Arizona State Route 76

[707]

Over the last few years, I have been doing on-and-off research on Arizona State Route 76, which is quite an enigmatic highway in its own right. The consensus by the highway buff community was SR 76 had never been commissioned or constructed in any shape or form south of San Manuel. Research into ADOT archives, state resolutions, and historical maps, among other things, proved otherwise. Part of Veterans Memorial Boulevard southeast of San Manuel and the southernmost mile of Pomerene Road near Benson were constructed or reconstructed to state highway standards and designated as sections of SR 76. Available maps and data suggest Pomerene Road was never signed. Further work was planned, and another section of SR 76 was under construction, connecting to Veterans Memorial Boulevard. However, it was never finished and was left abandoned as an incomplete highway grade. ADOT formally canceled the SR 76 project in 1988, decommissioning the existing highway and selling off the land acquired for the proposed right of way. More detailed information and sourcing can be found on the Wikipedia page for SR 76.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_State_Route_76

I have also been scrutinizing the county roads between Pomerene Road and Veterans Memorial Boulevard out of curiosity and came across two sections of Cascabel Road near Pomerene and Redington, respectively. Both sections have grading, curves, and decently constructed reinforced steel in concrete bridges, which appear to be built to higher standards than the area's other county roads. The latter section near Reddington had a reasonably impressive bridge across the San Pedro River. I hope to look at ADOT's survey and design records on SR 76 and see if I can prove or disprove if ADOT originally contracted these county road sections to be part of SR 76.

On a more personal note, it's a shame SR 76 was never completed. It would have been an interesting and scenic drive through the San Pedro River valley.

I've enclosed the two interesting sections of Cascabel Road here:

Section 1:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/32.0562548,-110.2826611/32.073135,-110.2866192/@32.0646968,-110.2977698,4033m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e0!5m1!1e4
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.065352,-110.2846892,3a,60y,179.9h,81.56t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1syJbi4mFvkKq68WtbvyGKzQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e4

Section 2:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/N+Cascabel+Rd,+Benson,+AZ+85602/32.451541,-110.4875563/@32.4390677,-110.4991944,4890m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m9!4m8!1m5!1m1!1s0x86d64832550a0bc5:0xe01d1a586f0524fb!2m2!1d-110.4762518!2d32.4242609!1m0!3e0!5m1!1e4
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.4451436,-110.4884705,3a,75y,173.61h,71.36t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMNZ1-DM3CiFOWgoVnFIIQA!2e0!7i3328!8i1664!5m1!1e4

[Max Rockatansky]

That proposed Tucson Bypass certainly would have been handy for me when I worked in New Mexico.  The existing highway between Benson and San Manuel was okay but it wasn't anything I could take if I was in a hurry (mostly since it was dirt).  A lot of people and farmers live along the San Pedro River.  I seem to recall ADOT lost much of the interest it had in AZ 76 the mines at San Manuel started to preform poorly.

[707]

That proposed Tucson Bypass certainly would have been handy for me when I worked in New Mexico.  The existing highway between Benson and San Manuel was okay but it wasn't anything I could take if I was in a hurry (mostly since it was dirt).  A lot of people and farmers live along the San Pedro River.  I seem to recall ADOT lost much of the interest it had in AZ 76 the mines at San Manuel started to preform poorly.

I had a feeling it had to do with the mining decline. I'm fairly certain those orphaned sections with bridges were part of the SR 76 project. Those bridges obviously had tons of money put into them. More than Pima County or Cochise County would fork over for a middle of nowhere county road. It's amazing how so much work and expense was put into the project for ADOT to just abandon it like that. At the very least, SR 76 could have opened up the valley for further economic growth if it was completed.

[707]

I have an update regarding the section north of Pomerene and the San Pedro river bridge section.

The San Pedro River section exactly matches the ROW and finalized construction plans for SR 76 sections S-358-701, S-358-706 and S-358-705.
The Pomerene section is likewise, matching the exact specs for SR 76 section S-358-704's northern section. The temporary path for marking and survey work of the rest of section S-358-704 still exists, but construction was never started. ADOT documents have confirmed both of these sections of Cascabel Road were indeed built by ADOT as part of the incomplete SR 76 extension.

The plans date to the early 1970s. The earliest SHS log available (1975) does not have these sections designated as part of SR 76. Nor does it appear on the 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982 or 1986 logs. It looks increasingly likely that although these sections of SR 76 were built, they were never designated as part of SR 76.

Sources:
https://apps.azdot.gov/files/ROW/Plans/State_Route_76/S-358-706_12_pages.pdf
https://apps.azdot.gov/files/ROW/Plans/State_Route_76/S-358-701_6_pages.pdf
https://apps.azdot.gov/files/ROW/Plans/State_Route_76/S-358-705_6_pages.pdf
https://apps.azdot.gov/files/ROW/Plans/State_Route_76/S-358-704_17_pages.pdf
https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/99038?keywords=&lsk=1339682d1989813222b40c13e1b16f57
https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/99039?keywords=
https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/99039?keywords=&lsk=1339682d1989813222b40c13e1b16f57
https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/99041?keywords=
https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/99042?keywords=
https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/99043?keywords=
https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/99044?keywords=

EDIT: The three orphaned bridges have names.Z
Redington:
-San Pedro River Bridge
-Redfield Canyon Bridge
Pomerene:
-Tres Alamos Wash Bridge

https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/99026?keywords=Arizona%20Highway%20System&highlights=WyJhcml6b25hIiwiaGlnaHdheSIsInN5c3RlbSJd&lsk=7192e4bd5803c315378106e7ddea6627

[Zonie]

Environmental concerns probably played a big role as well.  The San Pedro watershed is one of the most ecologically diverse in North America - something like 300-400 different species of birds nest here.

[707]

I mean, that would make a lot of sense, considering the environmental attitudes around the Tucson vicinity. ADOT never got as far as to design the route through Cascabel, but given the geography of the area and SR 76 being on the eastern bank of the river, it's likely they'd have needed to blast a tunnel. Otherwise, you'd have to build a Dead Man's Curve or two more bridges across the San Pedro River. I can definitely see how the tunnel wouldn't fly.

Slight tangent, but coincidentally, ADOT logs and documents from the 70s and 80s show they were surveying and planned on extending SR 99 south to SR 260, making it a complete highway between Winslow and Heber. So we have two highways that were cancelled during planning and construction now.

[Konza]

The navigation system on my 2012 VW identified Pomerene Road as Arizona 76.

[707]

The navigation system on my 2012 VW identified Pomeranian Road as Arizona 76.

Yeah. Some maps still identify the old sections as SR 76. I've heard of cases where SR 487 was referenced, even though the Mormon Lake road was never commissioned and the SR 487 proposal cancelled.

In this case, it could possibly be explained by the fact ADOT still considers SR 76 an active signed designation by defacto, despite the fact it clearly isn't signed as well as the fact they no longer maintain the majority of the route. Veterans Memorial Boulevard between the ramps at the SR 77 interchange and a tiny fragment of Pomerene Road connecting I-10 Business to the north I-10 frontage road east of Benson are still owned and maintained by ADOT, being defined as SR 76 by GIS and SHS data. There are no signs up. I've been at the old southern terminus numerous times to confirm that. SR 76 still shows up under the "Non-SHS signed routes" data on the State Highway System map and GIS data. The tiny 0.02 mile section of Pomerene Road the state does maintain still shows up on the 2020 and 2021 ADOT Logs as SR 76, with both logs being the first time SR 76 showed up on official ADOT logs since 1988.

Best I can describe is the highway is by all realistic means, decommissioned, but ADOT's recognition of the road is in a state of perpetual limbo. If anyone knows of a more complicated state route in Arizona's history, please by all means, let me know, because I'm very convinced this has the most convoluted, debated and overall confusing history of any Arizona highway. Considering the fact the two sections between Pomerene and San Manuel were built and were and weren't SR 76 at the same time due to conflicting ADOT data before 1988, and the fact the route does and does not exist according to ADOT and local jurisdictions, plus decided to suddenly reappear on the SHS Log after a 22 year absence. I'm tempted to call it "Schroedinger's Highway". Don't even get me started on SR 176, because that's a headache in its own right.

[AzNate]

In this case, it could possibly be explained by the fact ADOT still considers SR 76 an active signed designation by defacto, despite the fact it clearly isn't signed as well as the fact they no longer maintain the majority of the route. Veterans Memorial Boulevard between the ramps at the SR 77 interchange and a tiny fragment of Pomerene Road connecting I-10 Business to the north I-10 frontage road east of Benson are still owned and maintained by ADOT, being defined as SR 76 by GIS and SHS data. There are no signs up. I've been at the old southern terminus numerous times to confirm that. SR 76 still shows up under the "Non-SHS signed routes" data on the State Highway System map and GIS data. The tiny 0.02 mile section of Pomerene Road the state does maintain still shows up on the 2020 and 2021 ADOT Logs as SR 76, with both logs being the first time SR 76 showed up on official ADOT logs since 1988.

The Non-SHS signed routes layer has a few other interesting marked, but unsigned segments since it also shows a bit of SR 153, SR 84 from Casa Grande to Eloy, SR 287 in Casa Grande, and if you turn off the US Routes layer, the segment of US 191 between 160 and Utah that is maintained by the BIA.

Another interesting quirk on the SHS map is that at one point there was supposedly a mile 1 marker on SR 76, though I was never able to find it on any GSV imagery.

Also, side note, if you don't mind, I'll add some of this information that you dug up about SR 76 to its page on my site (with credit back to this thread) since it's a pretty empty page that I've been meaning to add to.

[707]

In this case, it could possibly be explained by the fact ADOT still considers SR 76 an active signed designation by defacto, despite the fact it clearly isn't signed as well as the fact they no longer maintain the majority of the route. Veterans Memorial Boulevard between the ramps at the SR 77 interchange and a tiny fragment of Pomerene Road connecting I-10 Business to the north I-10 frontage road east of Benson are still owned and maintained by ADOT, being defined as SR 76 by GIS and SHS data. There are no signs up. I've been at the old southern terminus numerous times to confirm that. SR 76 still shows up under the "Non-SHS signed routes" data on the State Highway System map and GIS data. The tiny 0.02 mile section of Pomerene Road the state does maintain still shows up on the 2020 and 2021 ADOT Logs as SR 76, with both logs being the first time SR 76 showed up on official ADOT logs since 1988.

The Non-SHS signed routes layer has a few other interesting marked, but unsigned segments since it also shows a bit of SR 153, SR 84 from Casa Grande to Eloy, SR 287 in Casa Grande, and if you turn off the US Routes layer, the segment of US 191 between 160 and Utah that is maintained by the BIA.

Another interesting quirk on the SHS map is that at one point there was supposedly a mile 1 marker on SR 76, though I was never able to find it on any GSV imagery.

Also, side note, if you don't mind, I'll add some of this information that you dug up about SR 76 to its page on my site (with credit back to this thread) since it's a pretty empty page that I've been meaning to add to.

Sure! I don't mind at all. That's why I'm sharing the info. I'd like others to learn about it and for the information to be used. Please share as much as you can. When I can, I'll take photos of the road and send them over. I'll be doing a trip to document what exists of 76 in the near future.

By the way, I looked at your website. I recently put together a 1978 spec state highway shield, which would have been used up to about 1990 as far as photos prior to 1991 show. That might be a more accurate replacement.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arizona_76_1978.svg

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe they should consider reusing the AZ 76 designation, perhaps for one of those new freeways in the Phoenix area. The future Pinal North—South Freeway would be the perfect place to give the AZ 76 designation in my opinion.

[AzNate]

Sure! I don't mind at all. That's why I'm sharing the info. I'd like others to learn about it and for the information to be used. Please share as much as you can. When I can, I'll take photos of the road and send them over. I'll be doing a trip to document what exists of 76 in the near future.

By the way, I looked at your website. I recently put together a 1978 spec state highway shield, which would have been used up to about 1990 as far as photos prior to 1991 show. That might be a more accurate replacement.

Great, thanks, I'll put those pictures up on the SR 76 page when you do. Also, thanks for the route shield. I made all of my route shields based off what Wikipedia was showing before, which I'm guessing was the inaccurate modern design for 76.

Maybe they should consider reusing the AZ 76 designation, perhaps for one of those new freeways in the Phoenix area. The future Pinal North—South Freeway would be the perfect place to give the AZ 76 designation in my opinion.

I would agree that it would be nice to reuse the designation, except it seems like ADOT typically follows the East/West even and North/South odd designations with their route numbers, so I would probably guess a reuse of 63, 65, or 81 would be more likely... that or they decide on another seemingly random low number like 24 and 30.

[707]

It was the closest shield design to the 78 spec, plus the default used when older designs aren't available. I only recently was able to get a 78 spec made for wiki use.