Memories of Phoenix Union Station

Before Sky Harbor and before the Interstate Highway system, people traveled to Arizona by train. Sure, miners and trappers and ranchers came to the Salt River Valley first with horses and wagons, but it was the arrival of the railroad that made it possible for people to head out west in big numbers. For many travelers, the gateway to the city was Phoenix Union Station.

The first transcontinental line to cross Arizona was built by Southern Pacific Railroad in the 1880s. At first, Phoenix was served by a small section of track that came up from "Phoenix Junction" which is present day Maricopa, Arizona. The first train arrived in Phoenix on July 4th, 1887.

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Proposed Interstate 11 Would Link Phoenix to Las Vegas

When it comes to Interstate Highways, Arizona is pretty easy to figure out. We have Interstate 40, Interstate 10, and Interstate 8 running east and west, and Interstate 17 and Interstate 19 running north and south. In the far northwestern corner of the state, a small 30-mile stretch of Interstate 15 links Nevada and Utah. And that's pretty much it!

However, the Arizona Department of Transportation and Nevada Department of Transportation are currently working together on a study that will determine the feasibility of building a new Interstate highway that would link Phoenix and Las Vegas. If built, the new highway would be called Interstate 11.

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I-17 Pedestrian Bridge at Jomax Road Complete, Remains Closed

If you've driven on Interstate 17 in North Phoenix within the past year, you may have noticed the new pedestrian bridge that crosses over the freeway between Jomax Road and Dixileta Road. The bridge will allow pedestrians, cyclists, and horseback riders to continue along the multi-use path that follows the Hayden-Rhodes Aqueduct.

The bridge was scheduled to open in the fall of 2012, however, that never happened. For some reason, the fences never came down. Currently, a locked gate prevents people from using the bridge, whose construction has been finished for approximately four months now.

I don't know what is going on with the bridge, but I am sure that the residents of North Phoenix would appreciate a safe way to cross the freeway while they are out for a jog or a ride.

I want to know: what's the deal? How come the bridge is done and not open?

Duppa Homestead: The Oldest House in Phoenix

Like the mythical bird that rises from the ashes, the City of Phoenix really does keep re-inventing itself. In the city's real estate-driven economy, little thought is given to razing historic buildings when a new project is in the works.

Miraculously though, this house has managed to survive for 143 years. That makes it the oldest surviving structure in Phoenix!

The Duppa Homestead was originally built by Lord Darrell Duppa, an Englishman who came to Prescott in 1863 and settled in the Salt River Valley in 1867. The house is believed to have been constructed in 1870.

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Discovering Arizona's Point of Origin

Phoenix is a surprisingly easy city to navigate because it is built around a grid system. Roads with names run East and West while streets and avenues run North and South.

As it turns out, it's not just Phoenix that is divided up into a grid, but the whole state of Arizona! How did this system start, and where is the center of the grid? There's an interesting story behind all of this.

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