Arizona State Route 202

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State Route 202, or Loop 202, is the partially constructed beltway encompassing the eastern Phoenix, Arizona Metropolitan area. It navigates and surrounds the cities of Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, and Gilbert. It currently begins at its triple interchange with Interstate 10 and State Route 51, and is completed in segments until its end at Interstate 10 near Ahwatukee.

When fully complete, plans call for Loop 202 to consist of three sections:

Red Mountain Freeway, from the Interstate 10/Arizona 51 triple interchange to U.S. Route 60, passing through Tempe and Mesa. The segment from Higley Road to Power Road was completed in June 2005. The segment from Power Road to University Drive will open in late 2008 and mark the completion of the original Regional Freeway System. All traffic must still exit at Power Road.
Santan Freeway, from the US 60 interchange through Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler back to Interstate 10. Completed in June 2006.
South Mountain Freeway, see below.

Old colored Arizona Loop 202 shield that is being phased out

1 South Mountain Freeway
2 Numbered Routes Intersecting Loop 202
3 Exit Chart
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] South Mountain Freeway

Although currently incomplete, the construction of the freeway east of Interstate 10 has been accelerated and will be fully finished by the end of 2008. Long-term plans call for the extension of the freeway west of its current terminus, looping around South Mountain to meet I-10 again in West Phoenix, essentially providing a much needed southerly bypass route of downtown.

The final planning and eventual construction of this segment (called the South Mountain Freeway) will occur after the current construction of the Red Mountain and Santan Freeways is completed in 2008. As of March, 2007 the Arizona Department of Transportation is planning to build the western, less controversial half at a cost of $500 milliion in 2010 to 2012 regardless of the status of the approval process for the east half. The proposed construction of the east half is causing controversy in Ahwatukee, as the planned right-of-way would require the demolition of up to 255 homes according to Arizona Department of Transportation estimates and open up Ahwatukee to be more readily accessible, affecting its 'cul-de-sac' feel. Until recently, an alternative routing through the Gila River Reservation has not been welcomed by the Gila River Indian Community. Groups of Ahwatukee residents have recommended not building the freeway at all. Concerns include environmental impacts on South Mountain Park, environmental impacts on the nearby Kyrene and Tempe schools, and escalating land acquisition costs.

[edit] Numbered Routes Intersecting Loop 202

Interstate 10 - three times in the final plan, once at the origin with AZ51, once in west Chandler at Exit 55AB, and once at the terminus in West Phoenix
State Route 51 - once at the origin with I-10
State Route 143 - once at AZ143's northern terminus
Loop 101 - twice, once in Tempe near the Salt River and once in Chandler at Exit 61BC. Some planned routes for the South Mountain Freeway would add a third connection at the western terminus, creating a triple intersection with I-10.
State Route 87 - twice, once in Mesa and once in Chandler
U.S. Route 60 - once in east Mesa

[edit] Exit Chart

Segment	Location	Exit/Mile	Eastbound	Westbound	Points of Interest
Red Mountain	Phoenix	0	Begin Freeway	West Los Angeles
		1A		East Tucson\|
		1<>		Left Exit - HOV
		1B	24th Street
		1C	32nd Street		H - Maricopa Medical Center
		2	40th Street 44th Street	44th Street	Chinese Cultural Center, Shrine Auditorium, Celebreity Theatre
		3	McDowell Road / South - Washington Street
		4	Van Buren Street - 52nd Street		Phoenix Zoo - Botanical Garden
	Tempe	5		Sky Harbor Airport (202 Spur) to
		6	Priest Drive - Center Parkway - Downtown Tempe
		7	Scottsdale Road - Rural Road Scottsdale		Arizona State University
		8	McClintock Drive		Tempe Marketplace
	Mesa	9	North South Scottsdale Chandler
		10	Dobson Road		Mesa Riverside
		11	Alma School Road		Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community
		12	McKellips Road
		13	Country Club Drive Payson Fountain Hills
		16	Gilbert Road to McDowell Road
		17		McDowell Road to Gilbert Road
		19	Val Vista Drive
		20	Greenfield Road		Mesa Airport - Falcon Field
		21	Higley Road
		22	Recker Road
		23	Power Road		Current Terminus - ALL TRAFFIC MUST EXIT
		Eastbound becomes Southbound / Northbound becomes Westbound
		24	McDowell Road		Under Construction - No Traffic Access, may not be accurate
		25	McKellips Road		Under Construction - No Traffic Access, may not be accurate
		26	Brown Road		Under Construction - No Traffic Access, may not be accurate
		27	University Road		Under Construction - No Traffic Access, may not be accurate
		28	Broadway Road		Under Construction - No Traffic Access, may not be accurate
		29	Southern Ave		Under Construction - No Traffic Access, may not be accurate
		30A	East		Under Construction - No Traffic Access, may not be accurate
		30B	West Under Construction	See Santan List
Red Mountain Eastbound becomes Santan Westbound / Santan Eastbound becomes Red Mountain Westbound
Segment	Location	Exit/Mile	Westbound	Eastbound	Points of Interest
Red Mountain Eastbound becomes Santan Westbound / Santan Eastbound becomes Red Mountain Westbound
Santan	Mesa	30B	See Red Mountain List	West	End of Freeway for Eastbound/Northbound Traffic
		31		Baseline Road - To East
		32	Guadalupe Road
		33	Elliot Road
		Southbound traffic becomes Westbound / Eastbound traffic becomes Northbound
		34	Hawes Road		Closed temporarily for Hawes Rd. reconstruction
		36	Power Road
		38	Higley Road
		40	Williams Field Road		Williams Gateway Airport - ASU Polytechnic
	Gilbert	41	Val Vista Road
		43	Gilbert Road
		44	Cooper Road		Chandler Muncipal Airport
	Chandler	46	McQueen Road
		47	Arizona Avenue		Downtown Chandler
		48	Alma School Road
		49	Dobson Road		H - Chandler Reigonal Hospital
		50B	North Price Freeway
		50A	Price Road		Chandler Fashion Square-Westbound access
		50B		North Price Freeway
		51		McClintock Drive Chandler Village Drive	Chandler Fashion Square
		53	Kyrene Road
		55	East West Tucson - Phoenix	Begin Freeway
South Mountain	Phoenix	END	Pecos Road		Current terminus - Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway Proposed start point