Length Of US 80 in Arizona

[707]

I've been looking all over the internet for the historic length of US 80 in Arizona from Yuma to the New Mexico border. Can anyone point me to a resource?

Thanks,
Matthew Anderson

[swbrotha100]

Try http://arizonaroads.com

[Sonic99]

Try http://arizonaroads.com

Is the person who used to maintain that site still around? It's now been 7 years since the last update. Certainly a lot has changed and could use an update. If that person doesn't have the time for it, I would guess there are people who would be interested in contributing? I know I would be willing to help where I could, because that site is absolutely fantastic and definitely shouldn't be allowed to fade away into internet past!

[707]

It is unfortunate that the Arizona Roads site isn't being used anymore. It was a good guide. Still, I'm surprised no one posted the historic length of US 80 in Arizona anywhere online, especially considering the Phoenix and Tombstone/Bisbee loops.

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/2808849

I created a comprehensive relation of US 80's route in Arizona circa 1951 on OpenStreetMap. Hopefully someone can decipher this into mileage and post it where it could be used as a reputable Wikipedia source?

[The Ghostbuster]

Are there any Historic US 80 signs along the length of the highway's former route? Also, there was once a proposal to replace US 80 with US 62 between San Diego, California and El Paso, Texas. Source: http://www.us-highways.com/us2.htm#us62

[rschen7754]

It is unfortunate that the Arizona Roads site isn't being used anymore. It was a good guide. Still, I'm surprised no one posted the historic length of US 80 in Arizona anywhere online, especially considering the Phoenix and Tombstone/Bisbee loops.

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/2808849

I created a comprehensive relation of US 80's route in Arizona circa 1951 on OpenStreetMap. Hopefully someone can decipher this into mileage and post it where it could be used as a reputable Wikipedia source?

I don't think OSM would be considered a reliable source, from a Wikipedia perspective, especially as this is a tracing.

If you can find a historic map though, that would be a reliable source, just with less precision.

[andy3175]

Are there any Historic US 80 signs along the length of the highway's former route? Also, there was once a proposal to replace US 80 with US 62 between San Diego, California and El Paso, Texas. Source: http://www.us-highways.com/us2.htm#us62

There are some in San Diego County: https://www.aaroads.com/california/us-080_ca.html

[DJStephens]

Would suspect somewhere around 410 - 420 miles.   Traveled old US 80 south to Douglas and Sierra Vista AZ recently.  US 80 is now NM / AZ 80 south of Road Forks, which is just about 8 miles east of the AZ / NM state line on Interstate 10.   Did see some mileage signs in the low 400's after crossing into AZ from NM.   The route passes by a stone obelisk denoting the surrender of Geronimo in 1886, which effectively ended the Native Indian Wars in the southwest.   The original pre interstate era US route 80 swung far to the south to pass through areas of settlement - i.e. Douglas, Bisbee, Tombstone, etc.  When the Interstate (10) was built, it bypassed those towns in favor of a more direct east-west route through the area.  Most of the rest of US 80 was covered by Interstate 10 and 8 west of Benson AZ.   A short section of the former US 80 is visible from Interstate 10 in South Tucson as one travels in an easterly direction.  That road was once known as the Benson - Tucson Highway and an interesting story on it's replacement / upgrading to Interstate is found in a circa 1970 issue of Arizona Highways Magazine.. 

[707]

I had no idea US 62 was a possible replacement for US 80. Though that would've been interesting, I'm glad US 80 wasn't removed between San Diego and El Paso. Kind of surprised US 62 didn't multiplex with US 80 to San Diego given the similar mess the AASHO approved with US 60 and US 70. Anyway, I have done some measuring and adding on maps. From what I understand, US 80 was 500 1/2 miles long in 1935. By 1951, US 80 was 492 miles long and was shrunk by 10 miles after it was re-routed onto present day AZ 85 in 1956. Honestly, that's an incredible length for an east-west highway to attain in a state the size of Arizona.

[The High Plains Traveler]

I'm surprised that u.S. 80 was never re-routed, or an alternate established, on AZ-86/NM-14. By the 1950-era maps, it's pretty clear that this was a more direct route and the road was improved the whole distance between Benson and Road Forks NM.

[707]

I'm surprised that u.S. 80 was never re-routed, or an alternate established, on AZ-86/NM-14. By the 1950-era maps, it's pretty clear that this was a more direct route and the road was improved the whole distance between Benson and Road Forks NM.

Indeed. Most traffic heading to San Diego took SR 86/NM 14 and SR 84 by the mid 1930s. Though I will state I'm glad US 80 didn't change course. Honestly, it seems doing that has saved most of the non-freeway route so it is continuous more so than US 66 is today. Though I love US 66, I must say I was unimpressed with how Arizona allowed I-40 to just be constructed over most of the route east of Flagstaff, most of the exceptions being in towns like Winslow and Holbrook (which makes that part of the journey along with Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest and Painted Desert worth it). Thankfully, one can travel US 80 almost uninterrupted without getting on the freeway from Theba (directly west of Gila Bend) to Tucson and again from Benson to New Mexico. The only real interruptions are from Tucson to Benson and Yuma to Theba, though thankfully those can bypassed by taking the old Marsh Station Road segment and Old US Highway 80 from Ligurta to Mohawk Pass. To some degree, you can even bypass I-8 through Telegraph pass by taking the pre-1927 US 80 (which has remained almost exactly the same since 1927) through Dome to US 95, though from US 95 west, modern development has destroyed the road between Araby and US 95.

Also, doing distance comparisons, US 80 in Arizona is longer than the distance from San Francisco to Los Angeles and almost the same distance as a flight from Detroit to New York (depending on the year).