Arizona 51 serves as a primary north-south route through the east central Phoenix area, as well as a reliever to I-17. Arizona 51 was the first urban (non-interstate) freeway built through Phoenix, and is unique in that the section from McDowell Rd to Glendale Ave was built by the City of Phoenix (not Arizona DOT) as a parkway - hence the original Squaw Peak Parkway name.
A freeway was first planned for the Arizona 51 corridor in 1960, however, freeway growth in Phoenix did not keep up with population growth for a multitude of reasons. Until 1966, I-17 was the only freeway through Phoenix. The Maricopa freeway (now Interstate 10) opened at this time to 40th street, and the Squaw Peak corridor held Interstate 510 as a route number through 1975 - which is the original source of the numbering for Arizona 51.
The Arizona DOT first purchased property in the Squaw Peak corridor in the mid-1960s, but stopped due to funding issues with regards to construction. After the Papago debacle, a fight erupted over routing the Squaw Peak freeway through Dreamy Draw, and the Arizona DOT focused its resources on projects outside of Phoenix. Phoenix mayor Margaret Hance, realizing traffic was becoming a major problem, admitted a freeway was not feasible in 1981, and changed the corridor to hold a parkway.
Planners set a route along 18th Street in 1982, drawing community opposition in the form of NEVER, a group of residents. NEVER, meaning "Neighbors Veto Expressway Routes," first questioned the traffic figures used to justify the route, leading to a sequence of events after the projections were justified:
March 29, 1983 - final alignment approved by Phoenix
April 5, 1983 - Ordinance passed allowing purchase of land
September 14, 1983 - Judge Moroney of Maricopa County deems vote (on alignment) legal, over petition of NEVER.
November 10, 1983 - Arizona Supreme Court rejects appeal of Moroney's decision
December 30, 1983 - NEVER files a lawsuit stating Arizona enviromental laws were not followed. Lawsuit is rejected.
In the same time frame, NEVER put a Proposition on the February 7 ballot proposing a plan to build a continuation of 32nd Street through Phoenix Mountain Preserve, but completely disallowing the Squaw Peak Parkway. This measure was rejected by voters.
A citizen working group was commissioned to design Squaw Peak Parkway (the first mile), but all of their suggestions were rejected by the Phoenix City Council in January 1985, further angering local residents.
After this, Arizona 51 was constructed in segments from south to north. The last segment that connected the freeway to Arizona Loop 101 was opened to traffic on May 31, 2003.
Arizona 51 is named the Piestewa Freeway. It was known as the Squaw Peak Freeway
until May 1, 2003, when it was renamed (along with Squaw Peak
itself) in honor of Army Private First Class Lori Piestewa.
Piestewa was the first Native American woman killed in combat
as an American soldier; the Hopi died during the 2003 War
in Iraq.
Perspective from Northbound Arizona 51
Just after exit 1, McDowell Road, we see distance signage
for Thomas Road, Indian School Road and Highland Avenue.
Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Just north of the Arizona 51/Arizona Loop
202/Interstate 10 interchange on the original parkway.
The Mcdowell to Thomas section is the oldest section of
Arizona 51, and opened July 21, 1986, as an at-grade parkway.
In these photos, a reconstruction project is occurring
between Interstate 10 and Shea Boulevard, adding a carpool
lane through the entire section. Immediately north of
the interchange, Arizona 51 is four lanes plus HOV lane,
but will shed a lane at Thomas Road (Exit 2). First photo
taken January 20, 2008. Second photo taken October 2003.
This Arizona DOT-standard sign assembly
shows exit numbers; this exit is Thomas Road (Exit 2).
Notice the raised sound walls. The Arizona DOT-installed
cable barrier was removed in March 2003, which itself
replaced the original City of Phoenix landscaping. Thomas
was the last at-grade intersection on Squawk Peak Parkway,
and the overpass opened on July 31, 1990. Not visible
in this photo is the artwork under the overpass. First
photo taken January 20, 2008. Second photo taken October
2003.
Distance sign to Indian School Road, Highland Avenue/Camelback
Road, and Bethany Home Road. Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Advance signage for exit 3, Indian School Road. Use
Exit 3 to reach the VA Hospital, as seen with this unusual
landmark sign along the overhead. Photo taken January
20, 2008.
This former city of Phoenix non-standard
sign shows what is coming for the next few miles of Arizona
51. As traffic shows, this road is very congested most
hours of the day, and especially narrow. Notice the new
soundwalls. Originally, the Parkway had a speed limit
of 45 MPH, which was raised to 50 MPH in 1988, and 55
MPH when ADOT assumed control of the Parkway. This is
Exit 3, Indian School Road. First photo taken January
20, 2008. Second photo taken October 2003.
Exit 4A featured another non-standard sign,
but it is closer to Arizona DOT standards. When the second
photograph was taken, Highland was closed due to the construction
project. Highland serves Camelback Ave, a major thoroughfare
and shopping area, and has only an exit from northbound
Arizona 51. Southbound Arizona 51 traffic to the Camelback
area uses Coulter Ave. First photo taken January 20, 2008.
Second photo taken October 2003.
This view shows the narrow corridor, short
Highland off-ramp, and entry into the Camelback Corridor
at Exit 4A. Between Highland and Coulter, Arizona 51 takes
a very urban feel, similar to Interstate 5 through the
S-Curve in San Diego. The narrow corridor was necessitated
by high land values in this area and dense development.
First photo taken January 20, 2008. Second photo taken
October 2003.
Mileage sign along northbound for Bethany
Home Road, exit 4B. First photo taken January 20, 2008.
Second photo taken October 2003.
Advance signage for exit 4B, Bethany Home
Road. Notice how the original overhead sign was connected
to the retaining wall, and the high multi-layered retaining
wall. Bethany Home was one of the few original signals,
and was designed as an overpass in original (1984) plans,
but changed in 1988 to the current underpass. First photo
taken January 20, 2008. Second photo taken October 2003.
Bethany Home Road departs here as exit 4B. Traffic can
only travel westbound on Bethany Home Road from here -
eastbound traffic is restricted to local traffic only.
This restriction was one of the concessions required to
construct the freeway. Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Distance sign to Glendale Avenue and Lincoln Drive,
Northern Avenue and 32nd Street. Photo taken January 20,
2008.
After Bethany Home, the freeway widens as
it approaches Glendale Road (Exit 5). Trucks were not
allowed on Arizona 51 from 1989-1993, to appease residents,
but ADOT has a policy of not restricting truck traffic.
First photo taken January 20, 2008. Second photo taken
October 2003.
Exit 5, Glendale Avenue, marks the end of
city of Phoenix road and the transition to an Arizona
DOT-constructed highway. The Thomas to Glendale section
opened in 1990, with the whole road turned over to ADOT
maintenance in 1993. Between July 1988 and 1990, the section
of Interstate 10 between Arizona 51 and Interstate 17
was signed as Arizona 51, until the gap between existing
Interstate 10 (at the Stack interchange) and 7th Street
was constructed - which was designed not to confuse through
traffic and keep that traffic on Interstate 17. First
photo taken January 20, 2008. Second photo taken October
2003.
Advance signage for exit 7, Northern Avenue. Photo taken
January 20, 2008.
Distance sign to Northern Avenue, 32nd Street and Shea
Blvd. Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Now on Arizona DOT-standard road, we meet Exit 7, Northern
Avenue. We are entering the Phoenix Mountains Preserve,
home of original namesake Squaw Peak (now renamed Piestewa
Peak). Arizona 51 replaced Northern Avenue through Dreamy
Draw, and the freeway widens to ten lanes (five lanes
in each direction) as it goes through this important gap
in the mountains. This section of Arizona 51 to Loop 101
was added to Squaw Peak Parkway in 1985, but it was part
of the original 1960 freeway system. Arizona DOT took
responsibility for construction after the 1985 freeway
plan was passed by voters. Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Arizona 51 turns to follow the original alignment of
Northern Avenue through Dreamy Draw. The two peaks seen
here are unnamed. Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Distance sign to 32nd Street, Shea Blvd and Cactus Road.
Photo taken January 20, 2008.
We've now passed most of the way through Dreamy Draw,
and are approaching 32nd Street. Photo taken January 20,
2008.
Through the Arizona DOT-constructed section, pedestrian
overpasses have been artistically designed. This one is
just before 32nd Street going northbound. Photo taken
by Kevin Trinkle, 09/03.
At 32nd Street, one of the the lanes exits
and Arizona 51 turns north. Due to the proximity of 32nd
Street and Shea, 32nd Street only has an exit northbound
and an entrance southbound. First photo taken January
20, 2008. Second photo taken October 2003.
Distance sign to Shea Blvd, Cactus Road and Thunderbird
Road. Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Exit 9, Shea Blvd, departs from Arizona 51 here. Shea
marks the limits of 1996 construction, and the limits
of the 2003 HOV lane. Notice from here north how the freeway
is built to full Arizona DOT standard, with a carpool
lane being added in the median. The original plan was
to run Arizona 51 along 32nd Street, but it was changed
after a citizen group recommended a 34th Street alignment
to Arizona DOT and the City of Phoenix. Photo taken January
20, 2008.
The next exit north of Shea is Cactus Rd. This shot
also shows another feature of the 2003 reconstruction
project, resurfacing of the original concrete road with
a rubberized asphalt overlay. The overlay features asphalt
made from recycled tires, and reduces freeway noise by
three to four decibels. The rubberized asphalt program
was completed in 2006. Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Cactus Road departs here, as exit 10. Photo taken January
20, 2008.
Advance signage for Thunderbird Road. This section of
Arizona 51 is less heavily trafficked, and features the
standard three lanes plus an auxiliary lane between exits
at this point. Here you can also see the freeway is below
grade, with sound walls at the top of the grade, standard
construction for new Valley freeways. Photo taken January
20, 2008.
Thunderbird Road departs here, as exit 11. Photo taken
January 20, 2008.
Immediately after the Cactus Road exit, we have signage
for Greenway. Notice only three thru lanes at this point,
and the cable barrier. Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Advance signage for Greenway Road and upcoming exits.
This shows the grid system is spaced exactly a mile apart,
conforming to USGS section lines. Photo taken January
20, 2008.
The Greenway exit (Exit 12) passes beneath a stylized
overpass, designed to represent the peaks of Phoenix.
In the distance you can see the Greenway single point
urban interchange (SPUI). Almost all exits on Arizona
51 are SPUI interchanges. Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Advance signage for Bell Road, exit 13. Bell Road is
a primary east-west arterial across the north valley.
Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Bell Road (Exit 13) was the terminus of Arizona 51 until
May 31, 2003. Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Advance signage for Union Hills Drive (Exit 14) and
Arizona Loop 101 (Exit 15). Notice the new Loop 101 shield
(new standard Black on White, not White on Blue) and rubberized
asphalt. The overlay in this section was applied just
before the freeway opened, and the overlay goes all the
way along the Arizona Loop 101 exit ramps. Photo taken
January 20, 2008.
Union Hills Drive departs here as exit 14. Photo taken
January 20, 2008.
Just past Union Hills Drive, the last set of exits (exits
15A and 15B) connect Arizona 51 to Loop 101. The construction
on the left side is part of the HOV project to allow a
HOV connection between Arizona 51 northbound and Loop
101 eastbound. Photo taken January 20, 2008.
Arizona 51 ends at Loop 101. There are no plans to extend
Arizona 51 north of Loop 101. Photo taken January 20,
2008.
