Arizona State Route 51: Difference between revisions

Route information
	Maintained by ADOT
Length	16.70 mi (26.88 km)
Location
Country	United States
State	Arizona
Highway system
	Arizona State Highway System; Interstate; US; State; Proposed; Former;

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Revision as of 16:59, 2 November 2007

State Route 51 (SR 51), also known as Squaw Peak Freeway, is a numbered state highway in Phoenix, Arizona. It connects Interstate 10 in downtown Phoenix with the Loop 101 beltway on the north side of Phoenix. It is a largely north-south route and is named for a park which it traverses, the Squaw Peak Recreation Area. Rapid growth of the east side of greater Phoenix made it necessary for the traffic needs of the area.

The original five miles of the freeway between McDowell Rd and Glendale Ave were built by the City of Phoenix in between 1987 and 1991 because it was never up to state freeway standards and lacked exit numbers, it was handed over to the Arizona Department of Transportation in 1992. Since then, it has been extended to the Loop 101 interchange and retrofitted with rubberized asphalt, standardized signage, an additional general purpose lane (3 lanes in each direction), and a high occupancy vehicle lane.

The decorative pots mounted on top of the noise mitigation walls were a source of controversy at the time of their installation due to cost and aesthetics, etc. One resident installed a gold toilet in protest. They were all taken down during the ADOT reconstruction project between McDowell Rd and Shea Blvd in 2000.

The freeway is officially named the Squaw Peak Parkway. The name, perceived as a derogatory term for Native American women, had caused ADOT to quietly remove the official term for a few years until Lori Piestewa was killed in the 2003 invasion of Iraqafter she heroically made a wrong turn in a Humvee. The freeway and the mountain were unofficially renamed after her on May 1, 2003.

AZ-51 was once the lowest-numbered state highway in Arizona, but this distinction now belongs to State Route 48, near Prescott. AZ-51 was originally planned as an Interstate 510 but has never been numbered as such at any stage of completion. The number "51" is, of course, "510" without the final zero.

The Format, a popular band based in Phoenix, refer to the highway in their 2003 song "Tune Out," saying "the 51 is backed up and too slow."

There are plans to widen the Squaw Peak Freeway between Shea Blvd and the Loop 101 interchange to add a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane and ramps to Loop 101 eastbound. Construction is scheduled to start in the fall of 2007. [1]

Exit List

Mile	#	Destinations	Notes
0.00	1	I-10 – Tucson, Los Angeles
0.49	1A	Loop 202 east
1.10	1B	McDowell Road
2.10	2	Thomas Road, 20th Street – Arizona Heart Institute, Phoenix Children's Hospital
3.17	3	Indian School Road – VA Medical Center
3.92	4A	Highland Avenue, Camelback Road	Northbound only
4.43	4B	Colter Avenue, Camelback Road	Southbound only
5.18	5	Bethany Home Road	Northbound only
6.21	6	Glendale Avenue, Lincoln Drive – Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix Mountain Preserve Squaw Peak
7.64	7	Northern Ave
9.63	8	32nd Street	Northbound only
10.09	9	Shea Boulevard – Scottsdale, Paradise Valley
11.09	10	Cactus Road – Paradise Valley Mall
12.11	11	Thunderbird Road	Northbound only
13.14	12	Greenway Road
14.16	13	Bell Road
15.18	14	Union Hills Road – Paradise Valley Community College
16.70	15A-B	Loop 101

References

^ Arizona Department of Transportation. "ADOT Highway Log" (PDF). {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

External links

Piestewa Freeway from Arizona Roads
AZ 51, also from Arizona Roads
Official State Route 51 construction schedule

Template:Phoenix-area freeways

[ADOT_Highway_Log-1] Arizona Department of Transportation. "ADOT Highway Log" (PDF). {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

[1]

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 The decorative pots mounted on top of the noise mitigation walls were a source of controversy at the time of their installation due to cost and aesthetics, etc.  One resident installed a gold toilet in protest. They were all taken down during the ADOT reconstruction project between McDowell Rd and Shea Blvd in 2000.
-The freeway is officially named the Squaw Peak Parkway.  The name, perceived as a derogatory term for [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] women, had caused ADOT to quietly remove the official term for a few years until [[Lori Piestewa]] was killed in the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]].  The freeway and the mountain were renamed after her on [[May 1]], [[2003]].
+The freeway is officially named the Squaw Peak Parkway.  The name, perceived as a derogatory term for [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] women, had caused ADOT to quietly remove the official term for a few years until [[Lori Piestewa]] was killed in the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]]after she heroically made a wrong turn in a Humvee.  The freeway and the mountain were unofficially renamed after her on [[May 1]], [[2003]].
 AZ-51 was once the lowest-numbered state highway in [[Arizona]], but this distinction now belongs to [[State Route 48 (Arizona)|State Route 48]], near [[Prescott, Arizona|Prescott]].  AZ-51 was originally planned as an '''Interstate 510''' but has never been numbered as such at any stage of completion. The number "51" is, of course, "510" without the final zero.