The 100-Foot Mistake That Changed Phoenix Forever

Phoenix buried part of Interstate 10 under a park. For nearly 30 years, I-10 had a missing piece through the middle of Phoenix. The problem was not whether Arizona could build the freeway. The problem was whether Phoenix was willing to live with the version the state first wanted to build. The original Papago Freeway plan would have carried traffic high above downtown Phoenix, with massive spiral ramps and a structure that critics called the “100-foot-high mistake.” After years of public pushback, newspaper editorials, neighborhood disruption, and redesigns, Phoenix finally accepted a different solution: lower the freeway into a trench, cover it with a massive concrete deck, and build a public park on top. That solution became the Deck Park Tunnel, the final mile of Interstate 10 through Phoenix. But the story did not stop with the freeway fight. Construction uncovered La Ciudad, a major Hohokam archaeological site beneath the path of the road. Engineers also had to solve drainage, ventilation, lighting, heat, expansion, and traffic problems inside one of the most unusual pieces of interstate highway in America. This is the story of the Papago Freeway, the Deck Park Tunnel, and the fight to finish I-10 through Phoenix. Join us as we go Beyond the Exit. ------------------------------------------------------------ FOLLOW BEYOND THE EXIT ------------------------------------------------------------ Facebook:   / 61571959260463   Website: https://gobeyondtheexit.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ AFFILIATE LINKS / SUPPORT THE CHANNEL ------------------------------------------------------------ Some links below may be affiliate links. If you purchase through them, the channel may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Bridges of Seattle (Images of America) Paperback – January 27, 2020 - https://amzn.to/4vyS6AP EZ66 GUIDE For Travelers - 6TH EDITION Spiral-bound – April 6, 2026 - https://amzn.to/4sPgxaF Route 66, 100th Anniversary Edition: The Mother Road - https://amzn.to/47X5SmD ------------------------------------------------------------ THANKS & CREDITS ------------------------------------------------------------ Special thanks to InterstateKyle for roadway footage and highway reference material:    / @interstatekyle   Thanks to the Arizona Department of Transportation / ADOT for project information, public materials, and historical resources related to the Papago Freeway and Deck Park Tunnel. ADOT Deck Park Tunnel resources: https://azdot.gov/tags/deck-park-tunnel ADOT article on the Dean Lindsey I-10 Memorial Tunnel: https://azdot.gov/news/i-10-deck-park... ------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT DISCLAIMER / FAIR USE ------------------------------------------------------------ This video is presented for documentary, educational, historical, and commentary purposes. Some images, video clips, maps, documents, and archival materials may appear under fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, historical discussion, and news-style reporting. Other materials may come from public-domain sources, government/public-agency resources, licensed sources, creator-provided footage, or materials used with credit and attribution where available. All rights remain with their respective owners. Use of any third-party material does not imply endorsement by, sponsorship from, or affiliation with Beyond the Exit unless specifically stated. If you are the rights holder of any material used in this video and have a concern, please contact us through the channel or website so we can review it. ------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTERS ------------------------------------------------------------ 00:00 The missing mile of I-10 02:13 The freeway Phoenix fought 07:25 La Ciudad under the freeway 09:05 Building the Deck Park Tunnel 12:21 Drainage, fans, and tunnel systems 14:51 Phoenix’s ghost bus station 15:41 The final mile opens #Phoenix #Interstate10 #PapagoFreeway #DeckParkTunnel #Arizona #RoadHistory #BeyondTheExit