The black and white nature of this photograph may be a bit deceiving.

Today, we are throwing back to 1992. The year of the Barcelona Summer Olympics, the maiden voyage of the Space Shuttle Endeavor, and Paul Reiser taking the sitcom world by storm with the premiere of ‘Mad About You.’

Here in the Copper State, the Arizona Department of Transportation completed work on State Route 143 after decades of planning. We see it here from its northern terminus at McDowell Road as it winds southbound toward Interstate 10. 

We can clearly spot Sky Harbor as it looked nearly 30 years ago, and near the middle of the picture, we see the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway (or, as it was then known, the East Papago Freeway).

And if you look even harder, you’ll notice it stops just east of the interchange over 48th Street. It can be hard to believe now, as we zip across the Valley with ease these days, that our freeway system is relatively young.

The Red Mountain Freeway would open to Loop 101 in Tempe the following year, and finally be completed in 2008, when the last leg between Power Road and University Drive in Mesa opened.

Of course, the entire Loop 202 was officially “looped” in 2019 with the opening of the South Mountain Freeway.

We’ve followed the progress of the SR 143/Sky Harbor Boulevard traffic interchange project pretty closely here on the blog and we’re excited to let you know that the work is now complete!

That’s right … it’s all done.

On Monday (July 9), ADOT opened a new ramp connecting southbound SR 143 (also known as the Hohokam Expressway) with westbound Sky Harbor Boulevard.

Crews also re-opened the reconstructed northbound SR 143 ramp to westbound Sky Harbor Boulevard – it had been closed since March for improvement work.

The two other new ramps at the interchange (links between east- and westbound Sky Harbor Boulevard and southbound SR 143) were opened to traffic in March.

Besides the addition of the new interchange ramps, the $18 million project included the addition of southbound auxiliary lanes, which allow motorists the ability to merge or continue to the next exit. There was also the inclusion of new directional signage and enhanced landscaping.

So, now that construction is finished and there’s a new way to enter the east end of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, we’d like to thank you for your patience and cooperation during this 18-month project (we know freeway restrictions are no fun – especially if you’re in a hurry to catch a flight). The next time you drive the area you’ll notice the better traffic flow on SR 143 and the improved access to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport!

More on the project, which is part of the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan approved by county voters in 2004, can be found by re-visiting some of our previous blog posts.

Drivers headed to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport are sure to notice a couple of big improvements beginning Monday morning…

That’s when two new freeway ramps linking SR 143 with Sky Harbor Boulevard are set to open, providing drivers with better roadway connections at the east end of the airport.

But these ramps are just part of a $17.8 million project designed to modernize the interchange connecting SR 143 and Sky Harbor Boulevard. The entire project is scheduled for completion by late summer (we blogged about it last July and gave a progress update at the end of 2011).

Here are a few advantages the new ramps offer

• For the first time, drivers departing the east end of Sky Harbor Airport will be able to travel directly onto southbound SR 143 via one of the new ramps.
• Westbound Loop 202 drivers using the SR 143/Sky Harbor Blvd. exit will have a new elevated ramp to reach southbound SR 143. Many drivers use that route to travel between Loop 202 and Interstate 10.
• The elevated ramp will replace an older circular ramp being removed to make way for a third new ramp connecting southbound SR 143 to westbound Sky Harbor Boulevard this summer.

What to expect this weekend

Before the new ramps open, crews will work this weekend to adjust pavement markings, including lane stripes, and make other improvements. Drivers should be aware of the following restrictions:

• Southbound SR 143 closed between McDowell Road and University Drive from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (March 5). Westbound Sky Harbor Boulevard also closed between Loop 202 and 44th Street, including the westbound ramp to southbound SR 143. The westbound I-10 ramp to northbound SR 143 also closed over the weekend.
• Northbound SR 143 closed between Sky Harbor Boulevard and Washington Street from 9 p.m. Friday to 9 p.m. Saturday (March 3).
• Eastbound Sky Harbor Boulevard closed between 44th Street and SR 143 from 9 p.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday (March 5).

Drivers are encouraged to use the west side entrance or exit near 24th Street at Sky Harbor Boulevard this weekend or use 44th Street as an alternate route on the airport's east end.

Take note: The existing northbound SR 143 ramp to westbound Sky Harbor Boulevard will be closed for about three months starting 9 p.m. March 2 for reconstruction work. Drivers can exit northbound SR 143 to westbound University Drive and use northbound 44th Street to access the airport.

The improvements to SR 143 are really coming along...

In fact, construction now is about 64 percent complete!

Another highlight to point out is that there are no restrictions or closures planned for this project through the beginning of the new year. That’s important to know during this busy holiday travel season because SR 143 (also known as the Hohokam Expressway) provides many drivers access to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

About the project

As we told you back in July this project includes the addition of two new ramps that are being constructed on the SR 143 to help commuters get directly in and out of the airport.

A third ramp will connect motorists traveling on westbound Sky Harbor Boulevard directly onto southbound SR 143, which will ease congestion at the intersection of Sky Harbor Boulevard and SR 143 by allowing drivers to bypass the intersection and gain quicker access to I-10.

There’s also an existing ramp on the east side of SR 143 that is being reconstructed along with signage improvements and landscape work.

A few construction milestones ... so far

• Just last week, crews started widening southbound SR 143 at the Salt River Bridge. When complete, this area of freeway will be expanded from three to four lanes in order to handle the traffic merging from the new west and east ramps.
• Crews used 50,000 cubic yards of dirt (yes, we’re talking about dirt again!) to form an embankment that will support the new ramp connecting eastbound Sky Harbor Boulevard directly onto southbound SR 143.
• The ramp connecting westbound Sky Harbor Boulevard with southbound SR 143 is nearly complete (see photo above) and should open to motorists by early 2012 while other construction improvements continue to be made on the rest of the project.

When construction on the entire project is complete in summer 2012, drivers are going to have improved access to and from the airport and they’ll experience better traffic flow on SR 143.

Few situations are as stressful as hitting traffic on your way to the airport … especially if you’re holding on to that non-refundable ticket for a trip out of town.

But, with more than 100,000 passengers arriving at and departing from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport each day, there’s bound to be some congestion every once in a while.

That’s why ADOT is working on reconstructing the State Route 143/Sky Harbor Boulevard Traffic Interchange to improve access to and from the airport.

This project includes the addition of southbound auxiliary lanes, which allow motorists the ability to merge or continue to the next exit, as well as new interchange ramps and signage.

The two new ramps are being constructed on SR 143 to help commuters get directly in and out of the airport … that direct access should cut a few minutes off drivers’ commutes!

A third ramp will connect commuters traveling on westbound Sky Harbor Blvd. directly onto southbound SR 143 … this should help ease the traffic congestion at the intersection of Sky Harbor Blvd. and SR 143 by allowing drivers to bypass the intersection all together and gain quicker access to I-10.

The project also includes the reconstruction of a ramp on the east side of SR 143 to make for a safer and smoother roadway.

Valley residents and motorists passing through the area can also look forward to new directional signage and enhanced landscaping once the project is complete.

Work started in mid-January and should be finished by summer 2012. Travel impacts will include lane restrictions and closures of SR-143, Sky Harbor Boulevard and adjacent on- and off-ramps. ADOT continues to partner with Valley cities and the airport to minimize this impact.