Arizona State Route 202

Infobox road
marker_

state=AZ
highway_name=
name_notes=
type=state
route=202
alternate_name= Red Mountain Freeway, Santan Freeway,
South Mountain Freeway
maint=ADOT


length_mi=55.00
length_round=2
length_ref=cite web |url=http://tpd.az.gov/data/reports/2005SHSLog.pdf |title=ADOT Highway Log |accessmonthday=July 16 |accessyear=2007 |author=Arizona Department of Transportation]
length_notes=
established=
decommissioned=
direction_a=CCW
starting_terminus=
beltway_city=Mesa
junction=
direction_b=CW
ending_terminus=
counties=
cities=
system=
previous_type=AZ
previous_route=195
next_type=AZ
next_route=210
browse=
commons=

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. It currently begins at the Mini Stack interchange with Interstate 10 and SR 51, and ends at Interstate 10 near Ahwatukee.

Route description

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

Red Mountain Freeway

The first section of Loop 202 to open was the Red Mountain Freeway. It runs from the Interstate 10/SR 51 Mini Stack interchange to US 60, and passes over the Salt River and through Tempe and Mesa en route, with an interchange with Loop 101 in Tempe. The final segment of the freeway from Power Road to University Drive opened on July 21, 2008. [ cite web
url = http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/07/08/20080708mr-freeway0709.html
title = Freeway opening scheduled for July 21
publisher = The Arizona Republic
accessdate = 2008-07-10 ] This opening marked the completion of the original Regional Freeway System as approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 by Proposition 300. [ cite web
url = http://www.azdot.gov/Highways/Valley_Freeways/Loop_202/Red_Mountain/closures_restrictions01.asp
title = Loop 202 Power to University
publisher = ADOT
accessdate = 2008-02-02 ]

antan Freeway

Completed in 2006, [ cite web
url = http://www.azdot.gov/Highways/Valley_Freeways/Loop_202/Santan/index.asp
title = Loop 202 (Santan Freeway)
publisher = ADOT
accessdate = 2008-02-02 ] the Santan Freeway serves the southeast valley cities of Chandler, Gilbert, and Mesa and provides access to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Beginning at the SuperRedTan interchange with US 60 in Mesa, the freeway runs south and turns westward in Gilbert near the airport. A few miles later the Santan is running in Chandler, where it has a junction with Loop 101 in the vicinity of the Chandler Fashion Center. Following this interchange, the Santan Freeway section of Loop 202 encounters its terminus at a stack interchange with Interstate 10 near Ahwatukee. [ cite web
url = http://www.azdot.gov/Highways/Valley_Freeways/Loop_202/Santan/index.asp
title = Project Map L202
publisher = ADOT
accessdate = 2008-02-02 ]

outh Mountain Freeway

The third, unbuilt segment of the Loop 202 partial beltway is the South Mountain Freeway. This proposed segment will run from the already complete Interstate 10 and Santan Freeway four-level symmetrical stack interchange westward through Ahwatukee on the current Pecos Road alignment, straddling the border with the Gila River Indian Reservation. The proposed freeway will then proceed to turn northwesterly and cut directly through South Mountain Park; before eventually turning completely northward along the 55th Avenue alignment all the way until its terminus at Interstate 10 in Phoenix, west of downtown. [ cite web
url = http://www.azdot.gov/Highways/Valley_Freeways/Loop_202/South_Mountain/background.asp
title = Loop 202 (South Mountain Freeway)
publisher = ADOT
accessdate = 2008-02-02 ]

This route would provide a southerly bypass of the often-congested stretch of I-10 through Downtown Phoenix. New cost estimates due out in September are expected to raise the total cost of this convert|17|mi|km|sing=on section to over 2 billion dollars or over $20,000 a foot. If approved, it would rank among the most costly highways ever built. Arizona voters are being asked to approve an initiative ballot in November 2008 which would raise the sales tax by an additional 1% ( bringing it close to 10% for most jurisdictions) in order to fund this and other transit projects. Generally these types of initiatives pass, but this one may prove the exception because of the severe economic downturn and the need to re-assess the cost-benefit analysis of projects of this magnitude. The proposed freeway is currently in the Environmental impact assessment process. At the conclusion of this process, a report will be released by ADOT and the public will have a chance to comment. After these final steps, the fate of the South Mountain Freeway will be revealed by ADOT. [ cite web
url = http://www.azdot.gov/Highways/Valley_Freeways/Loop_202/South_Mountain/background.asp
title = What's Next (S. Mtn Frwy L202)
publisher = ADOT
accessdate = 2008-02-02 ]

Use as a movie location

In 2006, the Red Mountain Freeway portion of Loop 202 was used to portray a Saudi Arabian superhighway in the 2007 film, "The Kingdom". Filming also took place at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and the Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus. The city of Mesa received $40,000 for the usage of the freeway from NBC Universal. [ cite web
url = http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/0808mr-kingdom0811.html
title = Is that Loop 202?
publisher = The Arizona Republic
accessdate = 2008-03-05 ]

Exit list

The entire route is in Maricopa County.

ee also

*SuperRedTan Interchange
*Loop 101
*Loop 303
*Metropolitan Phoenix Freeways

References

External links

* [http://www.southmountainfreeway.com/southmtn/index.htm Arizona Department of Transportation site on the proposed South Mountain Freeway]
* [http://www.protectazchildren.org/index.php PARC - Protecting Arizona's Resources and Children Group opposing the South Mountain Freeway]
* [http://www.azdot.gov/Highways/valley_freeways/Loop_202/Red_Mountain/PDF/RMFwy032Notice1Mar2006.pdf ADOT Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway Freeway Completion flier March 2006]
* [http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/0614ev-redmountain0615.html Next leg of Loop 202 might open next month June 14 article in Arizona Republic]