Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
402
Mon-Fri 8am-5pm), across from the main entrance of the Hyatt Regency in downtown
Phoenix. There's also a small visitor information center at the Biltmore Fashion Park
shopping center, 2502 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 101 (
&
602/955-1963;
Mon-Wed
10am-7pm, Thurs-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm, and Sun noon-6pm).
The
Visitor Information Line
(
&
602/252-5588
) has recorded information about
current events in Phoenix and is updated weekly.
If you're staying in Scottsdale, you can get information at the
Scottsdale Convention &
Visitors Bureau Visitor Center,
Galleria Corporate Center, 4343 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste.
170 (
&
800/782-1117
or 480/421-1004; www.scottsdalecvb.com; Mon-Fri 8am-5pm).
CITY LAYOUT
MAIN ARTERIES & STREETS
US Loop 101
forms a loop around the east, north,
and west sides of the Valley, providing freeway access to Scottsdale from I-17 on the
north side of Phoenix and from US 60 in Tempe.
I-17 (Black Canyon Fwy.),
which connects Phoenix with Flagstaff, is the city's main
north-south freeway. This freeway curves to the east just south of downtown (where it is
renamed the
Maricopa Fwy.
and merges with I-10).
I-10,
which connects Phoenix with
Los Angeles and Tucson, is called the
Papago Freeway
on the west side of the Valley and
as it passes north of downtown; as it curves around to pass to the west and south of the
airport, it merges with I-17 and is renamed the Maricopa Freeway. At Tempe, this free-
way curves to the south and heads out of the Valley.
North of the airport,
Ariz. 202 (Red Mountain Fwy.)
heads east from I-10 and passes
along the north side of Tempe, providing access to downtown Tempe, Arizona State
University, Mesa, and Scottsdale (via US Loop 101). On the east side of the airport,
Ariz.
143 (Hohokam Expwy.)
connects Ariz. 202 with I-10.
At the interchange of I-10 and Ariz. 202, northwest of Sky Harbor Airport,
Ariz. 51
(Piestewa Fwy.)
heads north through the center of Phoenix to US Loop 101 and is the
best north-south route in the city.
South of the airport off I-10,
US 60 (Superstition Fwy.)
heads east to Tempe, Chandler,
Mesa, and Gilbert.
US Loop 101
leads north from US 60 (and Ariz. 202) through Scotts-
dale and across the north side of Phoenix to connect with I-17. US 60 and US Loop 101
provide the best route from the airport to the Scottsdale resorts. US Loop 101 also heads
south through Chandler to connect with I-10. This section is called the Price Freeway. The
section of this freeway north through Scottsdale is called the Pima Freeway.
Secondary highways in the Valley include the
Beeline Highway (Ariz. 87),
which
starts at the east end of Ariz. 202 (Red Mountain Fwy.) in Mesa and leads to Payson, and
Grand Avenue (US 60),
which starts downtown and leads west to Sun City and Wick-
enburg.
Phoenix and the surrounding cities of Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, and Chandler, and
even those cities farther out in the Valley, are laid out in a grid pattern with major avenues
and roads about every mile. For traveling east to west across Phoenix, your best choices
(other than the above-mentioned freeways) are Camelback, Indian School, and McDow-
ell roads. For traveling north and south, 44th Street, 24th Street, and Central Avenue are
good choices. Hayden Road is a north-south alternative to Scottsdale Road, which gets
jammed at rush hours.
FINDING AN ADDRESS
C Central Avenue,
which runs north to south through down-
town Phoenix, is the starting point for all east-and-west street numbering.
Washington
Street
is the starting point for north and south numbering. North-to-south numbered
13
