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Ghost alignment Benson AZ?

Started by ARMOURERERIC, April 29, 2016, 01:59:43 AM

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ARMOURERERIC

So here I am at the Benson AZ Motel 6 as my first leg of escape from CA comes to a close.  And when looking at my location on GSV, I note what appears to be an abandoned dual carriageway just west of AZ 90,Exit 302.  Was I-10 rerouted or does this date back to s pre- interstate US routing?


blanketcomputer

That area was rerouted in 2011.


Max Rockatansky

Even on my new GPS it doesn't have the current data for the I-10 realignment.  It was a pretty substantial one too that took years to complete and it used to be a pretty wild little swing instead of being straight like the current configuration.  If you look up a current SatMap view of the exit you can see where the alignment was and the Google Car shows it in 2011 along Titan Dr:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Benson,+AZ/@31.9622813,-110.3607845,3a,60y,270h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXixmjB7-wTJFpvn4PZH8OQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x86d6e2825fd153a5:0xbbd204acfb187127!6m1!1e1?hl=en

usends

Quote from: ARMOURERERIC on April 29, 2016, 01:59:43 AM
...Was I-10 rerouted or does this date back to s pre- interstate US routing?

Yes and yes: the old alignment does date back to pre-interstate days.  It's shown as a segment of US 80 on the 1958 Benson quad, which you can view on http://historicalmaps.arcgis.com/usgs/ .
usends.com - US highway endpoints, photos, maps, and history

Mapmikey

Quote from: usends on April 29, 2016, 09:54:58 AM
Quote from: ARMOURERERIC on April 29, 2016, 01:59:43 AM
...Was I-10 rerouted or does this date back to s pre- interstate US routing?

Yes and yes: the old alignment does date back to pre-interstate days.  It's shown as a segment of US 80 on the 1958 Benson quad, which you can view on http://historicalmaps.arcgis.com/usgs/ .

Only the EB side of the bypassed I-10 alignment was part of US 80.  It was the US 80 WB alignment of a brief divided section around the RR overpass.  US 80 EB (and prior to widening) used Titan Dr.

coatimundi

It was a safety issue. The Marsh Spring Road and railroad underpasses were woefully sub-standard: both low vertical and horizontal clearances. The bridges were original (circa 1961). I recall several major accidents in the years leading up to this construction.

http://azdot.gov/docs/projects/i-10-marsh-station-area-improvement-fact-sheet.pdf?sfvrsn=0

DJStephens

Marsh Station Road is west of Benson.  Roughly ten miles.  That project which seemed years, if not decades overdue, rerouted a rail road track to eliminate it's overpass of I-10 (US 80).  It also has room for an additional travel lane if one should ever be needed in the new bridges over the wash in the project area.   

Jardine




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