Jump to content

Interstate 17

Route map:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Interstate 17 marker

Interstate 17

Arizona Veterans Highway
Map
I-17 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained byADOT
Length145.93 mi[1](234.85 km)
Existed1957[2]–present
HistoryCompleted in 1978
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South endI-10/US 60inPhoenix
Major intersections
North endI-40/SR 89Ain Flagstaff
Location
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
CountiesMaricopa,Yavapai,Coconino
Highway system
  • Arizona State Highway System
←I-15→I-19

Interstate 17(I-17) is a north–southInterstate Highwaylocated entirely within the US state ofArizona.I-17's southern terminus lies inPhoenix,atI-10/US 60and its northern terminus is inFlagstaff,at Milton Road north ofI-40.[1]

Most of I-17 is known as theArizona Veterans Highway.In the Phoenix metropolitan area, it is mostly known as theBlack Canyon Freeway,however, the southern 4.16 miles (6.69 km) are part of theMaricopa Freeway.The portion of the highway south ofCordes Lakeswas built along the alignment ofState Route 69(SR 69), while the northern part was built along oldSR 79's alignment. The final section of I-17 was completed in 1978.

I-17 gains more than one mile (1.6 km) in altitude between Phoenix at 1,117 feet (340 m) and Flagstaff at 7,000 feet (2,100 m). The highway features several scenic view exits along its route that overlook the many mountains and valleys in northern Arizona.

Route description[edit]

I-17 is known as the Black Canyon Freeway from the northern end of thePhoenix Metropolitan Areato a point 2.2 miles (3.5 km) south ofThe Stackinterchange withI-10northwest ofDowntown Phoenix.(It is accompanied byfrontage roadsfor most of this portion, and they carry theBlack CanyonHighwayname to distinguish from thefreewaystatus.) At the Durango Curve southwest of downtown, between the 19th Avenue and Buckeye Road interchanges, it picks up the designation Maricopa Freeway all the way to the southern terminus at the secondI-10junction. It is one of the metropolitan area'sprimary freeways.[3][4]It has two interchanges with I-10 in Phoenix.[4]

The northwestern portion ofValley Metro'slight rail lineruns over a bridge of I-17 from Mountain View Road to Metro Parkway, serving one station atMetro Parkway.

I-17 has the unusual distinction of starting at approximately milepost 194 instead of at milepost 0.[5]This is a holdover from Arizona's old system of marking mileposts, where a branching route would continue the milepost numbering of its original host, instead of starting over at zero.[citation needed]I-17 inherited its milepost locations fromSR 69,which the freeway replaced between Phoenix and Cordes Junction.[6]SR 69's mileposting was such that it coincided withUS 89's mileposting, which was 201.6 where the two routes intersected. When I-17 was constructed, the existing mileposting for SR 69 was retained.[3]

History[edit]

The I-17 corridor roughly follows the first stagecoach route through the Black Canyon, established in 1878 between Cañon (now Black Canyon City) and Prescott. A later highway through White Spar from Wickenburg to Yarnell was improved in 1925 and incorporated into US 89 in 1926.[7]

In 1936, SR 69 was established as a state route from Phoenix north toPrescott.[8][9]The road was completed by 1940 to Prescott. In 1954, a new route north to Flagstaff was established as SR 79. In May 1956, the Black Canyon Highway from Phoenix to Flagstaff was completed,[7]but not to Interstate standards.[10]It was incorporated into the newInterstate Highway System,established by the federal government later that year, and designated as part of I-17.[7]

The first interchange on the Black Canyon Freeway was built in 1950 west of downtown Phoenix and was extended to Grand Avenue in 1957.[2][7]The freeway was extended to McDowell Road by 1971 and out of the Phoenix suburbs by 1974, at a cost of $33 million.[2]By 1971, I-17 had been completed from Phoenix northward to Camp Verde where a short stretch had not been completed to standards. The stretch fromSR 279(nowSR 260) north toSR 179was also complete. The largest section yet to be completed was from SR 179 north to Flagstaff. This segment was still just a two-lane roadway, but it did have full traffic interchanges built at crossroads. The portion from I-40 south to theFlagstaff Municipal Airporthad been completed by this time.[11]The final section of I-17, near Camp Verde and Montezuma Castle, began construction in February 1977 and opened to traffic in August 1978.[7][12]

In 1993, officials in Arizona proposed an extension of I-17 to connect withI-15inUtah.[13][clarification needed]

The existing interchange with Happy Valley Road in Phoenix was converted to adiverging diamond interchange(DDI). The project was finished in the fall of 2020.[14]

Future[edit]

Due to increasing weekend traffic on I-17 between thePhoenix areaandnorthern Arizona,ADOTplans to widen a 34-mile (55 km) section of freeway betweenAnthemand Sunset Point Rest Area. The current span is only four lanes wide and is subject to frequenttraffic jamson weekends as motorists travel to and fromSedona,Flagstaff,or otherhigh countrydestinations. A third lane will be added in both directions between Anthem andBlack Canyon City,but due to the mountainous topography north of Black Canyon City to Sunset Point, twoflex laneswill be added in a separatecarriagewaynext to the existing southbound lanes. The lanes would be allocated depending on peak traffic direction. Gates or a similar mechanism would control access to these lanes.[15]Construction began in 2022 and is scheduled to be completed in 2025.[15][16]

Exit list[edit]

CountyLocationmi[3]kmExitDestinationsNotes
MaricopaPhoenix0.000.00
I-10/US 60east –Globe,Tucson		Southern end of US 60 concurrency; southern terminus; Maricopa Freeway continues east as I-10/US 60; I-10 exit 150A
0.310.50194
I-10west –Sky Harbor		Southbound exit and northbound entrance; I-10 exit 150
1.141.83195A16th StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
2.153.46195B7th Street /Central AvenueNo southbound signage for Central Avenue
3.165.091967th Avenue /Central AvenueNo northbound signage for Central Avenue
4.166.6919719th Avenue / Durango StreetNo northbound signage for Durango Street
Durango Curve;Maricopa Freewaytransitions to the Black Canyon Freeway
5.038.10198Buckeye Road (Historic US 80)Northbound exit only
5.348.59199AGrant Street / Buckeye Road (Historic US 80)No northbound signage for Buckeye Road
5.739.22199BJefferson StreetSouthbound exit only
5.889.46Adams Street /Van Buren StreetNorthbound exit and entrance only; Van Buren Street is formerI-10 BL
6.4910.44200AI-10–Central Phoenix,Los AngelesThe Stack;I-10 exit 143
7.0511.35200BMcDowell Road /Van Buren StreetNo northbound signage for Van Buren Street
7.8412.62—Grand AvenueClosed in the 1980s; formerUS 60/US 70/US 89/SR 93
8.0913.02201
US 60west (Thomas Road) / Grand Avenue		Northern end of US 60 concurrency; no southbound signage for Grand Avenue
9.0814.61202Indian School Road
10.0816.22203Camelback Road
11.0917.85204Bethany Home Road
12.0919.46205Glendale Avenue
13.0921.07206Northern Avenue
14.1422.76207Dunlap Avenue
15.1324.35208Peoria Avenue
16.1325.96209Cactus Road
17.1227.55210Thunderbird Road
18.1229.16211Greenway Road
19.1330.79212Bell Road
20.1532.43214A-BUnion Hills Drive / Yorkshire DriveSigned separately as exits 214A (Union Hills) and 214B (Yorkshire) northbound; Union Hills Drive was formerly signed as exit 213
21.1133.97214CLoop 101Loop 101 exits 23B-C; northbound entrance includes direct exit ramp onto Deer Valley Road (exit 215B)
21.66–
22.16		34.86–
35.66		215Rose Garden Lane / Deer Valley RoadSigned as exit 215A northbound and 215B southbound
23.2737.45217Pinnacle Peak Road
24.1938.93218Happy Valley Road
25.2340.60219Jomax Road
27.2543.85220Dixileta DriveNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
28.1945.37221A
Loop 303south (Bob Stump Memorial Parkway)		Future flyover interchange; to be signed as exit 221B southbound; Loop 303 exits 138A-B; future clockwise terminus of Loop 303[17]
221
Loop 303south (Bob Stump Memorial Parkway) / Sonoran Desert Drive		Loop 303 exit 138; current clockwise terminus of Loop 303
Northern terminus of Black Canyon Freeway
29.1746.94222Dove Valley Road
30.1748.55223
SR 74west (Carefree Highway) –Wickenburg		Signed as exits 223A (east) and 223B (west) northbound; eastern terminus of SR 74
Anthem31.7051.02225Pioneer Road
33.2153.45227Daisy Mountain Drive
35.2456.71229Anthem Way
New River38.2061.48232New River
42.1867.88236Table Mesa Road
Maricopa–Yavapai
county line		Black Canyon City48.2977.72242Black Canyon City,Rock SpringsFormer I-17 BL north
Yavapai50.5681.37244Black Canyon CityFormer I-17 BL south
​—
I-17 north (Flex Lanes)		Future south end of reversible Flex lanes
​54.3687.48248Bumble Bee,Crown KingNo access to or from future Flex Lanes
​—
I-17 south (Flex Lanes)		Future north end of reversible Flex lanes; no access to southbound Flex Lanes from Sunset Point Rest Area
​58.4894.11252Sunset PointRest Area and Scenic ViewFrontage roads provide all-direction access to a unified Rest Area / Scenic View off west side of freeway
​61.8599.54256Badger Springs Road
Cordes Lakes65.23104.98259Bloody Basin Road
68.44110.14262
SR 69north / Cordes Lakes Road –Prescott		Northbound exit and southbound entrance
68.77110.67263

Arcosanti Road toSR 69north –Prescott		Northbound exit signed as Arcosanti Road only
​74.53119.94268Orme Road / Dugas Road
​84.16135.44278
SR 169south –Dewey-Humboldt,Prescott		Northern terminus of SR 169
​89.04143.30—Runaway Truck rampNorthbound left exit and southbound left entrance
Camp Verde91.31146.95285General Crook Trail
93.06149.77287
SR 260toSR 89A–Cottonwood,Payson		FormerSR 279
95.74154.08289Montezuma Castle National Monument
Lake Montezuma99.04159.39293
CR 30 west –McGuireville,Cornville,Montezuma Well		Eastern terminus of CR 30
​102.29–
102.36		164.62–
164.73		McGuirevilleRest Areas
​104.75168.58298
SR 179north –Sedona		Southern terminus of SR 179
​112.09180.39306Stoneman Lake Road
Coconino​118.67190.98Scenic View (southbound only)
​121.37195.33315Rocky Park Road
​123.65199.00317Fox Ranch Road
​126.29203.24320Schnebly Hill Road
Munds Park128.51206.82322Munds Park
129.04207.67Christensen Rest Areas; closed
​132.01212.45326Willard Springs Road
​134.55216.54328Newman Park Road
​136.90220.32331Kelly Canyon Road
Kachina Village139.65224.74333Kachina Boulevard / Mountainaire Road
Flagstaff143.17230.41337
SR 89Asouth (John Wesley Powell Boulevard) –Sedona,Flagstaff Pulliam Airport		Southern end of SR 89A concurrency
145.55234.24339Lake Mary Road–Mormon LakeNorthbound exit only
145.76234.58340I-40–Los Angeles,Albuquerque

SR 89Anorth –Flagstaff,Grand Canyon		Northern end of SR 89A concurrency; signed as exits 340A (east) and 340B (west); I-40 exit 195; freeway continues as SR 89A north (former SR 79)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Former business route[edit]

Interstate 17 Business marker

State Business Route 17

LocationBlack Canyon City
Length3 mi (4.8 km)
Existed2011

State Business Route 17(also known asSR 17 Bus.) was a former three-mile (4.8 km) business loop of I-17 that served the west side ofBlack Canyon City,Arizona.SR 17 Bus. followed Old Black Canyon Highway (formerlySR 69before I-17 replaced most of the route betweenPhoenixandCordes Junction) from exit 242 south of town at a diamond interchange to another diamond interchange at exit 244 north of town. The business route was subsequently transferred from state to local maintenance and because of ADOT's policy of not signing business loops on nonstate maintained roadways, the route was decommissioned in 2011.[18]

Major intersections
The entire route was inBlack Canyon City.

CountymikmDestinationsNotes
Maricopa–Yavapai
county line		0.0000.000I-17 –Phoenix,FlagstaffSouthern terminus; I-17 exit 242
Yavapai3.0004.828I-17 –Flagstaff,PhoenixNorthern terminus; I-17 exit 244
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abArizona Department of Transportation (October 25, 2022)."ADOT National Highway System Map"(Map).ADOT ArcGIS.Arizona Department of Transportation.RetrievedOctober 25,2022.
  2. ^abcNothaft, Mark (February 21, 2017)."Which freeway came first in the Valley?".The Arizona Republic.RetrievedNovember 6,2022.
  3. ^abcRoadway Inventory Management Section, Multimodal Planning Division (December 31, 2013)."2013 State Highway System Log"(PDF).Arizona Department of Transportation.RetrievedMay 23,2020.
  4. ^abGoogle(February 15, 2008)."Overview map of I-17"(Map).Google Maps.Google.RetrievedFebruary 15,2008.
  5. ^Multimodal Planning Division (January 2014).Phoenix Area Milepost System(PDF)(Map). Arizona Department of Transportation.RetrievedNovember 6,2022.
  6. ^LaBarbera, John (May 19, 2022)."Throwback Thursday: Future I-17".ADOT Blog.Arizona Department of Transportation.RetrievedNovember 6,2022.
  7. ^abcdeCorbett, Peter (September 21, 2018)."How the I-17 Black Canyon Freeway evolved from stage route to modern highway".ADOT Blog.Arizona Department of Transportation.RetrievedNovember 6,2022.
  8. ^Arizona and New Mexico Road Map(Map).Rand McNally.1938.RetrievedNovember 27,2011.
  9. ^Arizona Department of Transportation."ADOT Right-of-Way Resolution 1936-P-624".RetrievedApril 22,2008.
  10. ^State Highway Department Road Map of Arizona(Map).Rand McNally.1961.RetrievedNovember 27,2011.
  11. ^State Highway Department Road Map of Arizona(Map). Arizona State Highway Department. 1971.RetrievedNovember 27,2011.
  12. ^"Last Link of I-17 To Open in August".The Arizona Republic.May 18, 1978. p. 15.RetrievedNovember 6,2022– viaNewspapers.com.
  13. ^"Arizona officials seek extension of I-17 into Utah".Deseret News.Associated Press.January 2, 1993.RetrievedJanuary 27,2021.
  14. ^"Happy Valley Road".www.azdot.gov.RetrievedAugust 26,2019.
  15. ^ab"Recommended Build Alternative - I-17: Anthem Way to Sunset Point".Arizona Department of Transportation.RetrievedAugust 26,2021.
  16. ^"First girders installed on Interstate 17 improvement project".KTAR.com.April 4, 2023.RetrievedApril 27,2023.
  17. ^"Loop 303, Lake Pleasant Parkway to I-17 Improvements".ADOT.Arizona Department of Transportation.RetrievedApril 24,2024.
  18. ^"Interstate Business Route 17".interstate-guide.com.RetrievedNovember 6,2020.[self-published source?]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toInterstate 17.
KML file(edit•help)
Template:Attached KML/Interstate 17
KML is from Wikidata
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Interstate_17&oldid=1227502080"