Cactus Road Cactus Road is a major east–west arterial route, serving Northern Phoenix and its suburbs. The road consists of three dis-connected segments, all sharing the name of Cactus Road, and being on the same latitude line. Starting at its eastern terminus at an intersection with Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard at the site of
Taliesin West, the route travels as a two-lane residential road through the Cactus Corridor community. West of an intersection with 94th Street, the road becomes a true arterial, increasing to four to five lanes, which it is throughout much of its length. Shortly after, the road encounters the
Loop 101 at a diamond interchange. The route continues as an arterial through Scottsdale, encountering Hayden Road. At
Scottsdale Road, the route enters Phoenix for the first time. Through Phoenix, the road continues serving the many residential neighborhoods, businesses, and golf courses along its path. Eventually, the road makes its way to
Paradise Valley, where at intersections with Paradise Village Parkway and Tatum Boulevard, it serves to provide access to a massive commercial area, formerly the home of
Paradise Valley Mall and the future home of the "PV" outdoor retail and lifestyle district, similar to
Desert Ridge Marketplace. Continuing west, the road intersects the
SR-51 freeway at a SPUI design. Continuing west, through the Shadow Mountain community, the road serves a large number of schools, through the suburban sprawl of Phoenix. At an intersection with
Cave Creek Road, the segment meets its end, as the road continues west as Thunderbird Road, curving through the
Shaw Butte Mountains. West of the mountains, at 19th Avenue, a new segment begins, continuing as an arterial. An intersection with the
Interstate 17 freeway provides access to Phoenix's most critical freeway corridor from Cactus. Continuing west through Phoenix's western suburbs, the road continues serving neighborhoods, schools, and now parks. At 75th Avenue, it provides access to Central Peoria, the main business heart of
Peoria. At a complex multi-legged intersection with 91st Avenue,
Loop 101, and
Grand Avenue/US-60, the segment meets its western end. West of the
Agua Fria River Cactus re-spawns for the third and final time. This time as a much more residential road, serving various golf course communities through the city of
Surprise, and meeting fellow arterials El Mirage, Dysart, Litchfield, Bullard, and Reems. A SPUI interchange provides access to the
Loop 303. On its last legs, the road travels through its final golf courses and neighborhoods, finally ending at the Beardsley Canal Wash. Future developments in a rapidly growing west valley could see Cactus be further extended west, but the cost of a bridge over the wash, as well as the nearby
White Tank Mountains propose challenges.
Camelback Road Camelback Road is a prominent street in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The street stretches continuously for approximately 33 miles from Scottsdale in the east to
Litchfield Park in the west, and runs through the city of Phoenix.
Scottsdale Fashion Square is located at the corner of Camelback and Scottsdale Roads. Camelback Road passes
Grand Canyon University just west of the
Interstate 17. Camelback Road runs directly south of Phoenix's famous
Camelback Mountain, the
Phoenician Resort, the
Royal Palms Resort and Spa, and the
Hermosa Inn (to the north). Further west, the upscale Biltmore district of Phoenix is located along Camelback Road, including the
Arizona Biltmore Hotel (to the north),
Biltmore Fashion Park, as well as one of Phoenix's primary business districts (sometimes called the
Camelback Corridor). At the west end of Phoenix, Camelback Road passes
Camelback Ranch. In Litchfield Park, Camelback Road passes
Goodyear's historic Organization House, opened 1918, and
The Wigwam, opened 1929. West of Litchfield Park, Camelback Road skirts the southern boundary of
Luke Air Force Base. It ends at Jackrabbit Trail between Goodyear and Buckeye.
Cardinals Way Cardinals Way is an east–west
arterial road in
Glendale. The highway begins at 99th Avenue, and passes the
Loop 101, passing the State Farm Stadium, home of the
Arizona Cardinals. The highway continues for two miles until 83rd Avenue, where it transitions into Bethany Home Road.
Carefree Highway Carefree Highway is an east–west
arterial road in the northern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area. The highway begins where
Arizona State Route 74 (SR 74) meets the north end of
Lake Pleasant Parkway in northern
Peoria; SR 74 continues west along Lake Pleasant Road. Carefree Highway extends east through
Interstate 17 (I-17), which is the eastern terminus of SR 74, to
Scottsdale Road on the border of
Scottsdale and
Carefree. The entire length of Carefree Highway is part of the
National Highway System as a principal arterial. Carefree Highway is the inspiration for
Gordon Lightfoot's
eponymous song. Carefree Highway begins at Lake Pleasant Parkway in a rural part of the city of Peoria; SR 74 continues west as Lake Pleasant Road toward its western terminus at
U.S. Route 60 near
Morristown. Carefree Highway heads east as a two-lane road through open desert in the northern parts of Peoria and then the
North Gateway urban village of the city of
Phoenix. Shortly before reaching I-17 (Arizona Veterans Highway), the highway passes the
Ben Avery Shooting Facility. SR 74 reaches its eastern terminus at the
partial cloverleaf interchange with I-17; Carefree Road continues east as a four-lane divided municipal highway. The highway curves through a mountain range before returning to its longitudinal course, along which it leaves the city of Phoenix and then follows the northern city limit along the
Desert View urban village. Carefree Highway then follows the south town limit of
Cave Creek and briefly enters that town around its intersection with
Cave Creek Road. The highway drops to two lanes and follows the border between Scottsdale to the south and Carefree to the north before reaching its eastern terminus at a three-legged intersection with Scottsdale Road, which heads south into Scottsdale, and Tom Darlington Drive, which heads north into Carefree.
Cave Creek Road Cave Creek Road is an
arterial road in the north central part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area. The highway is part of the
National Highway System as a principal arterial from its southern terminus at
Seventh Street in
Phoenix north to
Carefree Highway on the border of
Cave Creek and
Carefree. Cave Creek Road begins at a five-way intersection with north–south Seventh Street and east–west Dunlap Road in the
North Mountain urban village of the city of Phoenix. The highway heads northeast as a four-lane road with
center turn lane between North Mountain to the west and Stoney Mountain to the east. Cave Creek Road curves north as it enters the urban village of
Paradise Valley and intersects another principal arterial, which heads northwest as
Thunderbird Road and east as
Cactus Road. The highway expands to six lanes and heads northeast along the west flank of Shadow Mountain before heading straight north through an intersection with
Bell Road and becoming a six-lane divided highway at its a
single-point urban interchange with
Arizona State Route 101 (Pima Freeway). Cave Creek Road enters the
Desert View urban village as it crosses over the
Central Arizona Project aqueduct. The highway curves north-north-east toward Cave Creek, drops to four lanes, and passes through several miles of open desert between lobes of suburban sprawl. Cave Creek Road returns to the suburban sprawl of Desert View before the principal arterial portion of the highway ends at Carefree Highway. Cave Creek Road continues as a
collector road north and east through Cave Creek, Carefree (near the
Desert Forest Golf Club), and the far northern part of
Scottsdale to the
Tonto National Forest, where it continues on as Seven Springs Road to
Camp Creek.
Central Avenue The arterial section of Central Avenue is from
South Mountain Park to North Mountain in Phoenix. North of North Mountain, it continues as a series of interrupted collector and local streets. The Central Avenue Corridor, roughly from Camelback Road to McDowell Road, is one of Phoenix's most heavily trafficked stretches of roadway. The Central Avenue Corridor bisects the area known as
Midtown, Phoenix, a collection of neighborhoods north of Downtown and south of the North-Central and Sunnyslope areas. For the most part, Central Avenue marks the "zero" point of east/west addresses in the Phoenix area.
Chandler Boulevard Chandler Boulevard is an east–west
arterial road in the southeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area. The road extends from Shaughnessey Road in the
Ahwatukee Foothills village of
Phoenix east through Gilbert Road in
Chandler. Chandler Boulevard begins at the eastern terminus of Shaughnessey Road in the Ahwatukee Foothills village of
Phoenix as a two-lane road. After passing 17th Avenue, the road expands to four-lanes and continues through Phoenix until reaching the
Interstate 10, where it continues into Chandler. The road continues for over four miles before intersecting with the
Loop 101, passing by the Chandler Fashion Center. The road continues for another six miles, including an intersection with the
Arizona State Route 87 (Arizona Avenue) in Downtown Chandler. The road continues into Williams Field Road after reaching the city of
Gilbert.
Chandler Heights Road Chandler Heights Road is an east–west
arterial road in the southeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area. The highway extends from Alma School Road in
Chandler east through
San Tan Valley. Chandler Heights Road begins at Alma School Road in Chandler as a four-lane highway and intersects
Arizona State Route 87 (Arizona Avenue). The highway leaves Chandler at Val Vista Drive where it continues through
Gilbert for four miles. After crossing Power Road, the highway continues through
Queen Creek, Arizona where it continues for three miles until Ellsworth Road, where it continues into a neighborhood before ending at Poco Calle. Chandler Heights Road continues again in
San Tan Valley in another neighborhood, before continuing for another mile and a half until its eastern terminus at Kenworthy Road.
Chaparral Road Chaparral Road is an east–west
arterial road in the eastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area. The road starts at Invergordon Road in
Scottsdale. Continuing east and passes the Chaparral Park. At the
Loop 101, it crosses in the
Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community and passes
Scottsdale Community College. The road continues for three and a half more miles until ending at Center Street.
Citrus Road Citrus Road is a north–south
arterial road in the western part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area. The road starts at Broadway Road in
Goodyear, continuing in Goodyear for eight miles, passing the
Interstate 10. At Camelback Road, the highway transitions into
Citrus Park. At Northern Avenue, the highway transitions into
Waddell for two more miles, before ending a stretch at Peoria Avenue. Beginning another stretch at Cactus Road, the road transitions into
Surprise where it continues a stretch for a mile until Waddell Road. The road briefly continues for half a mile from Lundberg Street until Traditions Loop. Another stretch continues for almost two miles starting at Williams Road until Happy Valley Road.
Combs Road Combs Road is an east–west
arterial road in the southeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area. It begins at the eastern terminus of Riggs Road at the Gary Road / Rittenhouse Road intersection in
Queen Creek. The highway continues solely in Queen Creek for one mile, and after reaching Gantzel Road, the highway stays on the Queen Creek-
San Tan Valley borderline for one more mile. At Kenworthy Road, the highway transitions solely in San Tan Valley, where it stays for two more miles.
Cooper Road Cooper Road is a north–south
arterial road in the southeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area. It begins at Hunt Highway in
Chandler, going north. The road continues this stretch for four miles until reaching Queen Creek Road. The road takes a break due to the obstructions of the
Chandler Municipal Airport. The road continues again at Germann Road, crossing the
Loop 202, and continuing solely in Chandler for two and a half miles, before the road reaches the Chandler-
Gilbert borderline. The road fully transitions into Gilbert after one mile on the borderline. The road continues in Gilbert for three and a half miles, before the road continues on as Stapley Road in Mesa.
Cotton Lane Cotton Lane is a north–south
arterial road in the western part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area. The road starts at Estrella Parkway and continues in Goodyear for eleven miles. Shortly before Van Buren Street, the road briefly breaks into an eastbound and westbound path between the
Arizona State Route 303. At McDowell Road, the road continues as its own path again. At Bethany Home Road, the road continues into
Glendale for four miles. At Peoria Avenue, the road continues in
Surprise for five miles before it transitions into Palm View Drive.
Country Club Drive Country Club Drive 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 (SR 87) within the city of
Mesa. The entire length of Country Club Drive is part of the
National Highway System as a principal arterial. Country Club Drive begins at the Western Canal at the south city limit of Mesa; SR 87 continues south into the city of
Chandler as
Arizona Avenue. Country Club Drive heads north as a six-lane road with
center turn lane that becomes a divided highway at the south end of the S-curve in which the highway intersects
Baseline Road. North of Baseline Road, the highway has a
diamond interchange with
U.S. Route 60 (Superstition Freeway). At the southwest corner of downtown Mesa, Country Club Drive has a
one-quadrant interchange with Broadway Road and then immediately passes under the
Union Pacific Railroad's
Phoenix Subdivision. West of downtown, the highway intersects Main Street and the
Valley Metro Rail light rail immediately to the west of its
Country Club/Main Street station. The road continues north, passing the Mesa Country Club and
Riverview High School. North of McKellips Road, Country Club Drive has a diamond interchange with
SR 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) and reaches its northern terminus at SR 87's bridge across the
Salt River. SR 87 continues north along Beeline Highway. Country Club Drive continues another stretch in the
Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community starting at Oak Street, where it stays for two and a half miles before ending at Chaparral Road at
Salt River Elementary School.
Crismon Road Crismon Road is a north–south
arterial road in the southeastern part of the
Phoenix metropolitan area. It begins at Riggs Road in
Queen Creek, and goes north, passing by Crismon High School, it continues into a neighborhood, ending that stretch there. The next stretch begins at Ocotillo Road, where it continues in Queen Creek for two more miles. After crossing Germann Road, the highway fully goes into
Mesa, where it ends a stretch at Pecos Road. The next stretch continues slightly south of Williams Field Road, as the road goes through the neighborhood of Eastmark, ending a stretch at Ray Road. The next stretch continues at Elliot Road, going north, until reaching a dead end. The road continues slightly north, passing
Desert Ridge High School. The road later crosses the
U.S. Route 60, passes
Skyline High School, and crosses
Apache Trail; the highway continues going north until reaching McKellips Road. ==D==