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Arizona State Route 24

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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.  

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