| Newer 80 (1953 on) |
Older 80 (1937-52) |
Historic 80 (1928-1936) |
Original 80 (1926-'27) |
Notes & Possible 80 |
|
AZ 80 west right past Douglas.
|
same
|
By 1928, AZ 80 past Cazador...
on into Douglas...
all the way to Washington south, to 10th St, over to G St and out
on AZ 80. -or-
-Take Avenue 'A' into town, a right onto 10th
St. to Avenue 'G'.>>>
-G St. to AZ 80 then west.
|
Pick up Arizona 80 at the New Mexico border and follow it to the curvy, hilly
areas around Cazador.
Just east of Cazador, a cut off segment
of the old BHH lies on the north side of the tracks >>>
where the tracks
dip furthest south...back to AZ80.
Just west of Cazador as 80 veered back to the SW, the old BHH and
original 80 crossed the RR tracks and stayed on the west side of the
tracks >>> all the way into Douglas. This road is known today as
Lee Station Rd. >>>
-Take a (now non-existent) hard right turn
onto Washington, then a hard left turn south also onto Washington.
-Washington to 12th. 12 to G St, west on AZ 80 (16th
St.).>>>
|
(private property-undrivable today)
abandoned and impassable-except for a couple of ranch access roads such as Pink
Rock Ranch Rd (at MM378.3 and keep veering to the SW-4 Wheel or very
high clearance only). Across a teens era bridge by Lois Lane
and out at Cazador Tr ). Old road impassable from here south).
A short segment heading back north from Lee Station Ranch Road.
Originally, Hwy 80 went under the RR tracks turning west out of
Douglas.
Unsure of when the 'A' avenue change occurred.
|
|
|
1947 AZ 80 around the wider sweeping curve back to the SW...
1947 AZ 80 back SW then west into Saginaw.
|
|
-AZ 80 west then NW past the junction of Double Adobe Road (>>>)
coming in from the NE...
-Look for a short segment of original 30's era concrete just past the concrete
bridge & the junction of Double Adobe Rd. Can drive 1/10 mile before
private property.
Between this big curve and Saginaw, look for segments of inaccessible 1930's
80-1st on the south, then north side of the road >>>.
|
Note the 1934 concrete arch bridge just before
this intersection!
This area rebuilt 1947-48.
Coming into Saginaw, watch for Arizona St. to veer off to the
SW. A glance over your right shoulder will provide a glimpse
of 1930's 80 merging back into the newer road. |
|
1947 AZ 80 into Bisbee |
in Saginaw, take the Old Douglas highway
past the Shady Dell to the 'roundabout' intersection, then follow AZ
80 NW into Bisbee. |
-Old Douglas Hwy straight across
'roundabout' to Erie St >>>.
-A right turn at the Queen Mine to rejoin AZ 80 |
Erie St. bypassed by 1937. |
| At the 'Y', veer left to follow 1957-58
80 up a gentle incline...>>>
& through the Mule Pass tunnel (except for the
tunnel-boring!)
1957 as-builts show modern 80 following a much straighter route
leaving many very small cut-off twists...watch for them between here
& the junction of AZ90.
|
|
At the top of Mule Pass, veer right to take N. Old Divide Rd.
back down to meet AZ 80.
-1930's 80 'basically' followed the same route as modern 80, but
a lot twistier.
|
-At the 'Y' with 1958 80, stay right.
-Early 80 masquerades first as Naco St, then Main St, and continues on up the twisty hills
out of town as Tombstone Canyon, West Blvd. and finally as Old Divide Rd.
-Climb to the top of Mule Pass, then veer left at the top (now inaccessible
after 1/2 mile) .>>>
-Meets back with AZ80 as Guest Rd. (private property).
-many of the small cut-off segments of road you see dipping up & down on the
left side of the road are original BOA & BHH remnants. >>>
-original 80 crossed to the right side of the road around MM334.25 >>>
& rejoined where you see the pole line come in along the creek bed. |
nice pull-out with a scenic Bisbee view
available.
Original 1913 alignment. Hike only.
verified by a 1924 Cochise County map
watch for the old pole line by the old RR tracks on the right as
you approach AZ90.
|
|
AZ 80 through town (Fremont St again).
and north past AZ 82 junction
|
Follow AZ 80 on into Tombstone.
Through town on Allen St to follow the curve on Summer St. and north
out of town on AZ 80.
|
-North of AZ90 1 mile, the BHH route
veered off to the right for a short spell...
1 mile north of Wanagi Ranch Rd., look for original 80 & the
BOA routing veering off to the left...to rejoin around MM320, then
off left again to come into the south side of town known as
"The Old Bisbee Highway". >>>
Into Tombstone on Fremont St., then south on 1st to follow Allen
St. NW out of town past the Scheiffelen Monument. >>>
Across the desert and AZ 82 to eventually rejoin newer 80 right
at MM309 >>>
|
Be sure to take the Old Bisbee Highway south for a
short stretch to see a great Luten arch bridge (private property-stay
on the gravel road)!
BHH routing. Road not maintained past
monument. This routing bypassed by 1928.
The old ruts are visible coming over the hill to
the eastbound traveler
|
|
Circa '57, newer 80 through the big rock cut. >>>
|
|
Routing broadened into a wide sweep now know as Curtis Flats Rd (inaccessible-private
property).
|
Just over wash near MM308,
follow asphalt west. BHH route then veered north, look for
glimpse of old broken bridge over wash at MM306.
Road tied back into newer 80 by MM305.5. |
1956 as-builts show the proposed bypassing of Curtis Flats
Road.
You can catch glimpses of orig 80 on the hillside west of
modern 80 through here.
|
|
Newest bridge in the 60's.
same
|
-with another small straightening and another bridge circa '34.
>>>
same
|
-North of Curtis Flats into St. David, 1924 county maps and 1927
as-builts show no real changes, except for some straightening by the
San Pedro River.
-North on 80 towards Benson.
|
Though seemingly obvious,
Apache Powder Rd. from Escalante Crossing was probably an early BHH
& BOA routing, but is shown as a county secondary road even on
the 1924 map.
The original bridge embankment can still be seen on the SW side
of the modern bridge with the matching road on the other side.
|
|
|
same
curve bypassed by 1937.
I-10 to exit 289 (Marsh Station Rd.)
|
-1929-30 revision moved road to modern roadbed.
-
Business 8 through Benson
same
|
-Approaching Benson, look
for a 1929 culvert bridge just west of the current road near MM
295.5 (at W Post Ranch Rd.)
-Original Rd. kept veering slightly more NW than existing
road...eventually tying into St. David Dr., then Catarina St. which
curved over into Gila St to Business 8 through Benson. >>>
-Old Road overlaid by I-10 eastbound, then curved south to become
south frontage at exit 302.
-south frontage west of exit 302 ~ 1 mile, then a large sweeping
curve to the SW (now private >>>) to tie back into modern
I-10 around MM299. >>>
-becoming I-10 westbound lanes, crossing to eastbound lanes by
the Pima County line, to quickly become the westbound lanes
again! >>>
I-10 to exit 289 (Marsh Station Rd.) >>>
|
This routing "to be abandoned" per a 1929 as-built.
-Before road was marked as private, I walked it. Still had
wooden posts and solid stripe as of 2001.
-Possibly veered west and tied into S. Smith Ranch Rd. back north,
but road obliterated now.
Several sets of as-builts show a confusing overlay of 1950's
4-lane 80 on top of 1930's-50's 80 on top of original 80 all the way
from Benson to SE Tucson. *For the most part*, original 80
'tended' to be in the median or I-10 westbound lanes. newer 80
the I-10 eastbound lanes.
|
|
1953 80-generally became
I-10 eastbound lanes per as-builts between exits 289 & exit 281.
same as 1940's
-short segment of 1950's 4-lane 80 north frontage between Wilmot
& Valencia roads (exits 269-267).
|
same
same
|
-Take exit 289 (Marsh
Station Rd.) NW and...
follow it's loop over the terrific 1921 Cienega
Creek bridge (great photo op). Unknown when this road was laid
down-sometime in the 30's.
same
-short segment of 1930's 80 east from Kolb Rd. (S frontage).
|
-Take exit 279. Old
roadbed to S of existing then ties back in
-At MEMCO quarry site, old road veered off to the SW where the road
stays to the south all the way to Zoo Stage Rd.
-Zoo Stage Rd is a cut off curve of old road, crosses back to S side
of road at west end of Zoo Stage.
-where it merged to cross the 1921 Cienega creek Bridge
-Then veered south (east) of the present Rd. almost all the way to
I-10 before veering west to cross the present Rd.
-and immediately curved SW to parallel the existing road to the I-10
junction.
-Follow the north frontage west past exit 279 where it will dead end
just after a 1930's concrete bridge.
|
The Old Vail Road between the two RR tracks heading NW out of
Vail was the old road until the 1921 re-routing. This old
roadbed has been re-used a a gas pipeline tract, but can be glimpsed
from here all the way into SE Tucson north of old 80.
|
|
4-lane improvements
6th became 1-way northbound, Stone 1-way southbound just north of
downtown.
same |
|
same
By mid-Thirties, veer left where Stone merges with 6th Ave. (not
possible as Stone is now 1-way southbound).
same |
-Exit 267 (Valencia Rd.)
south, immediate right (W) on Benson Highway (westbound
lanes).
-past one block jog west (L) at Irvington then immediate right
-right at Park under I-10, immediate left on north frontage to 6th
Ave
-Right (N) on 6th Ave. into downtown. >>>
-West (L) on Congress
-North (R) on Stone.
-West (L) on Drachman, around curve, and follow Oracle north out of
town. >>> |
I have a 1927 Tucson City map
which seems to confirm that the 6th to Stone to Drachman to Oracle
has been the main thoroughfare from 1927 onward (was Stone to
Speedway to Main to Oracle), but two 1928 maps show otherwise.
-Original intersection obliterated by the I-10 interchange.
-Original Oracle was approx. 1/2 block west of modern Oracle.
Only a couple alleys of this original Oracle remain. |
|
AZ79 all the way to Florence circa mid-sixties
new alignment bypasses downtown Florence. |
AZ 79 roadbeds re- built in 1939-41 as evidenced by the many culvert markers. |
Bus AZ 79 through Florence. same AZ 79 with the
1941 new roadbed laid down. |
-North of Tucson, veer left
onto AZ79 at the AZ77 - AZ79 'Y' junction. Follow AZ 79 north
to MM99
-just past MM99, orig 80 veered right, entered the state trust land,
then veered back NW past E Panther Butte Rd at MM100 (look for it on
bluff hillside to the east, but is private property) to rejoin
around MM104.
-AZ79 to Florence.
-Follow Bus 79 through Florence, stay north onto Main through the
old strip buildings, then a right onto Ruggles (old 5th St.
>>>) to again rejoin AZ79 to cross the
Gila River bridge. >>>
(note-by '28 or '29, Main St. bypassed in favor of Bus. 79 routing).
-AZ 79 north to Florence Junction & the junction with U.S.
60. >>>
|
A 1930's era BOA map shows that routing going NW along I-10 to
Eloy, then up through Coolidge to Mesa.
-Per 1941 Std. Oil & Phillips 66 Arizona maps, the stretch
between Oracle Junction and Florence was still not paved!
As always the case, old BHH & orig 80 a lot twistier. MOST
cutoff segments just immediately to east of modern road.
Watch for it in washes & dips. For example, old
culverts can be seen at mile markers 96.3/97.6.
Ruggles verified by 1927 Auto Blue Book.
-The bridge was originally constructed on the same spot by prison labor in 1915.
-The original routing *may* be just east of the modern routing just north
of the Gila River (Military Reservation-no access). Short
cutoff curve to west side of road viz from E. AZ Farms Rd.
|
|
|
same |
By 1934, the old road was bypassed by the cut-off segment of 80
per county maps. |
-UNDER the new (2004)
interchange & overpass, then left on old U.S. 60/80.
-immediate right onto El Camino Viejo (the Old Road) past the small
hill
-over the great Luten arch bridge, over another concrete bridge to
veer left onto the gravel and rejoin U.S. 60 westbound. >>>
-U.S. 60 west to join the 'Old West Highway' into Apache Junction. |
Where you veer back SW onto the gravel, you can see where the old
road went straight and rejoined 60 further west |
| Phoenix: Believe
it or not, old 80 really hasn't changed much in the huge metro
area. Indeed, Apache, Main, Van Buren and Buckeye Roads were already
the 'main drags' even by the publishing of the 1913 Arizona Good
Roads book-the 1st effort to capture Arizona's emerging road
network. |
|
|
same as 1931 |
same
1931-stay on Apache, to Mill
(1931 & ON) to cross the Salt River on the new 1931 bridge (now 1-way
southbound).
-swing west onto Van Buren all the way to downtown Phoenix (Central
Ave.)
-South on 19th Ave past the old Capitol, under the RR overpass, and
west on Buckeye Rd.
-Buckeye Rd. (will become County 85) west all the way to Avondale.
|
-In Apache Junction, follow
the road as it veers due west and becomes Apache Trail.
-road will become Main St. as you approach and pass through Mesa.
-Main becomes Apache as you approach Tempe
-At McClintock Dr., turn right (N)
-left (W) onto 8th
-right (N) onto Rural >>>
-Left (W) on University
-right (N) onto Mill
-left on Rio Salado Parkway, then a right (N) onto old (built
1911-13 by convict labor) Ash Ave. bridge to cross the Salt River.
>>>
-swing west onto Van Buren all the way to downtown Phoenix (Central
Ave.)
-West past downtown on Van Buren al the way out to 107th Ave.
-South on 107th Ave to cross the RR and join Buckeye Rd (County 85)
west to Avondale. |
original road went through ASU grounds on Stadium Dr. to tie into
5th to Mill.
Old bridge remains can be seen at Tempe Beach Park.
ALT 80:
By the 40's an Alt 80 went to 19th Ave. south to Buckeye Rd. |
|
|
same |
stay on County 85 as it veers SW
and on into Buckeye. |
In Avondale (can't miss the
1930's RR trestle bridge-right at MM179), just as County 85 veers SW,
immediate right on Dysart, immediate left onto Yuma
-Yuma past the airport, south on Perryville Rd. to rejoin County 85.
-County 85 into Buckeye. |
|
|
same
sometime in late 50's, AZ85 opened, bypassing the 1921 Gila River
bridge routing (don't bother-nothing there-boring) down to Gila
Bend. |
same
instead of Hazen Rd., continue to junction with "Old Highway
80" and head west
|
stay on County 85
same with minor straightening on washes south of the Gila River. |
-as County 85 comes into
Buckeye proper, the road curves south then west. Catch the
short narrow concrete curve that identifies original 80.
>>>
-west out of town on County 85 to meet AZ85. Turn south.
-1 mile then right (W) on Hazen Rd.
-1.5 miles, then south on Wilson Rd. to meet Old U.S. Highway 80
Old U.S. 80 west, then south past Arlington to cross the Gila River
on the great 1921 bridge. >>>
-on into Gila Bend. |
& see 'Hobo Joe'!
-with the completion of the 1921 Gila River bridge south of
Arlington, the old Old Spanish Trail (OST) BHH & BOA routings SW out of Arlington along
the RR tracks to Dome-Yuma were re-routed to what would become Hwy
80.
-Between MM17-18 is an abandoned bridge in ruins over a wash. Past this ruined
bridge, watch the right hand side for a low concrete block
housing a 1927 survey marker! Another sure indicator this was the
original road.
|
|
|
|
Gile Bend
-Right Turn at Business 8 then Bus 8 through town. |
The old Stroud Hotel downtown
is a sure fire indicator that this has always been 80. |
|
|
Newer 80 I-8 eastbound lanes (verified by 'as-builts').
|
-West end of town, straight
under I-8 to take south frontage west. >>>
-south frontage to exit 102 (Piedra & Painted Rocks)
-on to I-8 west to Sentinel (eastbound lanes actually)
-Take exit 87 for a short stretch of north frontage past the old Texaco
-I-8 west to exit 78 (Spot Rd.) >>>
-Take I-8 exit 78 (Spot Rd.) south frontage west >>> |
An old concrete bridge just
west of Citrus Valley Rd. and several 1936-1961 survey markers
indicate the south frontage between here and exit 102.
newer (1950'S) 80 eastbound lanes. Older 80 often in median
and sometimes visible around MM81-79
Look for the old train water tank at Aztec. |
|
|
Newer 80 (south frontage) keeps going straight towards Dateland and
parallels original 80 for a three mile stretch just east of
Dateland.
Straight past Dateland onward to the SW along the RR.
>>>
Same
Newer 80 I-8 eastbound lanes |
-About I-8 MM72, old 80 veers
away from interstate.
-Immediately, watch for original 80 to veer south, then parallel
newer 1930's 80 for a three mile stretch. >>>
-1950's 'as-builts' show old 80 as having gentle curves as it
approaches/leaves Dateland
then straight out of town.
-Old 80 subsumed by I-8 eastbound lanes ~ I-8 MM61
-Per 'as-builts', around I-8 MM's 59-58, original 80 curved slightly
north of newer 80 where it ran in what is now the I-8 median (where it's
been obliterated).
I-8 to exit 54 and Mohawk Pass (north frontage). Take road west
up the pass. >>> |
where old 80 rejoins about 1
mile east of Dateland.
You can drive this old road for ~ 6 miles, then you will have to backtrack
to Dateland to get on I-8 westbound.
Road now conveniently called "Old Highway 80"
|
|
Straightened completely.
same |
"Old Highway 80" up the pass. >>>
same, but smoother
same
modern 80. >>>
|
There at least two old
incarnations of 80 weaving their way through the pass. >>>
Just beyond the pass, original 80 slightly more wavy...1st to the
north, merges with new 80 at 1 mile, then south by RR where it runs
smack into the junkyard that is the 'town' of
Owl.>>> These segments are not drivable.
Old 80 through Tachna,
On to Wellton
-In Wellton, an abandoned stretch of original 80 can be had by
taking Dome St. south to Arizona Ave back east as far as possible
(road not maintained).
-Arizona Ave back west to rejoin modern 80. |
Look for these old routings
to the left by the RR then as wind up the hill.
-watch for the 1930's version of 80 (unreachable) to stay on your
right as the modern road veers left. It will then cross back
over the road then swing back in from your left as you reach
the summit. This 1930's version is easily accessible by foot
(just over the guard rail) at the top. Just a 100 feet down
the hill, watch for an old station site with the concrete slab and
pit (careful!) visible.
The town of Owl is the trailer and junkyard on your left.
Original 80 can be reached by a couple of dirt roads just east if
Owl.
Unsure of when Arizona St. was bypassed. |
|
sometime in the 50' or 60's, the present routing under the newer
RR "Ligurta Underpass" was built.
same
same
same, except continue straight on 4th St. past Yuma Landing State
park to cross into California on the 1956 Colorado River bridge. |
same
the Border Patrol checkpoint MAY be an incarnation
of 1930's 80)
same
same
same
same |
By 1928, east of Ligurta and just east of the canal
but just west of where the RR heads due west, old 80 veered west on
the north side of the RR
-to cross under the RR due south of the Ave 20a (Dome Valley Rd)
where it followed the RR on the south side to swing up to the barn
at Ligurta from the SE.
-I-8 through Telegraph...see below
(The original road generally followed the canyon floor/wash and is
now the general path of I-8 eastbound lanes until the I-8 lane
crossover, then the westbound lanes to the top of the pass...)
then back to the eastbound I-8 lanes to down towards Yuma (the
south frontage by
(The above 1928 path was widened & improved with a 1931-32
paving effort)
Exit 14, south frontage is old 80...with the nice 1932 Fortuna
wash bridge just east. You can see how it angles out of I-8
eastbound.
south frontage to exit 9, then Bus 8 into Yuma.
-just past 10th St heading north into D-T Yuma, veer right at the
'Y' onto Orange St, >>>
-north on 3rd
-veer right onto Orange again
-north on 1st Ave
-right on 1st St. to cross the 1915 Ocean to Ocean Highway bridge!
Early 30's 80:
by early 30's, stay on Bus 8 (4th St. all the way to 1st. St., then
a right to the 1915 Ocean to Ocean bridge & California |
Just east of Ligurta &
the 1941 Wellton-Mohawk Canal, original 80 made a loop down to the RR and back
up to meet Dome Valley Rd (Ave 20a). This old road can still be seen angling
back in from the SE at this junction.
***1927 routing only***
(bypassed by 1928)>>>
Just past the Wellton - Mohawk canal and a large concrete bridge, veer
NW onto paved Ave. 20e & zero odometer >>>
-1 mile at the 'Y' as pavement heads north, veer left onto
gravel. Ignore other gravel roads and keep veering west towards the RR
tracks at every chance.
-Follow the gravel NW along the RR tracks for ~ 7 more miles to the
ruins and concrete slabs that once were Dome. (at odometer 8.1
miles). >>>
-Follow the road as it keeps veering to the west between the RR and
the canal. >>>
-west past the construction offices which comprise Kinter (road will
become asphalt)
-to cross Hwy 95 and onto Madonna Ave, looping south to rejoin Hwy
95 south (becomes private property after .6 miles-backtrack req'd). >>>
-Hwy 95 south past Blaisdale
-where Hwy 95 heads due west, the old Yuma-Phoenix Rd. followed the
RR tracks down past Araby (inaccessible) >>>
-Gila Ridge Rd. (accessed at exit 7- Araby Rd.) *may* be remnants of
this original 80 as is a fragment north of I-8 near downtown Yuma
called "Castle Dome Rd."
-Castle Dome Rd. crossed I-8 to connect with Gila St. north to the
Colorado River bridge. >>>
|
UNPAVED! Dry weather
and high clearance vehicles only. Sedans OK if go slowly ( I've
made it twice!). Warning, no services and rough road for 16
miles! For the "must see every inch" enthusiast
only.
-'As-builts' show that Ave 20e was not the original road, but that
road (right by RR tracks) is not passable today.
-Dome once had several adobe structures-only part of one remains.
-Just past Dome, watch on the left for a 1927 geodesic
marker and a 1910 RR arch bridge as the road keeps gradually turning
to the west.
Look for the cement trucks to the west of modern Hwy 95.
except for a short stretch accessed via Avenue 9e north past the
RR tracks.
Verified by a 1927 Yuma county map. Of course, this old
road has been obliterated by I-8 construction. |
Based upon a lot of new findings from AZ DOT 'as-builts' and public record
historical maps at the Old Capitol Building, I've revised my driving directions
for much greater Arizona detail. I am now using the format similar to my Texas
page. For Arizona's specific road history, I will use the following column
set ups and nomenclature whenever possible:
