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July 22, 2008 - 10:47PM
Completion of Loop 202 will help drivers, economy
Tribune Editorial
Monday's opening of the last segment of Loop 202 completes a promise more than two decades old from the state to Valley's motorists, business owners and taxpayers.
There were some rough moments as the Arizona Department of Transportation sought to fulfill expectations from the 1985 election in which Maricopa County voters approved a sales tax hike for highway construction. The final leg of 137 miles of freeways was finished 2½ years late, because ADOT and the governor's office adjusted phases and plans to keep various projects within budget.
Also delaying completion was the request of former Mesa Mayor Keno Hawker, who asked that work on the final link not take place at night because it might disturb the sleep of residents in the area.
One can't help but wonder if needed growth in East Valley jobs and commerce suffered because of decisions made in better economic times.
But the past is just that. The East Valley freeway system is now whole, and that's good news for commuters and for the East Valley's economic future. As has been well-documented on the Tribune's news pages, freeways are the lifeblood of economic development, particularly when coupled with airports.
For years, Mesa city leaders had talked about the development potential of Falcon Field and what was then Williams Gateway Airport, but they remained sleepy enclaves with airstrips until freeways came their way.
Both are now starting to show their potential as centers of commerce. Link the two, as this final leg of the Loop 202 does, and just like that the city has complementary aviation and employment hubs.
But it's not just about Mesa; the whole region benefits, as Tribune reporter Ed Taylor's story on Sunday explained. Joe Monks, the owner of pilot-supply shops at both Scottsdale Airpark and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, figures he's shaved 10 to 15 minutes off of his drive time between the two businesses.
The Scottsdale Airpark is known as the Valley's second largest employment center. As business owners and managers in that crowded area look to expand, Gateway becomes an option, as has Falcon Field. Now, throw in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Chandler Airpark, and you see the opportunities for a vast transportation web.
As Mesa Mayor Scott Smith told Taylor, "You can't underestimate the impact it will have on investment decisions."
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