Arizona State Route 51
State Route 51 (SR 51), also known as Piestewa 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 Piestewa 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 1987, 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, 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.
The freeway was once 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 Iraq. The freeway and the mountain were renamed after her on March 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."
Exit List
| Exit | Northbound | Southbound | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |  East Tucson (HOV Left Exit - No Airport Access) |
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| 0 |  East | West Red Mountain Freeway | Phoenix - Los Angeles |
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| 1 | McDowell Road | McDowell Road | ||
| 2 | Thomas Road 20th Street |
Thomas Road 20th Street |
Arizona Heart Institute & Phoenix Childrens Hospital | |
| 3 | Indian School Road | Indian School Road | VA Hospital | |
| 4A | Highland Ave Camelback Road |
Colter Ave Camelback Road |
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| 4 | Bethany Home Road | |||
| 4B | Bethany Home Road | |||
| 5 | Glendale Ave Lincoln Drive |
Glendale Ave Lincoln Drive |
Scottsdale/Paradise Valley | |
| 7 | Northern Ave | Northern Ave | ||
| 8 | 32nd Street | |||
| 9 | Shea Blvd | Shea Blvd | Scottsdale Paradise Valley | |
| 10 | Cactus Road | Cactus Road | Paradise Valley Mall | |
| 11 | Thunderbird Road | |||
| 12 | Greenway Road | Greenway Road | ||
| 13 | Bell Road | Bell Road | ||
| 14 | Union Hills Road | Union Hills Road | Paradise Valley Community College | |
| 15A |  East
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| 15B | West
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External links
- Piestewa Freeway from Arizona Roads
- AZ 51, also from Arizona Roads
- Official State Route 51 construction schedule
- Western Exit Guide - Arizona 51
See also
| Browse numbered routes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
←  SR 50 | AZ | →  US 60 | ||