Channel 10 Rewind: Freeways in the 1980s | Video Vault

In 1980, state officials plan to use $25 million in bonds to extend the Superstition Freeway to Val Vista Road, though widening the existing, congested sections could take up to seven years. Planners admit they failed to anticipate the rapid traffic growth, and further expansions toward Apache Junction remain stalled by a lack of available funding.

A public hearing in 1981 revealed plans for the $500 million Papago Freeway, the "missing link" of

I-10, with many residents and officials urging for an expedited 1988 completion date. However, the project still faces potential roadblocks from a pending historic preservation endorsement and archaeological studies that could halt construction if significant ruins are discovered.

Rapid growth in the East Valley in 1982 has severely congested the four-lane Superstition Freeway, but limited funding means upcoming widening projects will only reach Price Road and fail to address the I-10 bottleneck. While some lawmakers propose prioritizing existing repairs over new construction, others argue that extending the freeway to Apache Junction and widening the current road must happen simultaneously to handle the traffic.

Despite a two-week delay caused by rain in 1983, the state held a symbolic dedication ceremony for a new $11.3 million, two-mile extension of the Superstition Freeway. Officials also announced that construction will begin this month to widen the freeway to six lanes and extend it further toward Bush Highway by 1984.

As Papago and Superstition freeway projects advance in 1983, the state is beginning a major expansion of the Maricopa Freeway, which includes adding HOV lanes and replacing the Salt River Bridge. Engineers argue that completely rebuilding the bridge is more cost-effective than expanding the existing structure to accommodate the massive traffic increase expected when the two freeways finally connect.

Demolition and excavation have begun on the Papago Freeway’s central tunnel in 1984, marking significant progress on one of the final missing links of Interstate 10. However, a major funding shortfall from the federal government has forced Arizona taxpayers to cover the costs, threatening to bring construction to a "grinding halt" if Congress does not release more funds by early next year.

Governor Bruce Babbitt officially opened a new four-mile extension of the Superstition Freeway stretching to Power Road in 1984, a $18 million project seen as vital for East Valley growth. However, officials warned that further construction will "stop cold" at this point because no additional funding is currently available to extend the route further.

Construction-related detours and restricted turns on 27th Avenue have turned the area into a traffic nightmare in 1986, causing severe congestion even outside of rush hour. Local business owners report that these disruptions have devastated their trade, with some seeing customer volume and revenue drop by half due to the difficult access.

A news report in 1987 from NewsCopter 10 show significant progress across the Phoenix freeway system, with the I-10 interchange at the Black Canyon Freeway underway and the next stretch of the Squaw Peak Parkway expected within a year. Despite these milestones, the central Papago Freeway connection is not projected for completion until 1992, while the new Outer Loop remains a long-term goal for 1995.

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Channel 10 Rewind: Freeways in the 1980s | Video Vault | FOX 10 Phoenix

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