U.S. Route 70 in Arizona

File:U.S. Route 70 End.jpg]]

U.S. Route 70 (US 70) begins in Globe at an intersection with US 60 and State Route 77 (SR 77). Both US 70 and SR 77 proceed southeast on Ash Street through the eastern side of Globe. Shortly after leaving town, SR 77 splits off and heads south towards Tucson, while US 70 continues southeast, then east, entering the San Carlos Indian Reservation. The highway parallels the Arizona Eastern Railway to Cutter, where the railroad curves northeast towards San Carlos. Cutter is also where US 70 has an intersection with the western terminus of Bureau of Indian Affairs Route 170 (BIA 170). From this point, US 70 continues east through isolated rolling hills, surrounded by mountains and thick desert brush. About {{convert|12|mi|km}} east of Cutter, US 70 intersects with BIA 170 again at an interchange in Peridot. The interchange also includes access to BIA 3, which is the main route to the Coolidge Dam. Past the interchange, US 70 crosses over the Arizona Eastern Railway and San Carlos River into Graham County.{{Google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/@32.9908395,-109.9102925,9.78z |title=Map of US 70 in Arizona |access-date=July 1, 2019}}

File:GrahamCountyCourthouse.jpg courthouse on US 70 in Safford]]

After entering Graham County, US 70 passes through more isolated desert terrain. The only notable location between Peridot and the Gila River is an intersection with BIA 8. Approximately {{convert|21|mi|km}} east of Peridot, US 70 crosses the Gila River over a bridge before meeting Coolidge Dam Road (BIA 3) at an intersection near Calva. Directly south of the intersection, the Arizona Eastern Railway once again parallels US 70 as does the Gila River. Southeast of the Coolidge Dam intersection, US 70 leaves the rugged stark terrain and enters the farmlands of the Gila River valley. The highway then heads east through the rural communities of Bylas and Fort Thomas before reaching the town of Pima. To the northwest of Pima, mile markers jump from 314 to 326. The milepost equation exists as a result of relocating the highway away from Coolidge Dam.{{cite web |last1=Rookhuyzen |first1=David |title=The case of US 70's missing 12 miles |url=https://azdot.gov/adot-blog/case-us-70s-missing-12-miles |website=Arizona Department of Transportation |publisher=ADOT |access-date=May 1, 2020 |date=May 29, 2019}} US 70 is the main street through Pima and is known locally as Center Street. East of Pima, US 70 passes through Central, then goes through the town of Thatcher as Main Street. Main Street curves southeast becoming Thatcher Boulevard as Thatcher transitions into the larger town of Safford, where US 70 makes a short half block jog to the south becoming 5th Street. At 1st Street, US 70 has a junction with US 191 at a traffic controlled intersection. US 70 and US 191 then head east in a concurrency out of Safford. East of Safford, the Globe branch of the Arizona Eastern Railway splits off from US 70 for the last time, heading southeast towards Bowie.

East of Safford, US 70 and US 191 continue east into Solomon. Sanchez Road in Solomon provides access to Safford Regional Airport, just north of the small community. Both highways then continue east past San Jose. San Jose is home to the Safford State Prison, located just northeast of current US 70 and US 191 on Old Highway 70. The Gila River also splits off from paralleling US 70 here and heads northeast towards the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area. Just southeast of San Jose, US 191 diverges from US 70 heading northeast towards Morenci and Springerville. US 70 proceeds east through flat empty terrain, before entering a small range of mountains, where it crosses into Greenlee County. Upon exiting the mountains, US 70 meets the Gila River and a different branch of the Arizona Eastern Railway in the town of Duncan. In Duncan, US 70 is known as Railroad Avenue. At Main Street, US 70 serves as the southern terminus of SR 75, which proceeds north, following the Gila River to Three Way. SR 73 also provides access to Virden Highway, which becomes New Mexico State Road 92. Southeast of Duncan, US 70 enters the hamlet of Franklin. Southeast of Franklin, the railroad goes in a separate direction towards Lordsburg, where US 70 curves east into New Mexico also heading towards Lordsburg.

In Arizona, US 70 has had two different routings in its history. Despite being one of the original U.S. Highways designated in 1926, US 70 only ran along its current alignment since 1935. Earlier in the highway's history, US 70 was designated further north than it is now, and served a small area of northeastern Arizona. The Globe–New Mexico route was previously numbered as US 180. Both alignments of US 70 also have preceding highways and trails that date back to the 19th century. After multiple reroutings and redesignations, the US 70 and US 180 designations have essentially switched routes.{{Google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/34.9016399,-110.1585588/34.1669392,-109.0467802/@34.5312339,-109.8900215,9.85z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d-109.597613!2d34.4781636!3s0x872f5789dbd04097:0x76b1b82ec9ac7aae!1m0!3e0|title=Old Holbrook to Springerville Highway|access-date=July 26, 2019}}

{{Distinguish|text = U.S. Route 180, the current highway using this number}}

{{Infobox road small

|header_type=former

|state=AZ

|type=US 1926

|route=180

|location=Florence Junction to New Mexico

|length_mi=179.9

|length_ref={{cite ADOT map|year=1935|access-date=July 10, 2019}}

|formed=1926

|deleted=1935

}}

{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=right|frame-width=264|frame-lat=32.98|frame-long=-110.23|zoom=7|from=U.S. Route 180 (1926-1935) in Arizona.map|type=line|stroke-width=3|text=Map showing the final route of US 180 highlighted in red. US 70, its modern counterpart, is highlighted in grey underneath US 180 for comparison.}}

U.S. Route 180 (US 180) was the original U.S. Highway designation between Globe and the New Mexico state border near Virden. Being one of the original U.S. Highways established in 1926, it was the first child route of US 80 to be designated. The route was originally designated in 1909 when the Arizona Territorial Legislature established a territorial road system under the management of the Territorial Engineer. The Yuma–Duncan Territorial Road ran between Yuma in the west and the New Mexico territorial line near Duncan. Despite being a territorial designated road, improvements to the two existing territorial roads was slow due to low funding. No improvements were made to the Yuma–Duncan Road between 1909 and 1912, with all funding going towards the Grand Canyon–Duncan Territorial Road between the Grand Canyon area and Douglas. In 1912, Arizona Territory was granted statehood, which changed the organization of the Territorial Road System into the new State Highway System.{{cite web |url=https://www.azdot.gov/docs/media/read-arizona%27s-transportation-history-in-its-entirety-.pdf |title=Arizona Transportation History |publisher=Arizona Department of Transportation |work=Technical Report |date=December 2011 |access-date=August 24, 2018 |author1=Pry, Mark |author2=Andersen, Fred |pages=61–67 |archive-date=August 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809034819/https://azdot.gov/docs/media/read-arizona%27s-transportation-history-in-its-entirety-.pdf |url-status=dead }} The Yuma–Duncan route became part of the transcontinental Southern National Highway auto trail in 1913. In 1914, Arizona's highway system was further reorganized into a better-funded and organized network of early state highways. The Yuma–Duncan route between Globe and New Mexico was added to the newly designated Roosevelt Dam Highway. The rest of the new route ran from Mesa to Globe via the Apache Trail (now SR 88).

In 1919, the Roosevelt Dam Highway became a northern branch of the Lee Highway auto trail. Due to the popularity of the Lee Highway, the state-designated Roosevelt Dam name became largely forgotten by the traveling public. Between 1917 and 1921, the route from Solomonsville to Geronimo was paved. It along with the Borderland Highway between Bisbee and Douglas became the first two paved state highways in Arizona. With a second reorganization of the state highway system in 1921 due in part to newly available federal funding, the eastern section of the Roosevelt Dam Highway was redesignated by the state to become part the Phoenix–Globe–Rice Highway and the entirety of the Rice–Safford–Duncan Highway. By this point, a previously existing more direct route between San Jose and Duncan had been added as a branch of the Rice–Safford–Duncan Highway. In 1924, funding allocated by Federal Aid Project No. 15 allowed the state to improve the conditions of the Phoenix–Globe–Rice Highway between Globe and Geronimo. Both the Phoenix–Globe–Rice Highway and Rice–Safford–Duncan Highway were designated as the new US 180 on November 11, 1926. With the establishment of Arizona's own highway numbering system on September 9, 1927, the US 180 designation was officially recognized by the State Highway Department and the earlier state designations were dropped.

File:Coolidge Dam (64471).jpg.]]

At first, US 180 was a mostly unpaved highway, save for the aforementioned section between Geronimo and Solomonsville. The entire route was at least graded with most of it being of an improved surface other than true pavement. A new section of US 180 was also under construction to bypass the route between Cutter and Rice (now San Carlos). The new route would go over the Coolidge Dam around the new San Carlos reservoir.{{cite ADOT map|link=no|year=1928|access-date=July 2, 2019}} Construction of the dam itself was approved by the United States Congress on June 7, 1924. The purpose of the dam was to help solve water issues plaguing the Apache people living within the San Carlos Indian Reservation. Heavy irrigation of the Gila River for farming upstream had greatly decreased the amount of water available in the river to the Apache Nation. Construction of the Coolidge Dam was started in January 1927 and completed in October 1928. Water retaining began on November 15, 1928, and was placed under management of the San Carlos Project, a division of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).{{Cite web |last=Kipple |first=Frank P. |date=1977 |title=The Hydrologic History of the San Carlos Reservoir, Arizona, 1929–71 with Particular Reference to Evapotranspiration and Sedimentation |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0655n/report.pdf |type=Geological Survey Professional Paper |location=Washington DC |publisher=United States Geological Survey |access-date=July 26, 2019}}

{{multiple image

| align = right

| direction = vertical

| header = Historical US 70 route markers

| width = 100

| image1 = US 70 Arizona 1926.svg

| alt1 = US 70 route marker

| caption1 = 1926 design

| image2 = US 70 Arizona 1958 East.svg

| alt2 = US 70 route marker

| caption2 = 1956 design (Eastbound)

| image3 = US 70 Arizona 1958 West.svg

| alt3 = US 70 route marker

| caption3 = 1956 design (Westbound)

| image4 = US 70 (AZ 1960 east).svg

| alt4 = US 70 route marker

| caption4 = 1960 design (Eastbound)

| image5 = US 70 (AZ 1960 west).svg

| alt5 = US 70 route marker

| caption5 = 1960 design (Westbound)

| image6 = US 70 1963 (AZ).svg

| alt6 = US 70 route marker

| caption6 = 1963 design

| image7 = US 70.svg

| alt7 = US 70 route marker

| caption7 = 1971 design (used after 1991)

}}

At first, construction of the dam faced massive opposition from the Apache Nation as a tribal burial ground was within the area of the proposed reservoir. Exhumation of any human remains was out of the question, as the Apache people considered it desecration. The BIA therefore constructed a concrete slab over the burial ground allowing the BIA and Apache Nation to reach a compromise.{{cite book |title=Arizona, The Grand Canyon State: A State Guide|year=1966|publisher=US History Publishers |isbn=978-1-60354-003-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mB9Sm6JCnAQC|author=Federal Writers' Project |page=14}} By 1929, US 180 had been re-routed onto the new alignment over the Coolidge Dam. The section of former US 180 between Rice and a point northwest of Geronimo was abandoned from the state highway system. SR 73, which had previously ended at US 180 in Rice, was extended west over former US 180 to end at the new highway in Cutter.{{cite ADOT map|link=no|year=1929|access-date=July 2, 2019}} Due to limited state funding, the new alignment wasn't paved, but was instead oiled down to provide some stability and rigidity. Approximately {{convert|23.5|mi|km|abbr=off}} was oiled between Globe and Safford at a cost of $88,904. A large amount of the oiling and construction cost was reimbursed by the federal government.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34452294/us_180_realignment_over_coolidge_dam/ |title=Coolidge Dam Highway Work Ends In April |date=December 29, 1929 |work=Arizona Republic |access-date=July 31, 2019 |page=63 |via=Newspapers.com}}

US 180 was paved from Globe to the Pinal County line near the Coolidge Dam by 1930. Besides the already paved segment of highway near Safford, the rest of the highway was surfaced with a lesser improved material, save for a section between Duncan and the New Mexico border, which wasn't surfaced, but was at least graded.{{cite ADOT map|link=no|year=1930|access-date=August 24, 2018}} Several sections of US 180 were graded and improved with oil surfacing in 1931 under five separate labor projects in both Gila County and Graham County. Most of this work was done between the Coolidge Dam area and Geronimo, costing over $100,000. The total amount of road reconstructed was at least {{convert|15|mi|km|abbr=off}} in length.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34452622/highway_construction_projects_in/ |title=News of County and Vicinity |date=June 5, 1931 |work=Casa Grande Dispatch |access-date=July 31, 2019 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}} Later in 1931, US 180 was fully paved between the Gila–Pinal County line to Calva to an area west of Geronimo. When US 60 was extended west to California through Arizona the same year, both highways shared a concurrency between Globe and the US 180's western terminus in Florence Junction.{{cite ADOT map|link=no|year=1931|access-date=July 27, 2019}} Since US 60 wasn't completed between Globe and Springerville yet, US 180 was concurrent with US 60T (the temporary route of US 60) between Globe and Cutter. US 60T then followed SR 73 northeast from Cutter to Springerville. Paving from Solomonville to the New Mexico state line was completed in 1932. By November 20, 1932, over {{convert|183|mi|km|abbr=off}} of US 180 was surfaced with either pavement or an oiled surface.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/116817222/ |title=U.S. Highway 180 Penetrates Farming and Mining Districts |date=November 20, 1932 |work=Arizona Republic |access-date=July 31, 2019 |page=47 |via=Newspapers.com}} By 1934, the entirety of US 180 between Globe and New Mexico was now paved. New Mexico had also paved part of its section of US 180 between the Arizona Border and Lordsburg.{{cite ADOT map|link=no|year=1934|access-date=July 27, 2019}} In October 1934, two bridges were widened on US 180 near Solomonville and two new bridges on the highway were also constructed.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/163540982/ |title=Arizona Briefs |date=October 18, 1934 |work=Arizona Daily Star |access-date=July 31, 2019 |agency=Associated Press |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}

{{see also|U.S. Route 60 in Arizona}}

US 70 was originally designated in Arizona on November 11, 1926. The route started at US 66 in Holbrook, and ran south to Concho, then east to St. Johns, where the highway turned south again to Springerville, then due east into New Mexico to Clovis, and eventually, its eastern terminus in Beaufort, North Carolina.{{cite map |author1=Bureau of Public Roads |author-link=Bureau of Public Roads |author2=American Association of State Highway Officials |author2-link=American Association of State Highway Officials |date= November 11, 1926 |title= United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials |url= https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_System_of_Highways_Adopted_for_Uniform_Marking_by_the_American_Association_of_State_Highway_Officials.jpg |scale=1:7,000,000 |location=Washington, DC |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |oclc=32889555 |access-date=November 7, 2013 |via=Wikimedia Commons |name-list-style=amp}} Prior to 1926, the Arizona portion of US 70 had been a section of Beale's Wagon Road and the National Old Trails Road.{{Cite web |url=https://azdot.gov/docs/default-source/planning/cultural_good_roads_everywhere.pdf |title=Good Roads Everywhere |last1=Keane |first1=Melissa |last2=Brides |first2=J. Simon |date=May 2003 |website=Cultural Resource Report Report |publisher=Arizona Department of Transportation |access-date=August 25, 2018}} On June 8, 1931, US 70 between Holbrook and Clovis was replaced by US 60 and a newly designated US 260.{{cite ADOT map|link=no|year=1932|access-date=July 2, 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/us-666-beast-highway |title=U.S. Route 666: "Beast of a Highway"? |last=Weingroff |first=Richard |date=June 18, 2003 |publisher=Federal Highway Administration |access-date=August 3, 2019}} US 70 was given a new routing between Clovis and El Paso, Texas via Alamogordo, New Mexico.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34224937/albuquerque_journal/ |title=Alamogordo To Be On No. 70 Transcontinental Highway |date=July 2, 1931 |work=Alamogordo News |access-date=July 25, 2019 |agency=Roswell Record |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} US 70 continued to end in El Paso until June 17, 1935, when the highway was re-routed over US 180, retiring the latter route.{{ADOT res|ASHD=yes|date=June 17, 1935|year=1935|P|300|access-date=October 15, 2019|text=Re-designate all of S.R. 180 across Arizona as U.S. 70 from Duncan to Ehrenberg only}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/164160337/ |title=Highway 70 is Routed via Phoenix |date=November 5, 1935 |work=Arizona Daily Star |access-date=August 1, 2019 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}} Nationally, US 70 was re-routed west of Hondo, New Mexico through Carrizozo, San Marcial and Hot Springs to Caballo, New Mexico. From there, US 70 replaced all of US 180 between Caballo, New Mexico and Florence Junction, Arizona. US 70 also ran entirely concurrent with US 60 from Globe into California to a junction with US 99 near Mecca, California. The old route to El Paso became part of US 54. This not only moved the western terminus of US 70 from El Paso to California, but also reintroduced US 70 to the state of Arizona after 4 years of absence.{{cite map |title = Oregon Road Map |map = Western United States Road Map |year = 1935 |url = https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~24577~900062:Oregon-road-map-?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:1935%20Road%20Map;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=5&trs=9 |scale = 1:6,336,000 |publisher = Standard Oil Company of California |cartography = H.M. Goshua Company |location = Chicago, Illinois |access-date = August 1, 2019 |via = David Rumsey Map Collection }} In later years, US 180 would also be re-introduced to Arizona, coincidentally taking over the former route of US 70 between Holbrook and New Mexico.

File:Arizona - Duncan through Gila Bend - NARA - 23933675.jpg

Some adjustments were made to the new routing of US 70 between 1935 and 1936, moving the highway between Hondo and Lordsburg in New Mexico further south through Alamogordo, Las Cruces and Deming.{{Cite news |title=Highway 70 – Ordered Rerouted Through Four New Mexico Towns |date=July 6, 1935 |work=El Paso Times |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/433177977/ |access-date=August 1, 2019}} US 70 in California was also extended west over US 60 and US 99 to downtown Los Angeles.{{Cite map |title= Road Map of California |author=California Department of Highways |year=1936 |edition=1936–1937 |scale=c. 1:1,874,880 |location=Chicago |publisher=Rand McNally |page=2 |inset=Los Angeles and Vicinity |url=https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239593~5511895:-Verso--Road-Map-of-the-State-of-Ca?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:where%3DCalifornia%20when%3D1936;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=13&trs=15 }} This meant that both US 60 and US 70 were now entirely concurrent each other west of Globe, Arizona to a shared western terminus.{{cite ADOT map |link=no |year=1936|access-date=July 27, 2019}} Despite the route being changed through New Mexico and California, US 70 remained mostly unaltered through Arizona until the mid 1950s.{{cite map |url=http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~212030~5500188:Shell-Highway-Map-of-Arizona-?sort=Date&qvq=w4s:/what/Automobile/where/Arizona;q:Arizona;sort:Date;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=10&trs=12 |title=Shell Highway Map of Arizona |year=1956 |author2=H.M. Gousha Company |author1=Shell Oil Company |location=Chicago |publisher=Shell Oil Company |scale=1:1,330,560 |via=David Rumsey Map Collection |access-date=March 31, 2015}} In 1936, the overall length of US 70 in Arizona was {{convert|396|mi|km|abbr=off}}, including both the standalone section between Globe and New Mexico and the section entirely concurrent with US 60 between Globe and the Colorado River in Ehrenberg. The Arizona Republic newspaper advertised US 70 as the shortest route across southern Arizona, claiming it was at least {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=off}} shorter than any other highway crossing the state of Arizona laterally.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/117138955/ |title=Highway 70 Is Short Route |date=November 22, 1936 |work=Arizona Republic |access-date=August 1, 2019 |page=121 |via=Newspapers.com}} On June 21, 1937, SR 77 was extended south to Oracle Junction, establishing a short concurrency with US 70 between Globe and an intersection just west of Cutter.{{Cite web |url=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/158901 |title=History of the Arizona State Highway Department |publisher=Arizona State Highway Department and United States Public Roads Administration |date=June 1939 |type=Historic Record |format=PDF |via=Arizona Memory Project |access-date=2023-10-18}} In 1939, US 666 was extended south to Douglas from New Mexico, establishing a concurrency with US 70 between Safford and San Jose.{{cite ADOT map|link=no|year=1939|access-date=July 27, 2019}}

Following the end of World War II in Europe, the Arizona State Highway Department released its postwar highway improvement and construction plans to the press on May 26, 1945. Among the many proposed improvement projects was construction of a new alignment of US 70 between Cutter and Safford, Arizona. The new route was proposed to run around the north side of the San Carlos Reservoir and bypass the Coolidge Dam.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/116882298/ |title=Postwar Planning Revealed |date=May 27, 1945 |work=Arizona Republic |access-date=August 1, 2019 |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} On May 29, 1950, the Highway Department initially budgeted $550,000 to begin the new construction project.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/17456446/ |title=Ask 25 Million As Budget For Highway Work |date=May 30, 1950 |work=Tucson Daily Citizen |access-date=August 1, 2019 |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} The allocated funds would go towards building the first segment of the Coolidge Dam bypass from Cutter to Peridot.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/117060183/ |title=How Proposed Highway Funds Would Be Spent |date=June 3, 1951 |work=Arizona Republic |access-date=August 1, 2019 |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}} By December 1951, the new route from Cutter to Peridot was under construction by a private contractor from Globe. The Cutter to Peridot project along with the remaining proposed route was estimated to cost a total of $6 Million when complete and would eliminate 11 miles off the length of US 70.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/117595621/ |title=Highway 70 Unkinked |date=December 30, 1951 |work=Arizona Republic |access-date=August 1, 2019 |page=9 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Construction on the section from Cutter to Peridot was nearing completion in April 1953 with a bridge over Gilson Wash on the route being the last segment under construction.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/116878518/ |title=Bridge On Cutoff Near Completion |date=April 2, 1953 |work=Arizona Republic |access-date=August 1, 2019 |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com}} By late 1953, the section between Cutter and Peridot was completed but unpaved. The route was also not yet signed as a state highway. The remainder of the highway between Peridot and Geronimo was now under construction.{{cite map |title = State Highway Department Road Map of Arizona 1953–1954 |year = 1953 |scale = 1:1,458,268 |publisher = Arizona Highway Commission |cartography = Rand McNally & Co. |section = G6 |location = Chicago, Illinois }} Construction and improvement on the new route was still undergoing by February 1956, with the bridge over the Gila River and paving of the new route scheduled to be completed by late May.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/51575502/ |title=Highway Commission to Open Bids on Construction Projects |date=February 23, 1956 |work=Arizona Silver Belt |access-date=August 1, 2019 |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}} By December 5, 1956, the new section of US 70 had been opened to traffic and the designation re-routed to the newer alignment. The original route over the Coolidge Dam was subsequently abandoned by the State Highway Department.{{ADOT res|ASHD=yes|link=no|date=December 5, 1956|year=1956|P|461|access-date=October 15, 2019|text=Abandon portion of hwy from Cutter to Bylas by way Coolidge Dam}} Although the older route is in very rough shape, former US 70 over the Coolidge Dam remains open to car traffic and is now maintained by the BIA as BIA Route 3. The new route was dedicated in an opening ceremony on December 8.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/116753889/ |title=Development Board To Meet In Globe |date=November 28, 1956 |work=Arizona Republic |access-date=August 1, 2019 |page=18 |via=Newspapers.com}}

During the 1960s, the days of US 70 being a full transcontinental highway came to an end. During the 1964 California State Highway Renumbering, the US 70 designation eliminated entirely from the state of California, placing the national western terminus of the highway at the Arizona border on the Colorado River in Ehrenberg.{{cite CAstat|year=1963|ch=385}} On February 13, 1969, US 70 was further truncated to US 60 in Globe, where its western terminus remains to this day.{{ADOT res|ASHD=yes|link=no|date=February 13, 1969|year=1969|P|101|access-date=October 15, 2019|text=Delete U.S. 70 designation overlapping U.S.60 & 66 from Cal. state ln to jct. U.S. 60 in Globe.}} Today, former US 70 between Ehrenberg and Globe is now part of Interstate 10, US 60 and several city and county maintained roads. The remaining section of US 70 has remained mostly unchanged since 1956. Despite its truncation, US 70 remains an important artery between Globe and Safford for the San Carlos Indian Reservation, providing the reservation with an adequate connection to the rest of the state. It also continues to serve as both the main street and through route for the towns of Duncan and Safford. Today, US 70 between the New Mexico state line and US 60 in Globe is designated as part of the Old West Highway, a tourist route established by the Old West History Association in 1994. The Old West Highway designation also extends west from Globe along US 60 to Apache Junction, and east along US 70, across the state line, to Lordsburg.{{Cite magazine |last=Moulton |first=Candy |date=October 1994 |title=Old West Highway – Through History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4eoCAAAAMBAJ |magazine=American Cowboy |location=Wichita, KS |volume=1 |issue=3 |page=16 |access-date=September 27, 2019}}

{{jcttop|state=AZ|length_ref={{ADOT log|year=2013|access-date=July 1, 2019}}{{efn|Mile markers begin at {{convert|252.14|mi|km|abbr=on}} as US 70 previously extended into California. Mile marker 0 is on I-10 at the California-Arizona state line in Ehrenberg.}}}}

{{AZint

|type=concur

|county=Gila

|cspan=3

|location=Globe

|lspan=2

|mile=0.00

|road={{jct|state=AZ|US|60|SR|77|dir2=north|city1=Globe|city2=Phoenix|city3=Show Low|city4=Springerville}}

|notes=Western terminus of US 70; western end of SR 77 concurrency; highway continues as US 60 west (Ash Street)

}}

{{AZint

|type=concur

|mile=2.06

|road={{jct|state=AZ|SR|77|dir1=south|city1=Winkelman|city2=Tucson}}

|notes=Eastern end of SR 77 concurrency

}}

{{AZint

|location=Peridot

|mile=19.18

|road={{jct|state=AZ|BIA|3|dir1=south|name1=Coolidge Dam Road|BIA|170|dir2=west|city1=San Carlos|location2=Coolidge Dam}}

|notes=Interchange via connector road; eastern terminus of BIA 170; former SR 170; northern terminus of BIA 3

}}

{{Jctbridge

|river=San Carlos River

|mile=19.40

|bridge=Bridge

}}

{{AZint

|county=Graham

|cspan=2

|type=concur

|location=Safford

|mile=76.27

|road={{jct|state=AZ|US|191|dir1=south|name1=1st Avenue|city1=Willcox}}

|notes=Western end of US 191 concurrency

}}

{{AZint

|type=concur

|location=none

|mile=86.32

|road={{jct|state=AZ|US|191|dir1=north|city1=Clifton}}

|notes=Eastern end of US 191 concurrency

}}

{{AZint

|county=Greenlee

|cspan=2

|location=Duncan

|mile=115.75

|road={{jct|state=AZ|SR|75|dir1=north|name1=Main Street|location1=Virden New Mexico}}

|notes=Southern terminus of SR 75

}}

{{AZint

|location=none

|mile=122.08

|road={{jct|state=NM|US|70|dir1=east|city1=Lordsburg}}

|notes=Continuation into New Mexico

}}

{{jctbtm|keys=concur}}

{{notelist}}

• {{Portal-inline|U.S. roads}}
• {{Portal-inline|Arizona}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}

• {{commons category-inline|U.S. Route 70 in Arizona}}
• [https://www.usends.com/70.html End of US Highway 70 – US Ends.com]
• [https://www.aaroads.com/guides/us-070-az/ U.S. 70 – Arizona Guides – AARoads]
• [https://www.arizonaroads.com/us/us70.html US 70 – Arizona Roads]
• [https://www.arizonaroads.com/us/us180.html US 180 – Arizona Roads]

{{state detail page browse|type=US|route=70|state=Arizona|statebefore=|stateafter=New Mexico}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:U.S. Route 70 In Arizona}}

Category:Transportation in Gila County, Arizona

Category:Transportation in Graham County, Arizona

Category:Transportation in Greenlee County, Arizona

Arizona

70