Gates Pass
{{Short description|Mountain pass in the Tucson Mountains, Arizona}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox mountain pass
|name=Gates Pass
|photo=File:Gates Pass Park2.JPG
|photo_caption=Saguaro at Gates Pass
|map=Arizona
|map_caption=The pass is located in Pima County
|coords = {{coord|32.2222985|N|111.10093|W|type:pass|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_ft=3169
|elevation_ref={{cite gnis|id=4964|name=Gates Pass|accessdate=July 22, 2014}}
|traversed=Gates Pass Road
|location={{flag|Arizona}}
{{USA}}
|range=Tucson Mountains
|topo=USGS Cat Mountain
}}
File:Looking Down Toward Tucson From Gates Pass 1940.jpg
Gates Pass is a mountain pass along the crest of the Tucson Mountains. The road through the pass is a scenic route west of Tucson, Arizona. The road from the east is West Anklam Road which merges with West Speedway Boulevard in the city just east of North Camino De Oeste. West of the pass the road is known as Saguaro Road and continues until it reaches Kinney Road just north of Old Tucson.Cat Mountain, Arizona, 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1996Brown Mountain, Arizona, 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1996 The elevation of the pass is {{convert|3172|ft}}.
The road is lined with scenic overlooks, and is an area where locals and tourists come to watch the sunset.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A01EEDD1E30F930A35752C1A960958260 Tucson – New York Times]
History
The road through Gates Pass was started in 1883 by Thomas Gates, in a search for a shortcut through the Tucson Mountains; Gates was a local pioneer, and a saloon and ranch keeper.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100919220544/http://cactuslovers.com/arizona24.jpg Article title]}} {{Bare URL image|date=March 2022}} He purchased the land in order to build this road.
According to a December 2000 traffic study, the road carried approximately 3100 cars daily.{{Cite web |url=http://redorbit.com/news/technology/262552/gates_pass_set_to_open_today/index.html |title=Gates Pass Set to Open Today - Technology - redOrbit |access-date=2008-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810092723/http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/262552/gates_pass_set_to_open_today/index.html |archive-date=2011-08-10 |url-status=dead }}
Gates Pass was featured in David Leighton's popular series, "Street Smarts," in the Arizona Daily Star on Jan. 1, 2013.
Safety
Gates Pass has been considered an extremely dangerous road due to a slope that occurs midway through the route, with 58 wrecks reported between 1996 and 2001. In late 2005, a project was undertaken to improve the safety of the road, which included widening and a temporary closure. This project was named the third best road project in the country for the year 2006 in Roads and Bridges Magazine.{{Cite web |url=http://www.psomas.com/main.cfm?&projDetail=1&thesection=projects&projView=service&thesubsection=03Transportation&thepage=06Gates%20Pass%20Safety%20Improvements.html |title=PSOMAS ENGINEERING – Trusted Expertise |access-date=2008-04-01 |archive-date=2011-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715125419/http://www.psomas.com/main.cfm?&projDetail=1&thesection=projects&projView=service&thesubsection=03Transportation&thepage=06Gates%20Pass%20Safety%20Improvements.html |url-status=dead }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Gates+Pass,+arizona&sll=40.694175,-73.930264&sspn=0.059871,0.158443&ie=UTF8&ll=32.249829,-111.092205&spn=0.066782,0.158443&z=13&layer=c&cbll=32.222683,-111.100657&cbp=1,0,,0,5 Gates Pass on Google Maps with Street View mode]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQPfWpQpLHw&mode=related&search= YouTube video of ride along Gates Pass]
- [http://www.gpana.info Gates Pass Area Neighborhood Association]
- [http://azstarnet.com/news/local/street-smarts-gates-paid-for-road-himself-to-speed-trip/article_72bead2f-dfde-5915-ad00-cd9598ca1a78.html David Leighton, Street smarts: Gates paid for road himself to speed trip, Arizona Daily Star, Jan. 1, 2013]
Category:Transportation in Tucson, Arizona
Category:Hiking trails in Arizona
Category:Landmarks in Tucson, Arizona
Category:Tourist attractions in Pima County, Arizona
Category:Protected areas of Arizona