At first, access roads and overpasses were built. By 1968, the controlled-access Black Canyon Freeway traversed the city from north to south. It was upgraded to Federal Interstate Highway standards in the 1970s. By 1980, the region was served by four expressways; the Black Canyon (Interstate 17), Papago (Interstate 10), Maricopa (Interstate 10) and Superstition (US 60 Highway).
Back in the day, few of Phoenix's malls (and there were many) were "freeway friendly." CHRIS-TOWN was not terribly far from a freeway interchange, but the first truly freeway-adjacent shopping mall, METROCENTER, would not come along until 1973. It was soon followed by FIESTA MALL [1979].
The implementation of a comprehensive, regional freeway network in Phoenix finally gained impetus with the 1985 passage of Proposition 300. This initiative created a one-half-percent sales tax, with its proceeds to be used -primarily- to complete the freeway network that had been on the drawing board since the 1960s.
Nowadays, the push is on to extend the region's Valley Metro light rail network, which began revenue service on December 27, 2008. The system opened extensions in 2015, 2016 and 2019. In 2023, there were 28.2 route miles and thirty-eight stations. Ironically, this transit network would connect TRI-CITY MALL, PARK CENTRAL CENTER and CHRIS-TOWN MALL, if these shopping hubs still existed in their original incarnations.
TRI-CITY MALL was bulldozed years ago. PARK CENTRAL CENTER is now an office complex. The CHRIS-TOWN property has gone through several name changes, renovations and a demalling. It is now a big box-based power center, so at least it is still functions in a retail capacity.
And away we go!
