Historic US 80 in Arizona

[707]

AS OF SEPTEMBER 18, 2018, US 80 IS NOW AN OFFICIAL STATE HISTORIC ROUTE IN ARIZONA

Current status of the effort:
Effort leader and Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation CEO Demion Clinco is working with the state of New Mexico to get US 80 designated as historic in that state. He is also working to form a US 80 association for the highway in Arizona. I'm helping out by updating information on Wikipedia, writing newspaper articles, articles on highly viewed travel blogs and generally just spreading the word any means possible.

Here is a blueprint document of the official Historic US 80 marker as released by ADOT to road enthusiast Richard Moeur who shared it with me on Facebook:


ORIGINAL POST:

So apparently this is happening:

https://preservetucson.org/stories/historic-arizona-u-s-route-80-designation/

https://preservetucson.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Arizona-Historic-US-Route-80-Applicaiton-Submitted-to-ADOT-July-2016-small-file-for-web2.pdf

Given the news is now over two months old, I tried contacting the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation about this over Facebook Messenger (where they usually answer questions rather than email for some reason) and the program showed they just outright ignored my question after reading it. It took them over a year to post an update on this project too. All I know in latest news is the proposal was voted on in October apparently but the decision hasn't been released to the public literally anywhere since then. I mean good gracious, is it that hard to tell people what's going on with US 80?

I sincerely hope this does pass. If not, I can't say any future Historic US 80 preservation attempts going anywhere without Arizona's involvement, considering some of the most tourist attractive parts of US 80 are in Arizona. I can also say that a number of towns and cities which have signed letters of full support to this effect would be unhappy as well (except for Phoenix area cities, which don't rely off tourist income and Tombstone where they have the OK Corral and Wyatt Earp related history to bring people in).

[Max Rockatansky]

Really it would be nice to have historic signage on all parts of US 80 which can still be driven still.  It would be pretty cool to take an alternate route from Apache Junction to Gila Bend.  Some of my early road albums were back in Arizona tracking down historical alignments of US 80 or places like the Gillespie Bridge:

4249003475920 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

I even have one of the colored US 80 shields in my collection at home:

IMG_5241 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

[707]

Sweet! I wish I was lucky enough to find one. I do have a 1961 MUTCD US 6 shield though. Its the centerpiece of my living room.

[Max Rockatansky]

Sweet! I wish I was lucky enough to find one. I do have a 1961 MUTCD US 6 shield though. Its the centerpiece of my living room.

It might make it's way into the new garage next week. I know for sure I have enough room for the California stuff and I believe maybe Arizona as well.

[707]

Here's a good update for the future of US 80 in AZ.

I just got in contact with Demion Clinco, the CEO of the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation. In an email conversation I had with him, he's stated ADOT is finalizing the needed paperwork and is aiming to approve US 80 as Arizona's third state recognized Historic US Route after old US 89A and US 66. Apparently the state owned segments will get signage first, then ADOT will start working with local entities that have taken over segments of old US 80 from ADOT to put signs up on non-state owned sections. Apparently the first local government ADOT is working with is the city of Tucson. I've also contacted author Jeff Jensen who wrote the great driving guide on US 80 through California to El Paso. In the last reply I received from him back in January, he's very excited and happy US 80 is getting the historic designation after years of attempts by numerous third parties.

So to sum it down for the too long didn't read-ers, ADOT is set to approve Historic US 80 this month and the city of Tucson might be the second to put up the signs after ADOT. Also made sure to put this new info on the US 80 in Arizona Wikipedia page and clean the page up to B status.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'd be curious to see what the final signing product looks like.  Hopefully it's better than what US 89A gets, those signs are getting pretty haggard.

[Henry]

I'm so happy to hear that another old US route gets recognized with historic markers. Long live US 80!

[707]

Agreed! In terms of the road itself, more of US 80 still exists uninterrupted in Arizona than US 66, mostly thanks to it's overly complicated and out of the way routing. By being the shortcuts, SR 84 and SR 86 were torn up and demolished in place of US 80 when I-8 and I-10 were built. You can literally drive more than 100 miles in Arizona on historic US 80 without ever seeing an Interstate.

VS988

[cjk374]

I'm so happy to hear that another old US route gets recognized with historic markers. Long live US 80!

Amen! This is terrific news! It will make following old 80 easier on me whenever I get the chance to follow it coast to coast. Perhaps when I retire in 16 years?

[707]

Confirmed by an update on the official Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation page on Facebook:
I am proud to announce as of September 21, 2018, US 80 has now been added as Arizona's fourth state recognized historic route under the ADOT Scenic Roads program. US 80 has officially returned in one form or another to the state between Yuma and the New Mexico border. Historic Route 80 now has 500 new miles to it, with the route in California, Louisiana and within Vicksburg, MS making up the rest.

Here's a newspaper article further confirmimg the news:
https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/old-us-route-80-designated-as-a-historic-road

[Max Rockatansky]

Confirmed by an update on the official Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation page on Facebook:
I am proud to announce as of September 21, 2018, US 80 has now been added as Arizona's fourth state recognized historic route under the ADOT Scenic Roads program. US 80 has officially returned in one form or another to the state between Yuma and the New Mexico border. Historic Route 80 now has 500 new miles to it, with the route in California, Louisiana and within Vicksburg, MS making up the rest.

Here's a newspaper article further confirmimg the news:
https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/old-us-route-80-designated-as-a-historic-road

Any idea what parts of US 80 will be signed as historic segments long term?  It would be pretty cool to get all of Apache Train, Main, Van Buren, MC 85, and Old US 80 all signed with historic US 80 shields.  Really I think the only parts of US 80 that can be reached as a route for the most part are along south I-8 near Gila Bend, Tacna and Aztec.

[707]

Confirmed by an update on the official Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation page on Facebook:
I am proud to announce as of September 21, 2018, US 80 has now been added as Arizona's fourth state recognized historic route under the ADOT Scenic Roads program. US 80 has officially returned in one form or another to the state between Yuma and the New Mexico border. Historic Route 80 now has 500 new miles to it, with the route in California, Louisiana and within Vicksburg, MS making up the rest.

Here's a newspaper article further confirmimg the news:
https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/old-us-route-80-designated-as-a-historic-road

Any idea what parts of US 80 will be signed as historic segments long term?  It would be pretty cool to get all of Apache Train, Main, Van Buren, MC 85, and Old US 80 all signed with historic US 80 shields.  Really I think the only parts of US 80 that can be reached as a route for the most part are along south I-8 near Gila Bend, Tacna and Aztec.

I've read some minutes from the ADOT meeting in January 2018. ADOT officials and THPF members discussing that back and forth. Also, going off Route 66 as an example, I imagine that any sections replaced or impassible by I-8 or I-10 will not be included. I think there was some mention by ADOT officials in the January meeting that there's a possibility US 60 between SR 88 and SR 79 could be left out. Though I really have my doubts they would do that. I should add though the proposed route sections the THPF documents seem to give mixed signals about Marsh Station Road near Vail. Given ADOT is using the materials provided by THPF as the main basis for their designation as well as Jeff Jensen's US 80 guide book, here are the sections I believe most certainly will be designated which is listed as the primary alignment:

(Starts at California state line on Quechan Reservation)
-Quechan Road/Penitentiary Avenue (1914 Ocean to Ocean Bridge route) - Looks like they're skipping the 4th Avenue bridge all together
-1st Avenue
-4th Avenue and BL I-8 out of Yuma
(I-8)
-Old US 80 through Wellton and Tacna
(I-8)
-Old US 80 between Dateland and Aztec (yes, the south frontage road to Aztec is indeed part of old US 80)
(I-8)
-South I-8 Frontage Road from Theba to the western terminus of I-8 Business at Gila Bend
-Gila Street/BL 8
(The primary route splits here)
Route 1:
-Old US 80 to Arlington
-Wilson Road
-Hazen Road
Route 2:
-AZ 85 from Gila Bend to Hazen Road
(End split)
-AZ 85
-MC 85/Baseline Road/Buckeye Road
(Split)
Former main US 80:
-17th Avenue
Fomer US 80A:
-19th Avenue
-Van Buren Street
(End Split)
-Van Buren Street
-Mill Street in Tempe
-Main Street/Apache Trail/Old West Highway to Apache Junction
-US 60
-AZ 79 to Florence
-Butte Avenue
-AZ 79 Business
-AZ 79
-AZ 77 to Tucson
-Oracle Road
-Drachman Street
-Stone Avenue
-6th Avenue
-Benson Highway (including the north and south frontage roads of I-10 between Park and 6th)
(I-10)
-4th Avenue/BL I-10 in Benson
-SR 80 to Douglas
-G Avenue
-10th Street
-A Avenue
-SR 80
(End at New Mexico state line)

They listed the Old Divide/Main Street alignment in Bisbee and Marsh Station as "secondary alignments" along with pre-1928 US 80 to Dome. That concerns me a bit. I'm wondering if the secondary alignments will be ignored by ADOT, since the THPF added in a lot of the old Bankhead Highway, Old Spanish Trail and Dixie Overland Highway routes as secondaries, including some that are no longer passable. All those secondary routes added together would be enough to make a completely different route from the main US 80. I really hope they don't skip over Marsh Station. I have less concern over the Bisbee alignment given if ADOT skipped it, the town would obviously make them fix that, with Bisbee being an influential tourist town and county seat.

THPF Document being used by ADOT:
https://preservetucson.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Arizona-Historic-US-Route-80-Applicaiton-Submitted-to-ADOT-July-2016-small-file-for-web2.pdf

Any way you look at it, this is a rare discussion to have regarding Arizona; predicting the path of a newly designated Historic Route. This is the first time since 2003 that ADOT has designated a road as Historic and I don't see them doing that again any time soon.

[Sonic99]

Hopefully not going off-topic here, but what are the other three "Historic" routes designated by ADOT? I'm sure 66 is one of them. And are any of them signed?

[707]

Hopefully not going off-topic here, but what are the other three "Historic" routes designated by ADOT? I'm sure 66 is one of them. And are any of them signed?

Yes, Route 66 is one of the other three. ADOT's official name for it is "Historic Route 66 All American Road" (which is due to the fact Route 66 was designated an All American Road by the feds). The second is known officially as the "Jerome-Clarkdale-Cottonwood Historic Road" by ADOT, but is signed and known by everyone else as Historic US 89A. That designation picks up at a random milepost south of Jerome on SR 89A, then takes the old route of US 89A through Clarkdale and Cottonwood before ending at SR 89A and Cottonwood Street outside of Cottonwood. The last Historic Road on the list is SR 88 from Goldfield to SR 188 at Roosevelt Dam, known officially by ADOT as the "Apache Trail Historic Road". I have no proper sourcing to back this up, but I think ADOT may recognize US 80 as "Arizona US Route 80 Historic Road", which is a blind guess based on the names of the other roads and the fact the THPF and ADOT kept referring to it as "Historic Arizona US Route 80" when it was just a hypothetical road.

[Max Rockatansky]

US 89A is gas Historic Signage as well. 

[707]

US 89A is gas Historic Signage as well.

That's what I love about Arizona's historic US Routes. They're signed like active highways, but they're not part of the normal stare highway system.

The ADOT managed Arizona Scenic Roads system is very interesting and from the material I've studied, appears to be another state highway system completely separate from the regular one. One big key difference though is these roads aren't always maintained or owned by ADOT and are more or less a combined collaborative effort between ADOT and local level DOTs.

https://www.azdot.gov/about/historic-roads/scenic-roads/guidance-maps-and-documents/maps-and-documents

[Max Rockatansky]

US 89A is gas Historic Signage as well.

That's what I love about Arizona's historic US Routes. They're signed like active highways, but they're not part of the normal stare highway system.

The ADOT managed Arizona Scenic Roads system is very interesting and from the material I've studied, appears to be another state highway system completely separate from the regular one. One big key difference though is these roads aren't always maintained or owned by ADOT and are more or less a combined collaborative effort between ADOT and local level DOTs.

https://www.azdot.gov/about/historic-roads/scenic-roads/guidance-maps-and-documents/maps-and-documents

ADOT in general has always been very good at promoting scenic and historic highways.  The agency is surprisingly willing to listen to local groups and even with work with them.  I've had a couple interactions with ADOT over the years, I've never found them to be anything but approachable and welcoming of public comment.  ADOT is the only agency I've also ever gotten serious feedback regarding historic alignments, most agencies won't give you the time of day or just give you lip service that they don't know/don't have the resources to look up anything historical. 

[707]

The THPF just posted this map on their Facebook page. The segments in red are ADOT owned and will be signed. The segments in blue are locally owned and will be signed in a joint effort by ADOT and the respective agency for each area (for example, MCDOT in parts of Maricopa County). The areas in yellow are part of Historic US 80, but will not be signed (which are concurrencies with I-8 abd I-10). They skipped Marsh Station Road entirely.

VS988

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm okay with not signing glorified frontage roads that are crumbling alongside I-8 but Marsh Station is enough of a divergence of I-10 that it should be signed.   

[707]

I'm okay with not signing glorified frontage roads that are crumbling alongside I-8 but Marsh Station is enough of a divergence of I-10 that it should be signed.

Looking closely at the map, I dont even think Marsh Station Road is included in the historic route designation period.

ADOT did a great job getting their priorities straight with the rest of the route so far (the map somewhat implies Main Street in Bisbee is added), but not including Marsh Station ridiculous.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm okay with not signing glorified frontage roads that are crumbling alongside I-8 but Marsh Station is enough of a divergence of I-10 that it should be signed.

Looking closely at the map, I dont even think Marsh Station Road is included in the historic route designation period.

ADOT did a great job getting their priorities straight with the rest of the route so far (the map somewhat implies Main Street in Bisbee is added), but not including Marsh Station ridiculous.

Davidson Canyon makes it worthwhile enough to sign just direct people to this view:

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.0200119,-110.6462326,3a,75y,37.24h,114.78t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPLo7GLfiQMuxue2aFm0xPVm22dcFZ6X_3JYGIr!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPLo7GLfiQMuxue2aFm0xPVm22dcFZ6X_3JYGIr%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya183.40149-ro0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352?hl=en

[707]

I'm okay with not signing glorified frontage roads that are crumbling alongside I-8 but Marsh Station is enough of a divergence of I-10 that it should be signed.

Looking closely at the map, I dont even think Marsh Station Road is included in the historic route designation period.

ADOT did a great job getting their priorities straight with the rest of the route so far (the map somewhat implies Main Street in Bisbee is added), but not including Marsh Station ridiculous.

Davidson Canyon makes it worthwhile enough to sign just direct people to this view:

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.0200119,-110.6462326,3a,75y,37.24h,114.78t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPLo7GLfiQMuxue2aFm0xPVm22dcFZ6X_3JYGIr!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPLo7GLfiQMuxue2aFm0xPVm22dcFZ6X_3JYGIr%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya183.40149-ro0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352?hl=en

Plus the fact Cienega Bridge is on the NRHP.

In any direction, the THPF is planning on forming a booster group to manage Historic US 80 as well as trying to convince New Mexico and Texas to join in.

[707]

I got an update from the THPF. They alerted me Marsh Station Road is going to be added, it just doesn't show up on the map for some reason. Their reply to me was:

"Marsh Station Road is included - it's just not on this ADOT map. All non-ADOT managed segments were designated and all ADOT managed sections except those that overlap with I-10 and I-8."

I believe that also means the south frontage road from Theba to Gila Bend will be added too.

[Max Rockatansky]

I got an update from the THPF. They alerted me Marsh Station Road is going to be added, it just doesn't show up on the map for some reason. Their reply to me was:

"Marsh Station Road is included - it's just not on this ADOT map. All non-ADOT managed segments were designated and all ADOT managed sections except those that overlap with I-10 and I-8."

I believe that also means the south frontage road from Theba to Gila Bend will be added too.

That's surprising to hear about I-8 frontage road considering the haggard shape it's in. 

[707]

I got an update from the THPF. They alerted me Marsh Station Road is going to be added, it just doesn't show up on the map for some reason. Their reply to me was:

"Marsh Station Road is included - it's just not on this ADOT map. All non-ADOT managed segments were designated and all ADOT managed sections except those that overlap with I-10 and I-8."

I believe that also means the south frontage road from Theba to Gila Bend will be added too.

That's surprising to hear about I-8 frontage road considering the haggard shape it's in.

Very true, but maybe that will incentivise Maricopa County into repaving it?

VS988