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| McDowell Road (Phoenix) | |
|---|---|
| Name | McDowell Road |
| Location | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Length mi | 22 |
| Direction a | West |
| Direction b | East |
| Terminus a | 43rd Avenue / Glendale |
| Terminus b | Mesa / Tempe |
| Maintained by | Arizona Department of Transportation; City of Phoenix; City of Tempe; City of Mesa |
McDowell Road (Phoenix) McDowell Road is a major arterial street traversing central Phoenix, Arizona, extending into Tempe, Arizona and Mesa, Arizona. The corridor links neighborhoods, business districts, cultural institutions, and transportation hubs, intersecting with freeways, light rail, and regional boulevards. McDowell Road has played a role in urban development, transit planning, and civic events across the Phoenix metropolitan area.
McDowell Road begins near the Phoenix Mountains Preserve and runs east–west across central Phoenix, Arizona, crossing major corridors such as Interstate 17, State Route 51 (Arizona), Interstate 10, and U.S. Route 60 (Arizona), before continuing into Tempe, Arizona near Arizona State University and into Mesa, Arizona toward downtown. The road serves as a spine between districts including Deer Valley, Camelback East, Encanto, Roosevelt Row, Downtown Phoenix, Central City Village, Eastlake Park, North Central Phoenix, South Mountain Village, Maryvale, Estrella Village, and Ahwatukee Foothills. Along its length McDowell Road provides access to landmarks such as Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (via connector streets), the Phoenix Convention Center district, and cultural venues proximate to the Heard Museum and the Phoenix Art Museum.
McDowell Road developed during 19th- and 20th-century expansion of Phoenix, Arizona following the growth of Territorial Arizona and later State of Arizonahood. The corridor paralleled agricultural roads linked to Salt River Project irrigation canals and early Valley of the Sun settlement patterns influenced by landholders and railroads like the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Postwar suburbanization tied to Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 freeway construction and the rise of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport reshaped McDowell Road into a commercial and automotive artery. Urban renewal initiatives during administrations such as that of Barry Goldwater-era civic leadership and later John S. McCain Jr.-era metropolitan planning intersected with zoning changes that produced retail strips, auto dealerships, and mid-century motels along McDowell. Redevelopment efforts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries involved coordination with entities including the Maricopa Association of Governments, Valley Metro, and municipal planning departments of City of Phoenix and City of Tempe.
McDowell Road interfaces with multiple transit systems: Valley Metro Rail light rail lines run near sections of McDowell, while bus routes operated by Valley Metro (bus) serve the corridor. Major interchanges connect McDowell Road to Interstate 10 in Arizona, U.S. Route 60 (Arizona), State Route 143 (Arizona), and surface arterials like Central Avenue (Phoenix), 7th Avenue (Phoenix), 16th Street (Phoenix), and Mill Avenue in Tempe, Arizona. The route's transit role was part of regional studies by Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration for bus rapid transit and light rail extensions, involving stakeholders such as Phoenix Transit advocates, Mesa Transportation planners, and commuter programs linked to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Bicycle infrastructure and shared-mobility initiatives along McDowell have been influenced by organizations like Bike Phoenix and partnerships with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy-inspired planners.
Prominent sites near McDowell Road include the Heard Museum, the Phoenix Art Museum, the Arizona Science Center, and the Children's Museum of Phoenix. Cultural districts like Roosevelt Row and institutions including the Orpheum Theatre (Phoenix), the Herberger Theater Center, and the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum lie within proximity. Commercial and retail landmarks include historic motels and auto row concentrations near 14th Street (Phoenix) and 7th Avenue (Phoenix), while civic anchors such as Phoenix City Hall, the Maricopa County Courthouse, and the Phoenix Civic Space Park are accessible via connected streets. Nearby higher education and research institutions include Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University, and satellite campuses of University of Phoenix and Maricopa County Community College District locations. Recreational and natural spaces linked to McDowell include the Salt River, the Papago Park complex, and the South Mountain Park and Preserve.
Key intersections and junctions along McDowell Road include crossings with 43rd Avenue (Phoenix), Ninth Avenue (Phoenix), Central Avenue (Phoenix), Seventh Avenue (Phoenix), Third Avenue (Phoenix), State Route 51 (Arizona), Interstate 17 in Arizona, Interstate 10 in Arizona, U.S. Route 60 (Arizona), Mill Avenue, and regional connectors to Loop 202 (Arizona). Intermodal nodes connect with Valley Metro Rail stations and bus hubs such as those near Downtown Phoenix, Tempe Transit Center, and Mesa Trolley stops, integrating with countywide corridors managed by Maricopa County Department of Transportation.
Planning along McDowell Road has involved municipal and regional agencies including the City of Phoenix, City of Tempe, City of Mesa, the Maricopa Association of Governments, and Arizona Department of Transportation. Initiatives have focused on corridor revitalization, transit-oriented development near light rail, zoning reforms, and public-private partnerships with developers such as Taylor Morrison and investment interests tied to Downtown Tempe redevelopment. Historic preservation efforts have engaged organizations including the Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission and local neighborhood associations like the Encanto-Palmcroft Historic District advocates. Economic development programs by Greater Phoenix Economic Council and workforce initiatives through Arizona Commerce Authority have intersected with land-use strategies, tax increment financing tools, and infrastructure funding from federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Transportation.
McDowell Road has appeared in local cultural narratives, referenced in coverage by media outlets like the Arizona Republic and Phoenix New Times, and featured during civic events including Arizona State Fair traffic patterns, parade routes, and neighborhood festivals in districts such as Roosevelt Row Arts Festival. The corridor figures in histories of Route 66-era motels and mid-century architecture discussed by preservationists associated with Arizona Preservation Foundation and cultural scholars from Arizona State University. Community events, open-streets initiatives, and public art projects along McDowell have involved partnerships with arts organizations like ASU Art Museum affiliates and nonprofits such as Valley Leadership.
Category:Streets in Phoenix, Arizona