Skip to main content

Arizona State Route 24

By


Arizona State Route 24 is a partially completed freeway in southeastern Maricopa County.  As presently constructed Arizona State Route 24 begins at Arizona State Route 202 near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and terminates 5.48 miles to the east at Ironwood Drive.  Arizona State Route 24 is known as the Gateway Freeway and is planned to eventually continue into Pinal County.  The first mile of Arizona State Route 24 between Arizona State Route 202 and Ellsworth Road opened to traffic on May 4, 2014.  The interim Phase II extension of Arizona State Route 24 east to Ironwood Drive opened to traffic on August 11, 2022.  




Part 1; the history of Arizona State Route 24

The origin of Arizona State Route 24 dates to September 2003 when a Final Report on the Southeast Maricopa/Northern Pinal County Transportation Study was released.  The Final Report was prepared by the Maricopa Association of Governments, Central Arizona Association of Governments and Arizona Department of Transportation.  The Final Report identified the future corridor Arizona State Route 24 as being necessary due to the outward suburban sprawl of eastern Maricopa County into Pinal County.  






During March 2006 the Maricopa Association of Governments released a Final Report regarding the preferred corridor of what was then numbered as Arizona State Route 802.  The final report identified the preferred corridor of Arizona State Route 802 as beginning near Phoenix-Gateway Gateway Airport traveling southeast.  The preferred corridor of Arizona State Route 802 turned east at Frye Road towards the Pinal County line.  

During 2009 the Maricopa Association of Governments altered Regional Transportation Plan due to the ongoing recession.  Maricopa County funding of Arizona State Route 802 was subsequently pulled back to 2026 or later between Ellsworth Road and Meridian Road.  An interim freeway between Arizona State Route 202 (the San Tan Freeway) and Ellsworth Road was to be constructed during the 2016-2020 timeframe. 

During 2011 the city of Mesa fronted $148 million to funding construction of the first mile of the new freeway between Arizona State Route 202 and Ellsworth Road.  The so-called "Gateway Freeway" was announced as being renumbered as Arizona State Route 24 by AZcentral on June 6, 2011.  The first mile of Arizona State Route 24 from Arizona State Route 202 to Ellsworth Road opened to traffic on May 4, 2014. 

The interim eastern extension of Arizona State Route 24 from Ellsworth Road to Ironwood Road fully opened to traffic on August 11, 2022.  The interim Phase II extension included two general purpose lanes in each travel direction but not the interchanges east of Ellsworth Road.  The interim Phase II alignment of Arizona State Route 24 utilizes what will be the on/off ramps at Williams Field Road, Signal Butte Road, Moeur Road and Ironwood Road. 

The nearly complete interim Phase II alignment of Arizona State Route 24 was featured by the Arizona Department of Transportation on August 1, 2022.  




To date no preferred corridor for an extension of Arizona State Route 24 has been selected in Pinal County.  The study to determine a routing in Pinal County has been suspended to allow for it to advance in conjunction with the with the Pinal North-South Freeway.  Planning maps from a December 2009 Arizona Department of Transportation Environmental Assessment depict the general corridor of the Gateway Freeway continuing east to Florence Junction near the intersection of US Route 60 and Arizona State Route 79. 




Part 2; a flyover of Arizona State Route 24

Below the interchange between Arizona State Route 202 and Arizona State Route 24 can be seen north of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.  


The below photo depicts the full interchange on Arizona State Route 24 at Ellsworth Road and interim at-grade intersection at Williams Field Road.  


The below photo depicts the interim intersections on Arizona State Route 24 at Williams Field Road, Signal Butte Road, Moeur Road and Ironwood Drive.  

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

By
Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California.  Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada.  The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926.  Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938.  A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947.   Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association.  Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe.   Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the  September 1950 California Highways & Public Works  during its Centennial Edition.  The or...
Post a Comment
Read more

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

By
The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway.  In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County.  That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848.  During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...
Post a Comment
Read more

Old NC 10 - The Central Highway: Old Fort to Black Mountain through the Royal Gorge

By
A unique way of tracing the remnants of the Central Highway is through the mountainous terrain of Eastern Buncombe and Western McDowell Counties.  From the east on US 70, you reach the base of Blue Ridge Mountains at the town of Old Fort.  Old Fort is a tiny rail town that the old Central Highway and now US 70 goes through.  The Central Highway can be followed via a right onto Mill Creek Road from US 70.  Follow the highway as it takes you closer to the mountains.  When Mill Creek Road bears right to head towards Andrews Geyser stay straight until the road ends at a gate.  The nearby Piney Grove Church can be used for parking.  At this point, the old Central Highway began a 3.5 mile climb of the mountain to Swannanoa Gap.  NC 10 and later US 70 travelers followed this road for over 30 years until a new and modern four lane US 70 was built to the south.  This same four lane road would eventually become Interstate 40.    The Centra...
Post a Comment
Read more