Channel 10 Rewind: Freeways in the 1970s | Video Vault | FOX 10 Phoenix

Despite editorial opposition, Phoenicians in 1975 voted to approve the Papago Freeway, though officials estimate construction is at least two years away and faces potential legal delays. Meanwhile, voters rejected a proposed ward system for city elections, a result experts attribute to lingering negative associations with political "bossism."


After voters recently reversed their opposition to the Papago Freeway in 1976, transportation officials are now evaluating seven design alternatives for the I-10 corridor while gathering public input on environmental impacts. Despite the progress, engineers caution that final environmental reports and construction starts are still several years away.


Planners are outlining immediate priorities in 1977 for the I-10 inner loop and Superstition Freeway extensions alongside the development of the Hohokam Expressway. Long-range goals for the next 15 years include establishing major transit corridors such as the Squaw Peak, Paradise, and North Loop routes to connect Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe.


Construction of the Papago Freeway faced new delays in 1977 after ASU professors accused the state of falsifying reports to claim a Hohokam archaeological site was no longer viable for study. In response, officials have appointed a committee to re-evaluate the site's historical significance, which may push back the project's environmental approval by another year.


Vice President Walter Mondale announced the federal approval of the Papago Freeway in 1978, a move Mayor Margaret Hance claimed was vital to prevent the "slow death" of central Phoenix. While supporters celebrated the decision, critics remained concerned about potential environmental damage and the destruction of significant Indigenous archaeological sites.


Project engineer Bill Ross highlights the grueling decade-long cycle of studies, public votes, and reversals that saw the freeway's cost double to $400 million in 1979. Despite $50 million already spent on design and land acquisition, officials fear that upcoming votes could trigger even more delays for a project originally proposed in 1965.


The Phoenix City Council and grid plan supporters are locked in a heated debate in 1979 over whether federal freeway funds can be fully transferred to finance an alternative network of widened streets and beltways. While Mayor Margaret Hance warns that the grid plan would leave taxpayers with a $380 million deficit, proponents argue the city is using biased data to protect an outdated freeway project.

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