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Roads and freeways in metropolitan Phoenix
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Roads and freeways in metropolitan Phoenix
The metropolitan area of Phoenix in the U.S. state of Arizona contains one of the nation's largest and fastest-growing freeway systems, with over 1,405 lane miles (2,261 km) as of 2005 (this was before construction on the Loop 303 started).
Due to the lack of any form of mass transit besides bus prior to 2008, the Phoenix Metropolitan Area has remained a very automobile-dependent city, with its first freeway opening in 1958—a year preceding most cities' first freeway openings. Coupled with the explosive growth of the region and adequate funding, the result is one of the nation's most expansive freeway networks.
The backbone of Phoenix's freeway system is composed of three major freeways—Interstate 10, Interstate 17, and U.S. Route 60. Interstate 10, being a transcontinental route between California and Florida, is the most heavily traveled freeway in the Valley of the Sun. Interstate 17 runs down the center of Arizona, connecting Phoenix with Sedona, Prescott, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. U.S. Route 60 spans most of the country, but is only a freeway for a few short stints, one of them being in the East Valley. West of Phoenix, it shuttles travelers to cities such as Wickenburg, Kingman and Las Vegas (by way of a connection in Wickenburg with U.S. Route 93). In addition to these three freeways, three beltways, Routes 101, 202, and 303 loop around Phoenix, the East Valley, and the West Valley, respectively. State Route 51 connects Downtown with the northern reaches of the city, and Arizona State Route 143 is a distributor for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Freeways fall under the auspices of the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). Phoenix ranks first in the nation in the quality of its urban freeways, and the state as a whole ranks first in the nation in the quality of bridges. While being the fifth most populous city in the nation, Phoenix's freeways do not suffer from the same type of congestion seen in other large cities. In fact, in a recent study, there is not a single stretch of freeway in Phoenix ranked in the 100 worst freeways for either congestion or unreliability.
There was significant local opposition in the 1960s and 1970s to expansion of the freeway system. Because of this, by the time public opinion began to favor freeway expansion in the 1980s and 1990s, Phoenix freeways had to be funded primarily by local sales tax dollars rather than diminishing sources of federal money; newer freeways were, and continue to be, given state route designations as opposed to Interstate designations.
Consequently, Phoenix is the largest city in the United States to have at least two Interstate Highways, but no three-digit Interstates. However, the majority of these existing state route and loop freeways still adhere mostly to Interstate Highway standards. Additionally, federal statute 23 USC 129(a)(1)(A) provides that free roads of any funding source (including both local and federal funds) are eligible for Interstate designation; only toll roads built strictly with federal funds are disqualified. All of Phoenix's state route and loop freeways are free roads, making it possible for them to still be assigned potential three-digit Interstate designations in the future, although no such plans are currently in place.
Interstate 10 enters the metropolitan area from the west in Buckeye and proceeds through the West Valley cities of Goodyear, Avondale, and Tolleson; it interchanges with the Loop 303 in Goodyear and the northbound Loop 101 in Tolleson. Following the Loop 101 interchange, I-10 reaches the western city limits of Phoenix. It meets the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway between 59th and 51st avenues.
As it approaches downtown Phoenix, I-10 has the first of two interchanges with Interstate 17, a four-level symmetrical stack interchange known locally as The Stack. I-10 and I-17 box in downtown Phoenix. The alignment of the Papago Freeway north of downtown was highly controversial—the first elevated design, ten stories high, triggered a successful freeway revolt. It was the last segment of I-10 to be completed nationwide, opening to traffic in August 1990. It features the Deck Park Tunnel—in actuality, 13 side-by-side bridges supporting Margaret T. Hance Park. I-10 turns south at the Mini Stack, which connects to State Route 51 to the north and Loop 202 to the east. South of the Mini Stack, I-10 provides the western access to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
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Roads and freeways in metropolitan Phoenix
The metropolitan area of Phoenix in the U.S. state of Arizona contains one of the nation's largest and fastest-growing freeway systems, with over 1,405 lane miles (2,261 km) as of 2005 (this was before construction on the Loop 303 started).
Due to the lack of any form of mass transit besides bus prior to 2008, the Phoenix Metropolitan Area has remained a very automobile-dependent city, with its first freeway opening in 1958—a year preceding most cities' first freeway openings. Coupled with the explosive growth of the region and adequate funding, the result is one of the nation's most expansive freeway networks.
The backbone of Phoenix's freeway system is composed of three major freeways—Interstate 10, Interstate 17, and U.S. Route 60. Interstate 10, being a transcontinental route between California and Florida, is the most heavily traveled freeway in the Valley of the Sun. Interstate 17 runs down the center of Arizona, connecting Phoenix with Sedona, Prescott, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. U.S. Route 60 spans most of the country, but is only a freeway for a few short stints, one of them being in the East Valley. West of Phoenix, it shuttles travelers to cities such as Wickenburg, Kingman and Las Vegas (by way of a connection in Wickenburg with U.S. Route 93). In addition to these three freeways, three beltways, Routes 101, 202, and 303 loop around Phoenix, the East Valley, and the West Valley, respectively. State Route 51 connects Downtown with the northern reaches of the city, and Arizona State Route 143 is a distributor for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Freeways fall under the auspices of the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). Phoenix ranks first in the nation in the quality of its urban freeways, and the state as a whole ranks first in the nation in the quality of bridges. While being the fifth most populous city in the nation, Phoenix's freeways do not suffer from the same type of congestion seen in other large cities. In fact, in a recent study, there is not a single stretch of freeway in Phoenix ranked in the 100 worst freeways for either congestion or unreliability.
There was significant local opposition in the 1960s and 1970s to expansion of the freeway system. Because of this, by the time public opinion began to favor freeway expansion in the 1980s and 1990s, Phoenix freeways had to be funded primarily by local sales tax dollars rather than diminishing sources of federal money; newer freeways were, and continue to be, given state route designations as opposed to Interstate designations.
Consequently, Phoenix is the largest city in the United States to have at least two Interstate Highways, but no three-digit Interstates. However, the majority of these existing state route and loop freeways still adhere mostly to Interstate Highway standards. Additionally, federal statute 23 USC 129(a)(1)(A) provides that free roads of any funding source (including both local and federal funds) are eligible for Interstate designation; only toll roads built strictly with federal funds are disqualified. All of Phoenix's state route and loop freeways are free roads, making it possible for them to still be assigned potential three-digit Interstate designations in the future, although no such plans are currently in place.
Interstate 10 enters the metropolitan area from the west in Buckeye and proceeds through the West Valley cities of Goodyear, Avondale, and Tolleson; it interchanges with the Loop 303 in Goodyear and the northbound Loop 101 in Tolleson. Following the Loop 101 interchange, I-10 reaches the western city limits of Phoenix. It meets the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway between 59th and 51st avenues.
As it approaches downtown Phoenix, I-10 has the first of two interchanges with Interstate 17, a four-level symmetrical stack interchange known locally as The Stack. I-10 and I-17 box in downtown Phoenix. The alignment of the Papago Freeway north of downtown was highly controversial—the first elevated design, ten stories high, triggered a successful freeway revolt. It was the last segment of I-10 to be completed nationwide, opening to traffic in August 1990. It features the Deck Park Tunnel—in actuality, 13 side-by-side bridges supporting Margaret T. Hance Park. I-10 turns south at the Mini Stack, which connects to State Route 51 to the north and Loop 202 to the east. South of the Mini Stack, I-10 provides the western access to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.