Canal. Charles T. Hayden, and his family operated the mill for three full generations, and it was crucial to Tempe's community industry. Also in 1877, Charles' son
Carl Hayden Carl Trumbull Hayden (October 2, 1877 – January 25, 1972) was an American politician. Representing Arizona in the United States Senate from 1927 to 1969, he was the first U.S. Senator to serve seven terms. Serving as the state's first Representa ...
, who was to become a congressman and then senator from Arizona, was born in the Hayden family home, a building which, after spending around 60 years as a restaurant, began restoration to its 1924-era state in 2014. The Hayden's Ferry
Post Office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional serv ...
was renamed the Tempe Post Office in 1879. In 1889, the new Phoenix and
Maricopa Maricopa can refer to: Places * Maricopa, Arizona, United States, a city ** Maricopa Freeway, a piece of I-10 in Metropolitan Phoenix ** Maricopa station, an Amtrak station in Maricopa, Arizona * Maricopa County, Arizona, United States * Marico ...
Railroad linked Tempe with Phoenix. In 1894, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors incorporated the town of Tempe. Tempe finally became a city after being inhabited for over 30 years. In 1962, the Laird and Dines Drug Store closed after 68 years of operation at the corner of Mill Avenue and Fifth Street. This drug store was one of the original fixtures on the commercial district of Mill Avenue. Tempe’s commercial center along Mill Avenue declined during these years. In 1964, construction of the
Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium The Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium is a multipurpose performing arts center at 1200 South Forest Avenue at East Apache Boulevard in Tempe, Arizona, within the main campus of Arizona State University (ASU). The auditorium, which bears the name ...
, designed by
Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements o ...
, was completed at the intersection of Mill Avenue and Apache Boulevard on the campus of
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
. Prompted by Tempe’s
centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at a ...
in 1971, Mill Avenue was revitalized into an
entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousa ...
and shopping district that attracts people from throughout the Phoenix Valley. In 1997, the Hayden Flour Mill closed after 123 years of continuous operation. The mill's last operator was Bay State Milling, which had purchased it in 1981. It is significant as the oldest continuously used industrial site in the Salt River Valley.


Theaters

The Valley Art Theater (operated by
Harkins Theatres Harkins Theatres is an American movie theater chain with locations throughout the Southwestern United States. Harkins Theatres is privately owned and operated by its parent company, Harkins Enterprises, LLC. The company currently operates 33 the ...
) is located on Mill Avenue as a comfortable single screen theater that typically shows art house and occasionally foreign films. The current building was built in 1938, although it underwent substantial internal renovations in the 1990s. AMC Centerpoint, an 11-screen complex, is also located on the avenue. It was originally owned by Harkins; however, with the completion of the
Tempe Marketplace Tempe Marketplace is an open-air shopping center located in Tempe, Arizona. It is located along the Salt River near the interchange of Loop 101 (the Pima/Price Freeway) and Loop 202 (the Red Mountain Freeway) near the Tempe borders with Mesa ...
, which provided a more modern building, Harkins closed it in January 2008. AMC reopened the Centerpoint in April 2014.


Northern Avenue

Northern Avenue is an east–west
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the northwestern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway extends from the eastern end of Northern Parkway on the
Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''. It may refer to: Places Australia * Glendale, New South Wales ** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre *Glendale, Queensland, ...
El Mirage city line east to
Arizona State Route 51 Arizona State Route 51 (SR 51), also known as the Piestewa Freeway, is a numbered state highway in Phoenix, Arizona. It connects Interstate 10 just outside Downtown Phoenix with Loop 101 on the north side of Phoenix, making it one of the ...
(SR 51) in
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
. All of Northern Avenue east of Northern Parkway is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial. Northern Avenue begins as an eastward continuation of Northern Parkway between Glendale to the south and El Mirage to the north. , the transition point between the similarly named highways is Dysart Road. Northern Avenue heads east as a four-lane divided highway with a wide median that is intended to fit the eastward extension of Northern Parkway. East of El Mirage Road, the
carriageway A carriageway (British English) or roadway (North American English) consists of a width of road on which a vehicle is not restricted by any physical barriers or separation to move laterally. A carriageway generally consists of a number of tra ...
s come together and cross the
Agua Fria River The Agua Fria River (Spanish for "cold water") is a long intermittent stream which flows generally south from east-northeast of Prescott in the U.S. state of Arizona. Prescott draws much of its municipal water supply from the upper Agua Fria w ...
. East of the
intermittent river Intermittent, temporary or seasonal rivers or streams cease to flow every year or at least twice every five years.(Tzoraki et al., 2007) Such rivers drain large arid and semi-arid areas, covering approximately a third of the earth's surface. ...
, Northern Avenue becomes a four-lane road with center turn lane and begins to follow the Glendale– Peoria city line. East of the New River, the highway meets SR 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) at a
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
. The highway fully enters Glendale west of its intersection with U.S. Route 60 ( Grand Avenue). Northern Avenue intersects 51st Avenue shortly before entering the city of Phoenix, where the avenue forms the boundary between the
urban village In urban planning and design, an urban village is an urban development typically characterized by medium-density housing, mixed use zoning, good public transit and an emphasis on pedestrianization and public space. Contemporary urban village id ...
s of North Mountain to the north and
Alhambra The Alhambra (, ; ar, الْحَمْرَاء, Al-Ḥamrāʾ, , ) is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the ...
to the south. The highway meets
Interstate 17 Interstate 17 (I-17) is a north–south Interstate Highway entirely within the US state of Arizona. I-17's southern terminus lies in Phoenix, at I-10, and its northern terminus is in Flagstaff, at Milton Road north of I-40. Most of I-17 ...
(Arizona Veterans Highway) at a
single-point urban interchange A single-point urban interchange (SPUI, or ), also called a single-point interchange (SPI) or single-point diamond interchange (SPDI), is a type of highway interchange. The design was created in order to help move large volumes of traffic thro ...
. East of Seventh Street, Northern Avenue forms the boundary between the urban villages of North Mountain and
Camelback East The Camelback East Village, also sometimes referred to as East Phoenix or the East Side, is one of the 15 villages that make up Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It is adjacent to the suburbs Paradise Valley and Scottsdale and sits between Piestew ...
and veers from its east–west orientation as it approaches the
Phoenix Mountains The Phoenix Mountains are a mountain range located in central Phoenix, Arizona. With the exception of Mummy Mountain, they are part of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. They serve as a municipal park and offer hiking, mountain biking and equestri ...
. Northern Avenue reaches its eastern terminus at a
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with SR 51 (Piestewa Freeway) on the west flank of
Piestewa Peak Piestewa Peak ( ; ood, Vainom Do'ag, formerly Squaw Peak), at is the second highest point in the Phoenix Mountains, after Camelback Mountain, and the third highest in the city of Phoenix, Arizona. It is located in the Piestewa Peak Recreation ...
.


Power Road

Power Road is a north–south
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the southeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway extends from Hunt Highway at the
Maricopa Maricopa can refer to: Places * Maricopa, Arizona, United States, a city ** Maricopa Freeway, a piece of I-10 in Metropolitan Phoenix ** Maricopa station, an Amtrak station in Maricopa, Arizona * Maricopa County, Arizona, United States * Marico ...
Pinal county line in Chandler Heights to the north city limit of
Mesa A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by ...
, where the road continues as Bush Highway. Power Road is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial from
Riggs Road Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
in Chandler Heights to Thomas Road in Mesa. Power Road heads north as a two-lane road from Hunt Highway, which follows the Maricopa–Pinal county line, through
unincorporated Unincorporated may refer to: * Unincorporated area, land not governed by a local municipality * Unincorporated entity, a type of organization * Unincorporated territories of the United States, territories under U.S. jurisdiction, to which Congress ...
Chandler Heights, at the north end of which the road intersects Riggs Road. North of Riggs Road, the highway mostly follows the border between the city of Queen Creek to the east and
Gilbert Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...
to the west. South of Ocotillo Road, Power Road expands to a six-lane divided highway, which crosses Queen Creek south of Queen Creek Road. At Pecos Road, where a rail line passes diagonally through the intersection, the highway leaves Queen Creek and follows the border between Gilbert to the west and Mesa to the east. At Williams Field Road, the
carriageway A carriageway (British English) or roadway (North American English) consists of a width of road on which a vehicle is not restricted by any physical barriers or separation to move laterally. A carriageway generally consists of a number of tra ...
s of Power Road temporarily diverge to cross the East Maricopa Floodway; Williams Field Road heads east toward
Arizona State University Polytechnic campus Arizona State University Polytechnic campus is a public university in Mesa, Arizona. It is one of five campuses of Arizona State University. Founded as ASU East, the campus opened in fall 1996 on the former Williams Air Force Base in southeast ...
and
Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport , formerly Williams Gateway Airport (1994–2008) and Williams Air Force Base (1948–1993), is an international airport in the southeastern area of Mesa, Arizona, southeast of Phoenix, in Maricopa County. effect ...
. North of the airport, Power Road has a
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with
Arizona State Route 202 Arizona State Route 202 (SR 202) or Loop 202 is a semi-beltway circling the eastern and southern areas of the Phoenix metropolitan area in central Arizona. It traverses the eastern end and the southern end of the city of Phoenix, ...
(SR 202; Santan Freeway) and reduces to a four-lane undivided highway with
center turn lane A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
. The highway intersects
Elliot Road Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
and expands to a six-lane divided highway again at a second crossing of the East Maricopa Floodway. Power Road fully enters Mesa at its intersection with
Baseline Road Baseline Road may refer to: ;United States *Baseline Road (Arizona) in Phoenix *Baseline Road (Colorado) in Boulder *Baseline Road (Southern California) *M-102 (Michigan highway) in Southeast Michigan ;Canada *Baseline Road (Ottawa) in Ontario *Bas ...
. The highway passes through an S-curve and has a diamond interchange with U.S. Route 60 (Superstition Freeway). Power Road temporarily expands to eight lanes as it passes to the east of
Superstition Springs Center Superstition Springs Center is a shopping mall located in Mesa, Arizona. It is owned by Macerich, and was developed by Westcor. The mall features the traditional retailers Dillard's, JCPenney, and Macy's in addition to an 8-screen Picture Show. ...
from the freeway to Southern Avenue, then the six-lane highway passes to the east of Leisure World. North of McDowell Road, the highway has a partial interchange with SR 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) allowing access to and from the west; access to the other direction of SR 202 is provided by McDowell Road. Power Road parallels the Fannin-McFarland Aqueduct of the
Central Arizona Project The Central Arizona Project (CAP) is a 336 mi (541 km) diversion canal in Arizona in the southern United States. The aqueduct diverts water from the Colorado River to the Bill Williams Wildlife Refuge south portion of Lake Havasu ne ...
and reduces to four lanes for its final stretch through an intersection with Thomas Road to the north city limit of Mesa, where the road continues as Bush Highway.


Riggs Road

Riggs Road is an east–west
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the southeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway extends from Beltline Road in the
Gila River Indian Community The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) (O'odham language: Keli Akimel Oʼotham, ''meaning "Gila River People"'', Maricopa language: Pee-Posh) is an Indian reservation in the U.S. state of Arizona, lying adjacent to the south side of the city of ...
south of
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
east through Sun Lakes,
Chandler Chandler or The Chandler may refer to: * Chandler (occupation), originally head of the medieval household office responsible for candles, now a person who makes or sells candles * Ship chandler, a dealer in supplies or equipment for ships Arts ...
, and
Gilbert Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...
to Rittenhouse Road in Queen Creek. Riggs Road is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial from
Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
(I-10) east to Ellsworth Road in Queens Creek. Riggs Road begins as a continuation of Beltline Road where the latter highway curves from northwest–southeast to east–west within the Gila River Indian Community. The two-lane highway heads east through open desert and has an intersection with
Arizona State Route 347 State Route 347 (SR 347), also known as John Wayne Parkway, is a long, north–south state highway in central Arizona. The route begins at SR 84 and heads north. It passes through Maricopa, meeting SR 238. The route ends at an interchang ...
(SR 347; Maricopa Road) and a
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with I-10 (Maricopa Freeway). East of I-10, Riggs Road expands to four lanes with
center turn lane A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
and leaves the open desert at the border of the native reservation and the
unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
of Sun Lakes at 88th Street. After passing through Sun Lakes, the highway enters the city of Chandler and intersects SR 87 (Arizona Avenue), where the east–west road expands to a six-lane divided highway. Shortly after entering Gilbert, Riggs Road crosses the East Maricopa Floodway. The highway's median becomes a center turn lane as it enters Queen Creek. Riggs Road then reduces to four lanes at its intersection with Power Road on the north side of the unincorporated village of Chandler Heights. Beyond Ellsworth Road, the highway reduces to two lanes to its eastern terminus at Rittenhouse Road; the road continues as Combs Road and, just east of the intersection, crosses the
Maricopa Maricopa can refer to: Places * Maricopa, Arizona, United States, a city ** Maricopa Freeway, a piece of I-10 in Metropolitan Phoenix ** Maricopa station, an Amtrak station in Maricopa, Arizona * Maricopa County, Arizona, United States * Marico ...
Pinal county line.


Rural Road

Rural Road is a north–south
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the southeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway extends from Chandler Boulevard in
Chandler Chandler or The Chandler may refer to: * Chandler (occupation), originally head of the medieval household office responsible for candles, now a person who makes or sells candles * Ship chandler, a dealer in supplies or equipment for ships Arts ...
north to Rio Salado Parkway in Tempe, where the highway continues north as Scottsdale Road. Rural Road is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial from
Elliot Road Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
north to Rio Salado Parkway within Tempe. Rural Road begins as a four-lane divided highway at Chandler Boulevard in Chandler. At Ray Road, the highway enters Tempe and gains a third southbound lane and a
center turn lane A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
. Rural Road gains a third northbound lane at Warner Road and drops back to four lanes at the Western Canal. The highway expands to a six-lane divided highway at
Baseline Road Baseline Road may refer to: ;United States *Baseline Road (Arizona) in Phoenix *Baseline Road (Colorado) in Boulder *Baseline Road (Southern California) *M-102 (Michigan highway) in Southeast Michigan ;Canada *Baseline Road (Ottawa) in Ontario *Bas ...
, passes through an S-curve, and meets U.S. Route 60 (Superstition Freeway) at a
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
. North of the freeway, the highway's median becomes a center turn lane. North of Apache Boulevard, Rural Road passes through the Tempe campus of
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
. Within the campus, the highway intersects the
Valley Metro Rail Valley Metro Rail (styled as METRO) is a light rail line serving the cities of Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa in Arizona, USA. The network, which is part of the Valley Metro public transit system, began operations on December 27, 2008. In , the sys ...
light rail line and becomes a divided highway again. Rural Road ends and Scottsdale Road begins at Rio Salado Boulevard at the north end of the university campus.


Scottsdale Road

Scottsdale Road is a north–south
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the northeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway extends from Rio Salado Parkway in Tempe, where the highway continues south as
Rural Road Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
, north to
Carefree Highway Arizona State Route 74 (SR 74), locally known as the Carefree Highway, is a state highway in central Arizona that stretches east to west from its junction with U.S. Route 60 (US 60) just south of Wickenburg to its junction with Inte ...
in northern Scottsdale. The full length of Scottsdale Road is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial. Scottsdale Road begins and Rural Road ends at Rio Salado Parkway at the north end of the Tempe campus of
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
. Scottsdale Road heads north as a six-lane divided highway that immediately crosses over the Salt River. North of the river, the highway has a
single-point urban interchange A single-point urban interchange (SPUI, or ), also called a single-point interchange (SPI) or single-point diamond interchange (SPDI), is a type of highway interchange. The design was created in order to help move large volumes of traffic thro ...
with
Arizona State Route 202 Arizona State Route 202 (SR 202) or Loop 202 is a semi-beltway circling the eastern and southern areas of the Phoenix metropolitan area in central Arizona. It traverses the eastern end and the southern end of the city of Phoenix, ...
(SR 202; Red Mountain Freeway). Scottsdale Road leaves Tempe and enters Scottsdale at McKellips Road. Through downtown Scottsdale, two parallel roads split from and rejoin Scottsdale Road—Drinkwater Boulevard to the east and Goldwater Boulevard to the west—and Scottsdale Road carries four lanes through downtown, where the highway intersects
Indian School Road Many arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area have the same name in multiple cities or towns. Some roads change names or route numbers across town borders, resulting in occasional confusion. For example, the road known as Apache Boulevard ...
. North of downtown Scottsdale, the highway passes along the east side of the town of Paradise Valley and passes through Central Scottsdale, where the road intersects Shea Boulevard. North of Cactus Road, Scottsdale Road forms the border between the Paradise Valley
urban village In urban planning and design, an urban village is an urban development typically characterized by medium-density housing, mixed use zoning, good public transit and an emphasis on pedestrianization and public space. Contemporary urban village id ...
of
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
to the west and Scottsdale to the east. The highway passes to the west of
Scottsdale Airport Scottsdale Airport is north of downtown Scottsdale, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, but Scottsdale Airport is SDL to the FAA and SCF to the IA ...
between
Thunderbird Road Thunderbird, thunder bird or thunderbirds may refer to: * Thunderbird (mythology), a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture * Ford Thunderbird, a car Birds * Dromornithidae, extinct flightless birds k ...
and the intersection with the east end of Bell Road and the west end of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard. Immediately north of the intersection, Scottsdale Road crosses the
Central Arizona Project The Central Arizona Project (CAP) is a 336 mi (541 km) diversion canal in Arizona in the southern United States. The aqueduct diverts water from the Colorado River to the Bill Williams Wildlife Refuge south portion of Lake Havasu ne ...
aqueduct and borders the Desert View urban village of Phoenix on the west. At its
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with SR 101 (Pima Freeway), the highway becomes a four-lane highway with
center turn lane A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
through a mix of open desert and subdivisions. Scottsdale Road fully enters the city of Scottsdale and becomes a divided highway shortly before its northern terminus at a three-legged intersection with
Carefree Highway Arizona State Route 74 (SR 74), locally known as the Carefree Highway, is a state highway in central Arizona that stretches east to west from its junction with U.S. Route 60 (US 60) just south of Wickenburg to its junction with Inte ...
. The road continues north into Carefree as Tom Darlington Drive.


Shea Boulevard

Shea Boulevard is an east–west
arterial road An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in the northeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix Metropolitan Area – also the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, or Metro Phoenix (known by most locals simply as “the Valley”) – is the largest metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States, centered on the city ...
. The highway extends from 21st Place in
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
east through Scottsdale to
Arizona State Route 87 State Route 87 (SR 87) is a north–south highway that travels from I-10 near Picacho northward to State Route 264 near Second Mesa. Route description SR 87 begins to the north of I-10 at a junction with an unsigned orphan segment of SR 84 ...
(SR 87) just east of
Fountain Hills Fountain Hills is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Known for its impressive fountain, once the tallest in the world, it borders the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and Scottsdale. The ...
. Shea Boulevard is part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial from SR 51 east to SR 87 (Beeline Highway). Shea Boulevard begins at its curve onto 21st Place on the east flank of Stoney Mountain, part of the
Phoenix Mountains The Phoenix Mountains are a mountain range located in central Phoenix, Arizona. With the exception of Mummy Mountain, they are part of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. They serve as a municipal park and offer hiking, mountain biking and equestri ...
in the Paradise Valley
urban village In urban planning and design, an urban village is an urban development typically characterized by medium-density housing, mixed use zoning, good public transit and an emphasis on pedestrianization and public space. Contemporary urban village id ...
of the city of Phoenix. The highway heads east as a two-lane suburban road that expands to a four-lane highway with
center turn lane A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
east of 24th Street. Shea Boulevard passes
Shadow Mountain High School Shadow Mountain High School is a public high school located in the north valley of Phoenix, Arizona. The school is part of the Paradise Valley Unified School District. The school's athletic teams are known as the Matadors. Shadow Mountain's sch ...
and has a
single-point urban interchange A single-point urban interchange (SPUI, or ), also called a single-point interchange (SPI) or single-point diamond interchange (SPDI), is a type of highway interchange. The design was created in order to help move large volumes of traffic thro ...
with SR 51 (Piestewa Freeway). The highway expands to a six-lane divided highway east of 40th Street. Between its intersection with Tatum Boulevard in the commercial center of Paradise Valley and a stream to the east, Shea Boulevard runs along the northern edge of the town of Paradise Valley. The highway enters the city of Scottsdale and passes along the east–west part of the city known as Central Scottsdale or the Shea Corridor. Shea Boulevard intersects Scottsdale Road in another commercial area and has a single-point urban interchange with SR 101 (Pima Freeway). East of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, which heads north to
Taliesin West Taliesin West was architect Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and studio in the desert from 1937 until his death in 1959 at the age of 91. Today it is the headquarters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Open to the public for tours, Taliesin ...
, the highway crosses the
Central Arizona Project The Central Arizona Project (CAP) is a 336 mi (541 km) diversion canal in Arizona in the southern United States. The aqueduct diverts water from the Colorado River to the Bill Williams Wildlife Refuge south portion of Lake Havasu ne ...
aqueduct. East of the Scottsdale campus of
Mayo Clinic Arizona The Mayo Clinic Arizona is a short term acute care hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. This out of state campus of the original Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota opened in June 1987. The hospital provides inpatient and outpatient services, as wel ...
, Shea Boulevard veers from its straight east–west course and passes through the southern end of the
McDowell Mountains The McDowell Mountain Range (Yavapai: Wi:kajasa) is located about twenty miles north-east of downtown Phoenix, Arizona, and may be seen from most places throughout the city. The range is composed of miocene deposits left nearly five million years ...
into the town of Fountain Hills, where the road reduces to four lanes at Fountain Hills Boulevard. The highway curves southeast and exits the town into the
Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community The Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community comprises two distinct Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes—the Pima people, Pima (O'odham language: Onk Akimel O'odham, ''meaning "Salt River People"'') and the Marico ...
before reaching its eastern terminus at AZ 87 (Beeline Highway).


Sun Valley Parkway

Sun Valley Parkway is mainly located in Buckeye, with a small portion extending into Surprise, Arizona. Built in the 1980s, the four-lane divided parkway traverses approximately 30 miles of what was once open desert about 35 miles west of downtown Phoenix. It extends north–south from Interstate 10 at exit 109 (Sun Valley Parkway / Palo Verde Road) in Buckeye, turns after about 12 miles or so to become an east–west road, and leads eastward to Surprise, where the road connects to and becomes Bell Road through Surprise and other West Valley suburbs (and eventually the City of Phoenix itself).


Developments

There are a number of master-planned communities located along this roadway in Buckeye (after no development occurred in the area for several years after the road was built). Currently being built are Tartesso and Sun City Festival. Other communities in the planning stages include Sun Valley, Sun Valley South, Spurlock Ranch, Elianto, Trillium in Buckeye and Douglas Ranch.


See also

* Mill Avenue Bridges *
Tempe Town Lake Tempe Town Lake is an artificial perennial reservoir located just north of Tempe Butte at the confluence of the intermittent Salt River (Arizona), Salt River and the ephemeral Indian Bend Wash Area, Indian Bend Wash in Tempe, Arizona, United State ...


References

{{reflist


External links


The Arizona Republic article on Sun Valley Parkway developments

City of Buckeye
* Transportation in Maricopa County, Arizona Transportation in Phoenix, Arizona Transportation in Peoria, Arizona Transportation in Glendale, Arizona Transportation in Scottsdale, Arizona