High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! State Route 51 (SR 51), also known as the Piestewa Freeway, is a numbered state highway in Phoenix, Arizona. It connects Interstate 10 in Downtown Phoenix with Loop 101 on the north side of Phoenix, making it one of the area`s major freeways. It is a largely north–south route and is known for traversing the Piestewa Peak Recreation Area. Rapid growth and increased traffic demand on the east side of Metro Phoenix made the Piestewa Freeway necessary. The freeway was named after Lori Piestewa, the first known Native American woman to die in combat for the U.S. Military. Prior to this time, the freeway was known as the Squaw Peak Parkway, a name considered offensive by many Native Americans.