We present the Multi-Array Galactic Plane Imaging Survey (MAGPIS), which maps portions of the first Galactic quadrant with an angular resolution, sensitivity, and dynamic range that surpass existing radio images of the Milky Way by more than an order of magnitude. The source detection threshold at 20cm is in the range 12mJy over the 85% of the survey region (5{deg}<l<32{deg}, |b|<0.8{deg}) not covered by bright extended emission; the angular resolution is ~6". We catalog over 3000 discrete sources (diameters mostly <30") and present an atlas of ~400 diffuse emission regions. New and archival data at 90cm for the whole survey area are also presented. Comparison of our catalogs and images with the Midcourse Space Experiment mid-infrared data allows us to provide preliminary discrimination between thermal and nonthermal sources. We identify 49 high-probability supernova remnant candidates, increasing by a factor of 7 the number of known remnants with diameters smaller than 5' in the survey region; several are pulsar wind nebula candidates and/or very small diameter remnants (D<45").