Phoenix was slow in adopting the "American Freeway City" model; this due to the desire of most Phoenicians to keep their metropolis from becoming another freeway-centric Los Angeles. Nonetheless, by the mid-1950s, work was underway on the region's earliest freeways.

At first, access roads and overpasses were built. By 1968, the 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 limited access roadways; the Black Canyon Freeway (Interstate 17), Papago Freeway (Interstate 10), Maricopa Freeway (Interstate 10) and Superstition Freeway (US 60 Highway).

Back in the day, few of Phoenix's shopping malls were freeway-adjacent. CHRIS-TOWN and WEST PLAZA were not far from an interchange. The first truly freeway-adjacent mall, METROCENTER, was completed in 1973. It was soon followed by FIESTA MALL, which debuted in 1979.

For years, the freeway system of the Valley of the Sun was inadequate. The implementation of a comprehensive, regional freeway network finally gained impetus with the 1985 passage of Proposition 300. This initiative created a one-half-percent sales tax, with 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 inaugural Valley Metro route stretched for 20 miles and served twenty-eight stations; operating between the 19th Avenue-Montebello and Sycamore-Main Street stops. Extensions opened in 2015, 2016, 2019, 2024 and 2025. There are currently 35.3 route miles and forty-eight stations.

Ironically, today's rail transit network would connect TRI-CITY MALL, PARK CENTRAL CENTER, CHRIS-TOWN MALL and METROCENTER, if these shopping hubs still existed. TRI-CITY MALL and METROCENTER were bulldozed. 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 still functions in a retail capacity.