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
Route information
Maintained by ADOT
Length: 369.30 mi[1] (594.33 km)
Existed: 1932 – present
Major junctions
West end: I-10 near Quartzsite
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East end: US 60 at New Mexico state line
Highway system
  • State Routes in Arizona
← SR 51 SR 61 →
← SR 347 360 SR 364 →
View east along Route 60, Phoenix

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

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Main article: Phoenix metropolitan area arterial roads § Grand Avenue

As US 60 enters the Phoenix metropolitan area, it carries the name Grand Avenue and cuts a diagonal path through the northwestern part of the metropolitan area. It intersects Loop 303 in Surprise as it continues to the 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 Lua error in Module:Convert at line 452: attempt to index field 'titles' (a nil value). 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.[1][2]

History

State Route 74
Location: Ehrenberg-Wickenburg
Existed: 1927–1932

State Route 360
Location: Tempe-Apache Junction
Existed: 1970–1992

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.[3][4][5] US 60 was extended into Arizona in 1932, from its original western terminus at US 66 in Springfield, Missouri.[6] 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.[7] 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. US 60 is now the only U.S. Route to serve Phoenix. US 70 (decom. 1969), US 80 (decom. 1977) & US 89 (decom. 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.[6]

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.[6]

In 1952, the Claypool Tunnel was bypassed by the Queen Creek Tunnel, upgrading from a simple 'hole in the rock' type tunnel to a more modern tunnel.[6]

Present

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.[8] A new partial interchange at Meridian Road, along the Maricopa–Pinal county line, opened in October 2015.[9]

US 60 Arizona 1958 West.svgUS 60 Arizona 1958 East.svg
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.[10]

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

An unsigned U.S. Route 60X is also listed by ADOT. US 60X 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.[11] US 60X begins near Grand Avenue and Thomas Road, where it shares Exit 160 (27th Avenue to Thomas Rd.) with US 60. It then follows Grand Ave. southeast over I-17/US 60 to an intersection with 18th Avenue and Willetta Street where the western segment terminates.[12] Access to I-17 is via Thomas Rd. by way of either 24th Avenue or 27th Ave. US 60X(1) picks up at Sossaman Road, traveling east across Apache Trail crossing Loop 202 and Ellsworth Road before terminating at Meridian Drive (the Pinal County line).[12][13]

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] This new alignment could also potentially serve as the northern terminus of the proposed Pinal North-South Freeway.

Major intersections

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 interchange with SR 79. All other segments are standard divided or undivided highways with uncontrolled access.[15] 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.

County Location mi[1][16] km Exit Destinations Notes
La Paz Brenda 30.89 49.71 I-10 – Phoenix, Los Angeles Western terminus; exit 31 on I-10
Hope 49.55 79.74 SR 72 west – Parker Eastern terminus of SR 72
Maricopa Aguila 86.07 138.52 SR 71 north – Prescott Southern terminus of SR 71
Wickenburg 110.33 177.56 US 93 north – Kingman, Las Vegas Traffic circle; southern terminus of US 93
Morristown 120.11 193.30 SR 74 east to I-17 Western terminus of SR 74
Sun City West 138.48 222.86 Loop 303 (Bob Stump Memorial Parkway) to I-10 Via access road; future interchange once Loop 303 is converted into a freeway
Surprise 142.75 229.73 142 Bell Road Future interchange[17]
Peoria 148.90 239.63 Loop 101 south (Agua Fria Freeway) Exit 11 on Loop 101
149.23 240.16 To Loop 101 north / 91st Avenue
151.97 244.57 Olive Avenue / 75th Avenue Interchange with Olive Avenue; at-grade intersection with 75th Avenue
Glendale 153.35 246.79 Northern Avenue / 67th Avenue Interchange with 67th Avenue; at-grade intersection with Northern Avenue
154.74 249.03 Tunnel underneath 59th Avenue / Glendale Avenue intersection
155.41 250.11 55th Avenue north to Maryland Avenue Interchange; westbound exit and entrance
156.21 251.40 Bethany Home Road / 51st Avenue Interchange with 51st Avenue; at-grade intersection with Bethany Home Road
157.40 253.31 157 43rd Avenue Interchange; no westbound exit
Phoenix 157.59 253.62 Camelback Road Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
159.01 255.90 35th Avenue / Indian School Road Interchange with Indian School Road; at-grade intersection with 35th Avenue
160.09 257.64 160 Grand Avenue southeast – Downtown Phoenix Interchange; US 60 (east) splits from Grand Avenue, which becomes unsigned US 60X; exit 160 on US 60X
160.63 258.51 I-17 north (Black Canyon Freeway) – Flagstaff Western terminus of I-17 concurrency; interchange ; exit 201 on I-17
200B McDowell Road / Van Buren Street No signage for Van Buren Street westbound; exit numbers follow I-17
200A I-10 – Central Phoenix, Los Angeles I-10 exit 143
199B Adams Street / Van Buren Street Westbound exit and entrance only
Jefferson Street Eastbound exit only
199A Grant Street / Buckeye Road No signage for Buckeye Road westbound
198 Buckeye Road Westbound exit only
197 Durango Street / 19th Avenue Durango Curve; no signage for Durango Street westbound
Southern end of Black Canyon Freeway; western end of Maricopa Freeway
196 7th Avenue / Central Avenue No signage for Central Avenue westbound
195B 7th Street / Central Avenue No signage for Central Avenue eastbound
195A 16th Street Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
168.28 270.82 194
150A		 I-17 ends / I-10 west (Inner Loop) – Sky Harbor Eastern terminus of I-17 concurrency; southern terminus of I-17; western terminus of I-10 concurrency; exit numbers follow I-10 (beginning with 150A)
150B 24th Street Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
Bridge over the Salt River
151 University Drive / 32nd Street
152 40th Street
Phoenix–Tempe line 153A SR 143 north (Hohokam Expressway) / 48th Street south / Broadway Road – Sky Harbor Airport Signed as exit 153 eastbound; Broadway Road not signed westbound; exits 1A-B on SR 143
Tempe 153B Broadway Road / 52nd Street Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
171.63 276.21 — I-10 east (Maricopa Freeway) – Tucson Eastern terminus of I-10 concurrency; exit 154 on I-10; unsigned left exit 171 on US 60 west
Western end of Superstition Freeway
172.52 277.64 172 Priest Drive – Arizona Mills Mall Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
173.67 279.49 173 Mill Avenue Arizona State University, Downtown Tempe
174.42 280.70 174 Rural Road
175.41 282.30 175 McClintock Drive
176.44–
176.47		 283.95–
284.00		 176 Loop 101 (Price Freeway) – Scottsdale, Chandler Signed as 176A (south) and 176B (north); Loop 101 exits 55A-B
Mesa 177.43 285.55 177 Dobson Road Mesa Community College
178.41 287.12 178 Alma School Road
179.41 288.73 179 SR 87 (Country Club Drive) – Chandler
180.36 290.26 180 Mesa Drive
181.41 291.95 181 Stapley Drive
182.40 293.54 182 Gilbert Road
184.39 296.75 184 Val Vista Drive
185.39 298.36 185 Greenfield Road Mesa Falcon Field
186.38 299.95 186 Higley Road
187.87 302.35 187 Superstition Springs Boulevard Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
188.38 303.17 188 Power Road Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, ASU Polytechnic
189.38 304.78 189 Sossaman Road Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
190.42–
190.60		 306.45–
306.74		 190 Loop 202 – Gilbert, Mesa SuperRedTan Interchange; signed as exits 190A (north) and 190B (south) eastbound; Loop 202 exits 30A-B
191.39 308.01 191 Ellsworth Road
192.39 309.62 192 Crismon Road
193.40 311.25 193 Signal Butte Road
Maricopa–Pinal
county line		 Mesa–Apache Junction line 194.41 312.87 194 Meridian Road Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Pinal Apache Junction 195.41 314.48 195 Ironwood Drive
196.41 316.09 196 SR 88 east (Idaho Road) Salt River Lakes, Roosevelt Dam, Apache Trail Highway
197.41 317.70 197 Tomahawk Road
198.41 319.31 198 Goldfield Road
199.17 320.53 199 Old West Highway Westbound exit only
199.44 320.97 Mountain View Road Eastern end of Superstition Freeway; traffic light
Florence Junction 212.27 341.62 212 SR 79 south – Florence, Tucson Interchange; northern terminus of SR 79
Superior 226.87 365.11 SR 177 south / Ray Road north – Winkelman Interchange; northern terminus of SR 177
Gila Central Heights 247.04 397.57 SR 188 north – Young, Theodore Roosevelt Dam Southern terminus of SR 188
Globe 252.05 405.64 US 70 / SR 77 south – Safford, Winkelman Western terminus of SR 77 concurrency; western terminus of US 70;
Navajo ​ 318.14 512.00 SR 73 east Western terminus of SR 73
Show Low 339.72 546.73 SR 260 west (Clark Road) – Heber-Overgaard Western terminus of SR 260 concurrency
341.69 549.90 SR 260 east (White Mountain Road) – Pinetop-Lakeside, Springerville Eastern terminus of SR 260 concurrency
342.25 550.80 SR 77 north (Penrod Road) – Holbrook Eastern terminus of SR 77 concurrency
Apache Bell 353.16 568.36 SR 61 east – St. Johns Partial interchange; western terminus of SR 61
​ 384.45 618.71 US 180 west / US 191 north – St. Johns Western terminus of US 180/US 191 concurrency
Springerville 387.83 624.15 To SR 73 / SR 260 / South Mountain Avenue – Pinetop-Lakeside, Show Low
388.69 625.54 US 180 east / US 191 south – Alpine Eastern terminus of US 180/US 191 concurrency
401.97 646.91 US 60 east – Quemado Continuation into New Mexico
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[self-published source]
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[self-published source]
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ US 60 (Grand Avenue)
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ ADOT GIS Database Used for locating the mile marker numbers in rural areas.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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  • Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons


U.S. Route 60
Previous state:
Terminus		 Arizona Next state:
New Mexico
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