Grid System (Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa: neighborhoods, schools, agricultural)

[jksouthbay88]

How many miles is the grid system going east and west(from 91st ave-power road)
and north and south(baseline-union hills)?
I was just wondering

[vegaspilgrim]

If you read about the history of the public land survey system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Land_Survey_System), you'll see that "the grid" in theory extends over all of Arizona, surveyed in 1865 from the "Baseline" and the "Gila and Salt River Meridian." Even outside of Phoenix, you'll see the same supergrid pop up again in agricultural areas right next to the Gila River down to Yuma, and in Tucson.

Even well past the westernmost boundaries of metro Phoenix, way past Buckeye, there are still straight dirt roads that are lined up with the grid. If you check it out on Mapquest you'll see the "avenues" go as high as 411th ave. Going south of the East Valley, the grid appears to break up a little bit as you go through the Gila River Indian reservation, but then resurfaces again in Pinal County. It goes east to Apache Junction, and north to AZ-74/ Carefree Hwy. Just face it, you cannot escape the grid!

[CodyW]

from 91st to Power.. It's about 32 miles. From Baseline to Union Hills its about 20.

Anyway. The grid makes getting around pretty easy, but a little boring.

If anybody wants the extended dimensions of the entire metro.. then.

From Miller Road in Buckeye to Idaho Road in Apache Junction, the distance is 60 Miles. From Anthem Way in Anthem, to Riggs Road in the South Valley, its 46 Miles. Pretty large.. The grid continues through all of Maricopa County. As does the road numbering system (Avenues and Streets). The grid sort of continues down into Pinal county, but it doesn't align with the Phoenix grid.

[aj661]

Originally Posted by CodyW

from 91st to Power.. It's about 32 miles. From Baseline to Union Hills its about 20.

Anyway. The grid makes getting around pretty easy, but a little boring.

The grid continues through all of Maricopa County. As does the road numbering system (Avenues and Streets).

Except Tempe, which for some reason just had to run their "Streets" east-west instead of north-south.

[Nice Nice Baby!]

Mesa too. Many places start over again.

[deem]

How about Gilbert - where the same street can be in 4-5 different neighborhoods - after it cuts through parks, schools, major roads, malls
But it's fun
easiest way here - is "what are your crossroads"

[CodyW]

I'm not sure why the east valley cities break the numbering system. Its quite odd, really. But, the far west valley cites (Surprise, Avondale, Goodyear, and Buckeye.) do too, though only on their arterials.

[mdtoaz]

So the streets are typically north and south, and the avenues are east and west? I know I'm going to get that backwards when I move out there. Good thing there's a compass on my rearview mirror.

[sablebaby]

Nope, the streets and avenues are all north and south. The streets that are named run east and west.

[CodyW]

No mdtoaz. Thats not how things work.

In Phoenix, most north-south roads are either avenues or streets.

Phoenix is based around Central Ave. This is the center North-South arterial. Every north-south route west of central is a numbered Avenue. They range from 1st to 411th.

Every north-south route EAST of Central is a numbered street. They range from 1st to 136th. They exception is that most of the east valley differs from this system. I think Scottsdale is the only city to use it.

For every 8 numbered avenues/streets you pass, you will have traveled one mile. So every mile, you will hit a major arterial road.

The same applies for east-west routes, but they're never numbered. These are things like Camelback Rd, Indian School Rd, and such. No numbering system, but they still form to the grid.

Each block on the grid is one square mile in size.