Anthem, Arizona
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2009) |
Anthem, Arizona | |
|---|---|
 Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Maricopa |
| Elevation | 1,863 ft (568 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| GNIS feature ID | 2054803[1] |
Anthem is an unincorporated community in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The result of a Del Webb development on a large parcel of land adjacent to the town of New River, it is a planned suburb 34 miles north of downtown Phoenix that opened in 1998. Although Anthem is currently unincorporated, Phoenix is slated to annex the community by 2020 as documented in the City of Phoenix General Plan.
Featuring sweeping mountain vistas, golf, hiking and other recreational opportunities, Anthem has been described as one of the best places to live in Arizona by Phoenix Magazine and the best place to raise a family by Parenting Magazine in November 2003.
The community now has a high school, Boulder Creek High School, serving the area. Interstate 17 is the primary connection to the area from the rest of the Phoenix metropolitan area, which sometimes causes traffic delays and problems.
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has plans to widen I-17 from Loop 101 to Anthem Way. Construction starts in 2007 to widen I-17 from 2 lanes to 4 General Purpose lanes and a HOV lane from Loop 101 to Carefree Highway and in 2009 I-17 will have 3 lanes in each direction from Carefree Highway to Anthem Way.
Transportation
Anthem is nearly inaccessible other than by automobile. Valley Metro does not provide bus service to Anthem, nor is there a circulator bus. Taxis from metro Phoenix are very expensive. Bicycles are not permitted on I-17 (on the shoulder, adjacent to cars and trucks typically traveling 75 mph or faster). Furthermore, until July 2009 there were only four ways into and out of the community: two freeway exits on I-17 , a frontage road to the New River area, and a connection to the Maricopa County street grid at Desert Hills Drive. The latter connection, however, is normally open only to emergency vehicles.
In October 2009, a two-way frontage road connecting Carefree Highway to Gavilan Peak Parkway in Anthem was opened on the East side of I-17. This frontage road, combined with North Valley Parkway and Norterra Parkway provide a surface street route to the rest of the Phoenix metro area.
Urban Sprawl
Communities like Anthem, AZ are a good example of urban sprawl in the Phoenix metro area. Growth of suburbs without a sustainable transportation alternative (to a car) and lack of local job growth put a strain on the collective resources of Maricopa County. Foreclosures in the area have also become more apparent as part of the 2008 recession.[2]
Population growth in the Phoenix metro area is being addressed by building miles of new freeways,[3] though the Metro light rail in Tempe has recently come to fruition.
References
- ^ "Anthem, Arizona". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2009/04/23/20090423biz-greystone0424.html
- ^ http://localsearch.azcentral.com/sp?eId=112&gcId=368042855&rNum=4&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.azcentral.com%2Fbusiness%2Farticles%2F2009%2F09%2F27%2F20090927futurefreeways.html&siteIdType=2
External links
- Chamber of Commerce at Anthem
- Anthem at Newszap.com
- AnthemLocal - Directory of Businesses & Resources
Municipalities and communities of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |