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Introduction
Phoenix is the center of the Valley, with other communities radiating out. The East Valley includes Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Tempe, Mesa, Fountain Hills, and Apache Junction, and just beyond the last is the southern edge of the Superstition Mountains. To the southeast are Gilbert, Guadalupe, Queen Creek, Chandler, and Ahwatukee.The West Valley includes Glendale, Peoria, Sun City, Surprise, Waddell, Avondale, Goodyear, Buckeye, and Litchfield Park. Central Avenue, which runs north and south through the heart of downtown Phoenix, is the city's east-west dividing line. Everything east of Central is considered the East Valley and everything west of Central is the West Valley. One block east and parallel to Central Avenue is 1st Street. Numbered avenues, drives, and lanes are on the west side of the Valley, and numbered streets, ways, and places are on the east side. Street numbers increase as you go farther from Central Avenue. Thus, 40th Street is 40 blocks east of Central, whereas 63rd Avenue is 63 blocks west of Central. North-south increments are taken from Washington Street in downtown Phoenix, so 4002 North 36th Street is 40 blocks north of Washington. Odd-numbered addresses are on the south and east sides of streets; even-numbered ones are on north and west sides.
Getting around can be complex and exasperating unless you have a car. From Sky Harbor airport, the one-way cab fare to the Four Seasons Resort in North Scottsdale (about 32 mi) can easily cost more than the daily charge for a rental car. Public transit is here in varying degrees and is inexpensive, but services do not connect well within and between communities. A light-rail system connecting Mesa, Tempe, and Phoenix is scheduled to be completed in December 2008, but until then expect delays due to construction along the route and around the Phoenix Convention Center expansion project so allow extra time when traveling to downtown Phoenix.
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