It is frequently used as an alternate route to US 60 (Grand Avenue) between Phoenix and Wickenburg for motorists traveling to and from Las Vegas, Nevada, with fewer traffic signals than using US 60 directly.

[5] The leg east of Lake Pleasant Regional Park was originally planned to angle northeast away from its current alignment towards New River.

[8] The passage of a sales tax extension by voters in Maricopa County in 2004 provided significant funding for highway improvements throughout the region.

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will use a portion of that funding to acquire right-of-way along SR 74 for future improvements, but has no plans to upgrade the highway to a controlled access freeway until sometime after 2025.

This bypass would effectively continue SR 74 beyond its current western terminus with US 60 to connect to the planned alignment of future I-11.