Arterial roads in metropolitan Phoenix
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 Tempe continues east as Main Street in neighboring Mesa and then as Apache Trail in Apache Junction. Although Broadway Road maintains the same name through Goodyear, Avondale, Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Apache Junction, each town uses a different reference point for address numbers.
Three arterial roads run continuously for over 40 miles. Five other arterial roads run continuously for over 30 miles.
A
Alma School Road
Alma School Road is a north–south arterial road in the southeastern part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. It begins in Goodyear Village for a mile before transitioning into Sun Lakes at Hunt Highway. It stays in Sun Lakes for two miles until reaching Chandler Heights Road, where it transitions into Chandler, where it stays for the next nine miles. The highway crosses the Loop 202, and eventually upon reaching the Western Canal, transitions into Mesa, where it stays for the next six miles, including crossing the U.S. Route 60, At the north Loop 202, the highway transitions from Mesa to the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community, where it stays for the next five and a half miles.Anthem Way
Anthem Way is an east–west arterial road in the northern part of the Phoenix metropolitan area in Anthem. It extends slightly west of 46th Drive, continues east, passing the Interstate 17, Anthem Outlet Mall, and Anthem Community Park. The road continues southeast until ending at 9th Avenue.Apache Boulevard
Apache Boulevard is an east–west arterial road in the southeastern part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The highway extends from Mill Avenue in Tempe, passing through Arizona State University. After passing Terrace Road, the median is taken over by the Valley Metro Rail. Apache Boulevard continues east as it passes through the Loop 101, and after passing the Tempe Canal, the highway continues as Main Street.Apache Trail
Apache Trail is an east–west arterial road in the southeastern part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Its western terminus begins as Main Street ends after its intersection with Sossaman Road. Apache Trail continues eastward through the city of Mesa and crosses through Loop 202. At Meridian Road, the highway transitions out of Mesa and Maricopa County into Apache Junction and Pinal County. The highway continues for two miles eastward until it transitions into Old West Highway, turning diagonally southeast.Apache Trail continues diagonally northeastern through Apache Junction and later as a trail passing through many landmarks including Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tours, Lost Dutchman State Park and eventually Canyon Lake.
Arizona Avenue
Arizona Avenue is a north–south arterial road in the southeastern part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The highway comprises the portion of Arizona State Route 87 within the city of Chandler. 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–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 and Chandler Heights Road, the road expands to six lanes. North of its diamond interchange with SR 202, 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 and Chandler High School and becomes a six-lane road with center turn lane. The highway continues through an intersection with Elliot Road to the Western Canal, where SR 87 continues north into the city of Mesa as Country Club Drive.
Avondale Boulevard
Avondale Boulevard is an north–south arterial road in the midwestern part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. It begins at the eastern terminus of Jimmie Johnson Drive nearby the Phoenix Raceway in Avondale. It continues north through Avondale, and eventually passes the Interstate 10, and later West Point High School. It ends at Thomas Road, where it transitions into Garden Lakes Parkway.B
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.This line runs east–west from the "zero point" atop a hill near the confluence of the Gila and Salt rivers, on Avondale Boulevard at Baseline Road. This site is next to Phoenix Raceway. 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 and Pinal County. There is also a rural road named Baseline Road in southern La Paz County close to the Colorado River which is located near Arizona's baseline.
Because of the grid plan 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 route picks up again and runs due westward, running parallel to US 60. 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 and Tempe. In Tempe, it intersects Loop 101 and then Interstate 10. Continuing, the road runs through south Phoenix and the major arterial segment of the road terminates in the Gila River Indian Community, approximately where the Salt River joins the Gila River.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 and Phoenix International Raceway. Baseline Road runs through the historical farming community of Laveen.Beardsley Road
Beardsley Road is an east–west arterial road in the northern part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. It begins at 112th Avenue in Peoria, Arizona, and at 107th Avenue, continues on the Peoria-Sun City borderline for a mile, before going solely back into Peoria. Upon reaching the Loop 101, the highway reaches Glendale and breaks into and eastbound and westbound path. It continues in Glendale for three and a half miles. At 51st Avenue, the highway goes into the Phoenix urban village of Deer Valley for seven miles. At 16th Street, the highway continues in the Paradise Valley urban village and ends its run against the 101 at Cave Creek Road, where it continues again as an arterial road until 34th Street.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 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 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, 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. This alignment was built in the mid-1970s during the construction of the CAP 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.