State Route 153 (Arizona)
Encyclopedia
State Route 153, also known as SR 153 and the Sky Harbor Expressway, is a former state highway in Maricopa County
, in the U.S. state
of Arizona
, that ran from the intersection of 44th Street and Washington Street in Phoenix
south to University Drive. It was a controlled access arterial expressway, with a speed limit of 45 mi/h, lower than the standard freeway speed of 65 mi/h. Route 153 was a north–south route that skirted the eastern edge of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
, and along with SR 143
, Route 153 served a portion of East Valley
residents with access to the airport. Many motorists used Route 143 (the Hohokam Expressway) instead, because of its quick access to and from Interstate 10
and Loop 202
. The freeway did, however, provide a direct link between east Phoenix
, such as office developments in the Southbank commercial project, and the city of Tempe
.
This freeway is currently decommissioned. Signage is being removed.
The roadway is now an extension of 44th Street, and signage to that effect has been installed. The route thus continues 44th St (southbound) past the airport, across the Salt River, where it connects/terminates at University Blvd.
Portions of this right-of-way now accommodate the [PHX Sky Train].
. It began at University Drive, just west of Route 143. It headed northward as an expressway, passing alongside the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
. Just a little north of the eastern edge of the airport, Route 153 met Washington Street, where it terminated.
and a part of the 2005 Maricopa County Regional Transportation Plan to add new freeways and expand existing ones that were built from the original plan.
The northern section between Sky Harbor Airport and the intersection of 44th St and Washington St was formerly Route 143 and had an un-bridged crossing of the Salt River
. Reconstruction begin in the early 1990s between Washington St and the exit to Sky Harbor, and the expanded freeway reopened to traffic in 1992. Traffic heading east out of Sky Harbor had two options, head east to Loop 202
near Priest Dr and downtown Tempe
, or head north on the new freeway to Washington St where drivers had an option of going west on the completed stretch of Loop 202 (it ended at Route 143 until 1996) or go to recently-completed Route 143 to get to I-10 and US 60
and head either east or west.
The next section of freeway started construction in 1994 by building a bridge over the Salt River, almost touching the Route 143 at the halfway point and ending at University Dr. This section opened in 1996 and had drivers another option out of the east exit of the airport. University Dr has direct access to Route 143, which provided access to I-10
and US 60
.
The freeway was planned to be extended further south and west to 40th Street to connect to Interstate 10 by the end of 2007, with plans to convert a section of 40th Street to a limited access corridor. An at-grade intersection with Superior Avenue was planned, as well as an overpass
of University Dr. But those plans were on hold for quite some time and are now scrapped, because the road is no longer needed. It didn't serve the majority of traffic heading on westbound I-10 and US 60 to Sky Harbor Airport
, which was its intention.
in August 2007 and the Arizona Department of Transportation in October 2007..
Route 153 was deleted from the regional transportation plan
as of August 2007.
Extremely low traffic volumes, especially in comparison to the nearby Route 143, also helped MAG's decision. Route 153 was considered redundant from the start because Route 143 runs completely parallel and provides access to all major freeways in the vicinity.
The city of Phoenix has now taken over maintenance and right of way of the Sky Harbor Expressway for the first segment of the Sky Harbor Airport Automated People Mover, which is under construction and scheduled to be completed by 2012/2013.
In April 2008 any reference to Route 153 (reassurance and junction signs) on the Sky Harbor Expressway, University Dr., and Washington St. (southern and northern terminus, respectively) have all been removed. In late June 2008, the Sky Harbor Expressway name was dropped, and all signs and references to the former state route were changed to "To 44th St." The ADOT signage still exists along the entire stretch.
has peak hour traffic issues, it is still adequately handling most of the Sky Harbor Airport traffic that comes from the East Valley off Interstate 10
and US 60
, thus Route 153 had always been consistently under-utilized.
SR 153's current name of 44th Street now ties in nicely to the Phoenix street system, and probably reduces confusion to out-of-towners as they navigate to (or from) the airport.
As of Aug 2011, work is underway to widen SR 143 between the junction of I-10 and Sky Harbor Airport with new and expanded flyover ramps at the junction with I-10; details and current progress can be found in the SR 143
article.
Maricopa County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*73.0% White*5.0% Black*2.1% Native American*3.5% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.5% Two or more races*12.7% Other races*29.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, that ran from the intersection of 44th Street and Washington Street in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
south to University Drive. It was a controlled access arterial expressway, with a speed limit of 45 mi/h, lower than the standard freeway speed of 65 mi/h. Route 153 was a north–south route that skirted the eastern edge of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States...
, and along with SR 143
State Route 143 (Arizona)
State Route 143, also known as SR 143 and the Hohokam Expressway, is a north–south and access-controlled freeway in Maricopa County, Arizona, that runs from a junction with Interstate 10 at 48th Street in Phoenix to McDowell Road...
, Route 153 served a portion of East Valley
Phoenix Metropolitan Area
The Phoenix metropolitan area, often referred to as The Valley of the Sun, is a metropolitan area, centered on the city of Phoenix, that includes much of the central part of the US state of Arizona...
residents with access to the airport. Many motorists used Route 143 (the Hohokam Expressway) instead, because of its quick access to and from Interstate 10
Interstate 10 in Arizona
In the U.S. state of Arizona, Interstate 10, the major east–west Interstate Highway in the southern United States, runs east from California, enters Arizona and continues through Phoenix and Tucson and exits at the border with New Mexico.-Route description:...
and Loop 202
Arizona State Route 202
State Route 202, or Loop 202, is the beltway encompassing the eastern Phoenix, Arizona, United States Metropolitan area. It navigates and surrounds the cities of Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, and Gilbert, making it very vital to the area freeway system...
. The freeway did, however, provide a direct link between east Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, such as office developments in the Southbank commercial project, and the city of Tempe
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
.
This freeway is currently decommissioned. Signage is being removed.
The roadway is now an extension of 44th Street, and signage to that effect has been installed. The route thus continues 44th St (southbound) past the airport, across the Salt River, where it connects/terminates at University Blvd.
Portions of this right-of-way now accommodate the [PHX Sky Train].
Route description
State Route 153's entire length was within PhoenixPhoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. It began at University Drive, just west of Route 143. It headed northward as an expressway, passing alongside the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States...
. Just a little north of the eastern edge of the airport, Route 153 met Washington Street, where it terminated.
History
The Sky Harbor Expressway was a part of the 1985 Phoenix Regional Freeway System to add freeways in and around the Phoenix Metropolitan AreaPhoenix Metropolitan Area
The Phoenix metropolitan area, often referred to as The Valley of the Sun, is a metropolitan area, centered on the city of Phoenix, that includes much of the central part of the US state of Arizona...
and a part of the 2005 Maricopa County Regional Transportation Plan to add new freeways and expand existing ones that were built from the original plan.
The northern section between Sky Harbor Airport and the intersection of 44th St and Washington St was formerly Route 143 and had an un-bridged crossing of the Salt River
Salt River (Arizona)
The Salt River is a stream in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is the largest tributary of the Gila River. The river is about long. Its drainage basin is about large. The longest of the Salt River's many tributaries is the Verde River...
. Reconstruction begin in the early 1990s between Washington St and the exit to Sky Harbor, and the expanded freeway reopened to traffic in 1992. Traffic heading east out of Sky Harbor had two options, head east to Loop 202
Arizona State Route 202
State Route 202, or Loop 202, is the beltway encompassing the eastern Phoenix, Arizona, United States Metropolitan area. It navigates and surrounds the cities of Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, and Gilbert, making it very vital to the area freeway system...
near Priest Dr and downtown Tempe
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
, or head north on the new freeway to Washington St where drivers had an option of going west on the completed stretch of Loop 202 (it ended at Route 143 until 1996) or go to recently-completed Route 143 to get to I-10 and US 60
U.S. Route 60 in Arizona
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway within Arizona. The highway runs for from a junction with Interstate 10 near Quartzsite to the New Mexico State Line near Springerville...
and head either east or west.
The next section of freeway started construction in 1994 by building a bridge over the Salt River, almost touching the Route 143 at the halfway point and ending at University Dr. This section opened in 1996 and had drivers another option out of the east exit of the airport. University Dr has direct access to Route 143, which provided access to I-10
Interstate 10 in Arizona
In the U.S. state of Arizona, Interstate 10, the major east–west Interstate Highway in the southern United States, runs east from California, enters Arizona and continues through Phoenix and Tucson and exits at the border with New Mexico.-Route description:...
and US 60
U.S. Route 60 in Arizona
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway within Arizona. The highway runs for from a junction with Interstate 10 near Quartzsite to the New Mexico State Line near Springerville...
.
The freeway was planned to be extended further south and west to 40th Street to connect to Interstate 10 by the end of 2007, with plans to convert a section of 40th Street to a limited access corridor. An at-grade intersection with Superior Avenue was planned, as well as an overpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
of University Dr. But those plans were on hold for quite some time and are now scrapped, because the road is no longer needed. It didn't serve the majority of traffic heading on westbound I-10 and US 60 to Sky Harbor Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States...
, which was its intention.
Transfer to Phoenix
Because the road was an ADOT highway, the road had to be deleted off the MAG Regional Transportation Plan and ADOT's maintenance log. It was transferred to the city of Phoenix by the Maricopa Association of GovernmentsMaricopa Association of Governments
The Maricopa Association of Governments is an association of governments that represents the bulk of the metropolitan area of Phoenix, Arizona. It was formed as a result of the guidelines of the 1973 Federal Transportation Act...
in August 2007 and the Arizona Department of Transportation in October 2007..
Route 153 was deleted from the regional transportation plan
Regional Transportation Plan
The Regional Transportation Plan is a long-term blueprint of a region’s transportation system. Usually RTPs are conducted every five years and are plans for thirty years into the future...
as of August 2007.
Extremely low traffic volumes, especially in comparison to the nearby Route 143, also helped MAG's decision. Route 153 was considered redundant from the start because Route 143 runs completely parallel and provides access to all major freeways in the vicinity.
The city of Phoenix has now taken over maintenance and right of way of the Sky Harbor Expressway for the first segment of the Sky Harbor Airport Automated People Mover, which is under construction and scheduled to be completed by 2012/2013.
In April 2008 any reference to Route 153 (reassurance and junction signs) on the Sky Harbor Expressway, University Dr., and Washington St. (southern and northern terminus, respectively) have all been removed. In late June 2008, the Sky Harbor Expressway name was dropped, and all signs and references to the former state route were changed to "To 44th St." The ADOT signage still exists along the entire stretch.
Traffic
While SR 143State Route 143 (Arizona)
State Route 143, also known as SR 143 and the Hohokam Expressway, is a north–south and access-controlled freeway in Maricopa County, Arizona, that runs from a junction with Interstate 10 at 48th Street in Phoenix to McDowell Road...
has peak hour traffic issues, it is still adequately handling most of the Sky Harbor Airport traffic that comes from the East Valley off Interstate 10
Interstate 10 in Arizona
In the U.S. state of Arizona, Interstate 10, the major east–west Interstate Highway in the southern United States, runs east from California, enters Arizona and continues through Phoenix and Tucson and exits at the border with New Mexico.-Route description:...
and US 60
U.S. Route 60 in Arizona
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway within Arizona. The highway runs for from a junction with Interstate 10 near Quartzsite to the New Mexico State Line near Springerville...
, thus Route 153 had always been consistently under-utilized.
SR 153's current name of 44th Street now ties in nicely to the Phoenix street system, and probably reduces confusion to out-of-towners as they navigate to (or from) the airport.
As of Aug 2011, work is underway to widen SR 143 between the junction of I-10 and Sky Harbor Airport with new and expanded flyover ramps at the junction with I-10; details and current progress can be found in the SR 143
State Route 143 (Arizona)
State Route 143, also known as SR 143 and the Hohokam Expressway, is a north–south and access-controlled freeway in Maricopa County, Arizona, that runs from a junction with Interstate 10 at 48th Street in Phoenix to McDowell Road...
article.
Exit list
See also
- List of Arizona State Routes
- Metropolitan Phoenix Freeways
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International AirportPhoenix Sky Harbor International AirportPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States...