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U.S. Route 60 in Arizona

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This article is about the section of U.S. Route 60 in Arizona. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 60.
U.S. Route 60 marker
U.S. Route 60
Map
US 60 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ADOT
Length369.30 mi[2] (594.33 km)
ExistedJune 8, 1931–present
Tourist
routes		 Gila–Pinal Scenic Road[1]
Historic US 80
Major junctions
West end I-10 near Quartzsite
Major intersections
East end US 60 at New Mexico state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
CountiesLa Paz, Maricopa, Pinal, Gila, Navajo, Apache
Highway system
  • Arizona State Highway System
← SR 51→ SR 61
← SR 347360→ SR 364
View east along Route 60, Mesa

U.S. Route 60 (US 60) is an east–west United States Highway within Arizona. The highway runs for 369 miles (594 km) from a junction with Interstate 10 near Quartzsite to the New Mexico State Line near Springerville. As it crosses the state, US 60 overlaps at various points: I-17, I-10, SR 77, SR 260, US 191, and US 180. Between Wickenburg and Phoenix, the route is known as Grand Avenue (or the Phoenix–Wickenburg Highway). From Tempe to Apache Junction, it is known as the Superstition Freeway.

Route description

I-10 to Wickenburg

The western terminus of US 60 is located at an interchange with I-10 east of Quartzite. It heads northeast from this junction to Vicksburg Junction where it curves towards the east. It continues to the east to Hope where it intersects SR 72. East of Hope, the highway briefly curves towards the north-northeast before curving towards the northeast. It continues this direction until it reaches Aguila. The highway heads east to an intersection with SR 71 after passing through Aguila. US 60 continues towards the east until it reaches Wickenburg and an intersection with US 93. From Wickenburg, the highway heads towards the southeast towards Phoenix. It has an intersection with SR 74 in Morristown as it continues towards the southeast.

Grand Avenue

Main article: Phoenix metropolitan area arterial roads § Grand Avenue

As US 60 enters the Phoenix metropolitan area, It intersects Loop 303 in Surprise where it becomes Grand Avenue as it continues southeast. It continues to a junction with Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) in Peoria before heading through Glendale. The highway enters the Phoenix city limits and continues towards the southeast until it reaches an interchange with 27th Avenue near Thomas Road.

Improvements to the Grand Avenue portion of US 60, which were included in the Maricopa Association of Governments' 20-year Regional Transportation Plan, have been made. Among such improvements is the reducing of many of the busiest six-legged intersections to four-legged intersections by constructing overpasses, underpasses, and access roads.

US 60 Marker

I-17/I-10 concurrencies

After briefly heading south along 27th Ave., US 60 turns left onto Thomas Rd. for 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) until it reaches I-17. At I-17 the highway begins to run concurrently with I-17 towards the south. It passes through an I-10 interchange known as "The Stack." US 60 continues to run concurrent with I-17 around the Durango Curve and continues east until it again reaches I-10 at the interchange known as "The Split." US 60 begins to run concurrently towards the east with I-10 after the interchange. Along the freeway, US 60 passes along the south side of the airport and over a bridge traversing the Salt River. Once over the river, the freeway continues towards Tempe to an interchange with SR 143. The freeway curves back towards the south following the SR 143 interchange.

Superstition Freeway

After the curve, I-10 and US 60 part ways in Tempe, with I-10 continuing towards the south and US 60 now heading east along the Superstition Freeway. The freeway continues towards the east to a second interchange with Loop 101 (Price Freeway). The freeway enters Mesa city limits after the interchange as it continues towards the east to the SuperRedTan interchange with Loop 202. The freeway enters the city limits of Apache Junction in Pinal County as it continues eastbound. The freeway portion of the highway ends in Apache Junction as US 60 curves towards the southeast.

Apache Junction to the state line

US 60 Marker

The highway continues towards the southeast passing through Gold Canyon to an interchange with SR 79 at Florence Junction. US 60 curves towards the east at this junction as it heads to Superior and an interchange with SR 177. From Superior the highway begins to head towards the northeast to Miami and Claypool. It continues to a junction with SR 188 before passing through Midland City and turning towards the south towards Globe. US 60 curves back towards the east in Globe and continues to an intersection with US 70 and SR 77. US 60 heads northeast from the intersection concurrent with SR 77. The two highways curve towards the north before curving back towards the northeast as they head towards Show Low. As the highway continues towards the northeast it enters the San Carlos Indian Reservation. Within the reservation, the highway goes through a series of hairpin turns as it enters the Salt River Canyon. After descending into the canyon, the highway passes over the Salt River and enters the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. The highway continues towards the northeast and enters Navajo County before reaching an intersection with SR 73. It continues northeast from this intersection to the city of Show Low.

In Show Low, US 60 intersects SR 260 and briefly runs concurrently with SR 260 as it heads northeast through the city. The concurrency with SR 77 also ends in Show Low as SR 77 heads north to Snowflake and US 60 continues towards the east. US 60 leaves the Show Low city limits and heads east to a junction with SR 61 which heads northeast towards Concho. US 60 continues east from this intersection before curving towards the southeast as it heads towards Springerville.

As it enters the Springerville city limits, it intersects and begins to run concurrently with US 180 and US 191. The three highways continue along the same alignment through Springerville, passing over the Little Colorado River. As the three highways continue through the city, they eventually split with US 180 and US 191 heading south towards Alpine and US 60 continuing towards the east. US 60 continues towards the east leaving the Springerville city limits and crossing over the state line into New Mexico.[2][3]

History

State Route 74 marker
State Route 74
LocationEhrenberg-Wickenburg
Existed1927–1931
State Route 360 marker
State Route 360
LocationTempe-Apache Junction
Existed1970–1992

In 1927, what is now US 60 was signed as or roughly followed by SR 74 between the California border near Ehrenburg and Wickenburg, US 89 from Wickenburg to Florence Junction, US 80 from Phoenix to Florence Junction, US 180 from Florence Junction to Globe and US 70 between Springerville and the New Mexico border. The segment of highway between Springerville and Globe had not been constructed yet.[4][5][6] US 60 was extended into Arizona on June 8, 1931, from its original western terminus at US 66 in Springfield, Missouri.[7] While what is now US 60 was under construction between Globe and Springerville, US 60 was temporarily routed down SR 73 as US 60T through San Carlos and McNary. The current route through Show Low was completed sometime between 1935 and 1938.[8] US 60 through Arizona has had far fewer major changes than some other U.S. routes, but one notable example is being replaced by Interstate 10 between Los Angeles, California, and the highway's current terminus near Quartzsite. (The Arizona section of this route was decommissioned in 1982.[9])

US 60 is now the only U.S. Route to serve Phoenix. US 70 (decommissioned 1969), US 80 (decommissioned 1977) & US 89 (decommissioned 1992) have all been truncated outside of Phoenix. The only other major change was being realigned from an "in-town" route along city arterials through Mesa, Tempe, and Phoenix to the old SR 360 alignment a few miles south and merging with I-10 and I-17 into Downtown Phoenix.[10]

The Pinto Creek Bridge in 1955.

In 1949, the Pinto Creek Bridge won an Annual Award of Merit for being the "most beautiful steel bridge", given by the American Institute of Steel Construction.[10]

In 1952, the Claypool Tunnel was bypassed by the Queen Creek Tunnel to the north, upgrading from a simple 'hole in the rock' type tunnel to a more modern tunnel.[10]

Recent improvements

US 60 shield used from 1926 to 1955

In recent years, Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has been working to widen and improve US 60 through the Metropolitan Phoenix Area, as it is one of the area's principal freeways. Along the Superstition Freeway segment in the East Valley between I-10 and Loop 202, ADOT has completed its project of adding additional general purpose lanes (6 total plus an HOV in each direction), adding auxiliary lanes between exits, improving sound barriers, replacing signs, improving lighting conditions, adding rubberized asphalt to reduce noise, adding variable message signs, installing cameras, and adding traffic sensors.[11] A new partial interchange at Meridian Road, along the Maricopa–Pinal county line, opened in October 2015.[12]

Directional colored shields found on US 60 in Arizona during the 1950s.

Along the Grand Avenue segment in Phoenix, ADOT has been widening portions of Grand Avenue in addition to constructing additional overpasses and underpasses at six former six-way intersections to improve traffic flow along US 60 in the Northwest Valley.[13]

ADOT is currently in the study phase of adding additional lanes between Loop 101 and Loop 303 in the far West Valley.

Future

Due to rapid growth in the far eastern Phoenix suburbs within Pinal County and increasing road congestion in the Gold Canyon area, ADOT has begun to study potential freeway-grade realignments of US 60 past the current eastern terminus of the Superstition Freeway in Apache Junction. The new freeway alignment would bypass the existing at-grade section of US 60 through Gold Canyon, and would either rejoin the existing alignment southeast of town (in the vicinity of the Arizona Renaissance Festival grounds) or at the newly constructed freeway-grade junction with SR 79 at Florence Junction.[14]

Major junctions

CountyLocationmi
[2][15][a]		kmExit[b]Destinations[17]Notes
La PazBrenda30.8949.71 I-10 – Phoenix, Los AngelesExit 31 on I-10; I-10 west is former US 60 / US 70 west
Hope49.5579.74
 SR 72 west – Parker		Eastern terminus of SR 72
MaricopaAguila86.07138.52
 SR 71 north – Prescott		Southern terminus of SR 71
Wickenburg110.24177.41Washington StreetInterchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
110.27177.46Museum, ParkingInterchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance; serves Desert Caballeros Western Museum
110.33177.56
 US 93 north – Kingman, Las Vegas		Roundabout; southern terminus of US 93
Morristown120.11193.30

 SR 74 east to I-17		Western terminus of SR 74
Sun City West138.48222.86
 Loop 303 (Bob Stump Memorial Parkway) to I-10		Exit 119 on Loop 303
Surprise142.75229.73Bell RoadInterchange; left exits and entrances
Peoria148.90239.63
 Loop 101 south (Agua Fria Freeway)		Exit 11 on Loop 101
149.23240.16

 To Loop 101 north		Access via 91st Avenue
151.97244.57Olive Avenue / 75th AvenueInterchange with Olive Avenue; at-grade intersection with 75th Avenue
Glendale153.35246.79Northern Avenue / 67th AvenueInterchange with 67th Avenue; at-grade intersection with Northern Avenue
154.74249.03Tunnel underneath 59th Avenue / Glendale Avenue intersection
155.41250.1155th Avenue north to Maryland AvenueInterchange; westbound exit and entrance
156.21251.40Bethany Home Road / 51st AvenueInterchange with 51st Avenue; at-grade intersection with Bethany Home Road
157.40253.3115743rd AvenueInterchange; no westbound exit; former SR 69
Phoenix157.59253.62Camelback RoadInterchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
159.01255.9035th Avenue / Indian School RoadInterchange with Indian School Road; at-grade intersection with 35th Avenue
160.09257.64Grand Avenue southeast – Downtown PhoenixInterchange; left exit eastbound; left entrance westbound; US 60 (east) splits from Grand Avenue, which becomes unsigned US 60X east; exit 160 on US 60X; former US 60 / US 70 east / US 89 / SR 93 south
160.63[18]258.51
 I-17 north (Black Canyon Freeway north) – Flagstaff		Western terminus of I-17 concurrency; exit 201 on I-17
161.67[18]260.18200BMcDowell Road / Van Buren StreetExit numbers follow I-17; no signage for Van Buren Street westbound
162.23[18]261.08200A I-10 – Central Phoenix, Los AngelesExit 143 on I-10
162.84[18]262.07199BAdams Street / Van Buren StreetWestbound exit and entrance only
162.99[18]262.31Jefferson StreetEastbound exit only
163.38[18]262.93199AGrant Street / Buckeye RoadNo westbound signage for Buckeye Road
163.69[18]263.43198Buckeye RoadWestbound exit only
164.56[18]264.83197Durango Street / 19th AvenueNo westbound signage for Durango Street
Durango Curve; Black Canyon Freeway transitions to Maricopa Freeway
165.56[18]266.441967th Avenue / Central AvenueNo westbound signage for Central Avenue
166.57[18]268.07195B7th Street / Central AvenueNo eastbound signage for Central Avenue
167.58[18]269.69195A16th StreetEastbound exit and westbound entrance
168.28270.82194

 I-17 ends / I-10 west – Los Angeles, Sky Harbor		Southern terminus of I-17; no exit number westbound; western terminus of I-10 concurrency; I-10 exits 150 (east) & 150A (west)
168.65[19]271.42150B24th StreetExit numbers follow I-10; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
169.48[19]272.75Salt River bridge
170.21[19]273.93151University Drive / 32nd Street
171.10[19]275.3615240th Street
Phoenix–Tempe line172.09[19]276.95153A
 SR 143 north (Hohokam Expressway) – Sky Harbor AirportModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated		Signed as exit 153 eastbound; Broadway Road not signed westbound; exits 1A-B on SR 143
Tempe
 SR 143 north		Planned HOV interchange; to be westbound exit and eastbound entrance[20]
172.46[19]277.55153BBroadway Road / 52nd StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
171.63276.21—
 I-10 east (Maricopa Freeway east) – Tucson		Eastern terminus of I-10 concurrency; exit 154 on I-10
Western end of Superstition Freeway (former SR 360)
172.52277.64172Priest DriveWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
173.67279.49173Mill Avenue
174.42280.70174Rural Road
175.41282.30175McClintock Drive
176.44–
176.47		283.95–
284.00		176 Loop 101 (Price Freeway) – Scottsdale, ChandlerSigned as 176A (south) and 176B (north); exits 55A-B on Loop 101
Mesa177.43285.55177Dobson Road
178.41287.12178Alma School Road
179.41288.73179 SR 87 (Country Club Drive) – Chandler
180.36290.26180Mesa Drive
181.41291.95181Stapley Drive
182.40293.54182Gilbert Road
184.39296.75184Val Vista Drive
185.39298.36185Greenfield Road
186.38299.95186Higley Road
187.87302.35187Superstition Springs BoulevardEastbound exit and westbound entrance
188.38303.17188Power Road
189.38304.78189Sossaman RoadEastbound exit and westbound entrance
190.42–
190.60		306.45–
306.74		190 Loop 202 – Gilbert, MesaSuperRedTan Interchange; signed as exits 190A (north) and 190B (south) eastbound; exits 30A-B on Loop 202
191.39308.01191Ellsworth Road
192.39309.62192Crismon Road
193.40311.25193Signal Butte Road
Maricopa–Pinal
county line		Mesa–Apache Junction line194.41312.87194Meridian RoadEastbound exit and westbound entrance
PinalApache Junction195.41314.48195Ironwood Drive
196.41316.09196
 SR 88 east (Idaho Road)
197.41317.70197Tomahawk Road
198.41319.31198Goldfield Road
199.17320.53199Old West HighwayWestbound exit only; former US 60 / US 70 / US 80 west / US 89 north
199.44320.97Mountain View RoadEastern end of Superstition Freeway (former SR 360); traffic light westbound
Florence Junction212.27341.62212 SR 79 – Florence, TucsonInterchange; former US 80 / US 89
Superior226.87365.11227
 SR 177 south – Kearny, Winkelman		Interchange; northern terminus of SR 177; no exit number westbound
GilaGlobe247.04397.57
 SR 188 north (Apache Trail) – Roosevelt		Southern terminus of SR 188; former SR 88 west
250.76403.56Maple StreetInterchange via connector road
252.05405.64

 US 70 east / SR 77 south (Ash Street east) – Safford, Winkelman		Western terminus of SR 77 concurrency; western terminus of US 70
Navajo​318.14512.00
 SR 73 east		Western terminus of SR 73
Show Low339.72546.73
 SR 260 west (Clark Road) – Heber-Overgaard		Western terminus of SR 260 concurrency
341.69549.90
 SR 260 east (White Mountain Road) – Pinetop-Lakeside, Springerville		Eastern terminus of SR 260 concurrency
342.25550.80
 SR 77 north (Penrod Road) – Holbrook		Eastern terminus of SR 77 concurrenc y
ApacheBell353.16568.36
 SR 61 north – St. Johns		Southern terminus of SR 61
​384.45618.71

 US 180 west / US 191 north – St. Johns		Western end of US 180/US 191 concurrency
Springerville387.83624.15
 To SR 260 – EagarModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated		Serves White Mountain Regional Medical Center
388.69625.54

 US 180 east / US 191 south – Alpine		Eastern terminus of US 180/US 191 concurrency
401.97646.91
 US 60 east – Quemado		Continuation into New Mexico
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Notes

  1. ^ The mileposts were not renumbered after the western leg was truncated, so they begin at milepost 30.89. Mileposts for US 60 are not logged on overlaps with Interstate highways, except at the junction of I-10 and I-17.
  2. ^ Only the freeway portion of US 60 east of the I-10 interchange has exit numbers, except for a few exits on the lower section of Grand Avenue, and the interchanges with SR 79 and SR 177. All other segments are standard divided or undivided highways with uncontrolled access.[16]
U.S. Route 60X
LocationPhoenix, Arizona
Length1.47 mi[21] (2.37 km)
Existed1992–present
U.S. Route 60X(1)
LocationMesa, Arizona
Length5.99 mi[22] (9.64 km)
Existed1992–present

An unsigned U.S. Route 60X is also listed by ADOT is divided into two discontinuous segments, both of which are located within Maricopa County in the Phoenix area. Both sections of US 60X were portions of the pre-freeway alignment of US 60 between Apache Junction and central Phoenix.[23]

US 60X begins near Grand Avenue and Thomas Road at exit 160, where US 60 leaves Grand Avenue for Thomas Road. It then follows Grand Avenue southeast over I-17/US 60, terminating at an intersection with 18th Avenue and Willetta Street.[24]

The eastern segment of US 60X picks up at Sossaman Road, traveling east across Main Street/Apache Trail, crossing Loop 202 and Ellsworth Road before terminating at Meridian Drive, at the Pinal County line.[24][25]

Major intersections

The eastern segment of US 60X has posted mile markers that likely correspond to the former alignment of US 60.

Western section

The entire route is in Phoenix, Maricopa County.

mi[21]kmExitDestinationsNotes
0.0000.000Grand Avenue northwest (US 60 west)Continuation beyond western terminus of US 60X
16027th Avenue (US 60 east) to Thomas RoadInterchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
0.560.90

 To I-17 northModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated		Right-in/right-out interchange; westbound exit and entrance only
1.312.11

 To I-10 eastModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated		Access to I-10 via 19th Ave. south
1.472.3718th Avenue / Willetta StreetEastern terminus of US 60X; road continues southeast as Grand Ave.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Eastern section

The entire route is in Mesa, Maricopa County.

mi[22]kmDestinationsNotes
189.01304.18Sossaman RoadWestern terminus of US 60X(1); road continues as Main Street
190.71–
190.79		306.92–
307.05		 Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway)Loop 202 exits 27 (south) and 28 (north)
194.00312.21Meridian DriveEastern terminus of US 60X(1); road continues into Pinal County as Apache Trail
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ Arizona Department of Transportation (2014). "Arizona Parkways, Historic and Scenic Roads" (PDF). Phoenix: Arizona Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "2008 State Highway System Log" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. December 31, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
  3. ^ "Overview Map of US 60 in Arizona" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved April 15, 2008.
  4. ^ Arizona State Highway Commission; Larls, W.B. (1927). Official State Routes and State Highways of the State of Arizona (Map). Scale not given. Phoenix: Arizona Highway Department. Retrieved May 6, 2015 – via AARoads.
  5. ^ National Map Company (1927). Sectional Paved Road Map (Map). Scale not given. Indianapolis: National Map Company. pp. 22 & 23. Retrieved April 1, 2015 – via David Rumsey Map Collection.
  6. ^ National Map Company (1927). Sectional Paved Road Map (Map). Scale not given. Indianapolis: National Map Company. pp. 24 & 25. Retrieved April 1, 2015 – via David Rumsey Map Collection.
  7. ^ Weingroff, Richard (June 18, 2003). "U.S. Route 666: "Beast of a Highway"?". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  8. ^ "Maps". Arizona Roads. Retrieved April 1, 2015.[self-published source]
  9. ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (November 19, 1982). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda" (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 3 – via Wikisource.
  10. ^ a b c "US 60". Arizona Roads. Retrieved October 9, 2014.[self-published source]
  11. ^ Arizona Department of Transportation. "Project Overview, Superstition Freeway". Arizona Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on April 23, 2009.
  12. ^ "ADOT opens new US 60 (Superstition Freeway) ramps at Meridian Road in East Valley" (Press release). Arizona Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  13. ^ US 60 (Grand Avenue)
  14. ^ Arizona Department of Transportation. "US 60 (Pinal County)". Arizona Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  15. ^ Transportation Planning Division, Data Bureau (December 15, 1998). "1998 State Highway System Log" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. pp. 125, 131. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  16. ^ ADOT GIS Database Used for locating the mile marker numbers in rural areas.
  17. ^ Arizona State Transportation Board Meeting Agenda (PDF) (Report). Show Low, Arizona: Arizona State Transportation Board. July 20, 2018. pp. 310 to 339. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "2008 State Highway System Log" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. December 31, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2008.
  19. ^ a b c d e f "2012 State Highway System Log" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. December 31, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  20. ^ "Interstate 10 Broadway Curve: Interstate 17 (Split) to Loop 202 (Santan Freeway)". Arizona Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  21. ^ a b "U.S. Route 60X" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  22. ^ a b "U.S. Route 60X(1)" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  23. ^ Arizona Highway Department (1971). Highway Map of Arizona (Map). Scale not given. Phoenix: Arizona Highway Department. Phoenix inset. Retrieved April 1, 2015 – via Arizona Roads.
  24. ^ a b Arizona Department of Transportation (December 31, 2012). "2012 ADOT Highway Log" (PDF). Phoenix: Arizona Department of Transportation. pp. 707, 710. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  25. ^ Arizona Department of Transportation. "AADT & KDT Report for Year 2013 (U.S. Routes)" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
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U.S. Route 60
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