U.S. Route 60 in Arizona

This article is about the section of U.S. Route 60 in Arizona. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 60.

U.S. Route 60 (US 60) is an east–west United States Highway within Arizona. The highway runs for 369 miles (594 km) from a junction with Interstate 10 near Quartzsite to the New Mexico state line near Springerville. As it crosses the state, US 60 overlaps at various points: I-17, I-10, SR 77, SR 260, US 191, and US 180. Between Wickenburg and Phoenix, the route is known as Grand Avenue (or the Phoenix–Wickenburg Highway). From Tempe to Apache Junction, it is known as the Superstition Freeway.

U.S. Route 60
US 60 highlighted in red US 60X highlighted in blue
Route information
Maintained by ADOT
Length	369.30 mi (594.33 km)
Existed	June 8, 1931–present
Tourist routes	Gila–Pinal Scenic Road Historic US 80
Major junctions
West end	I-10 in Brenda
Major intersections	US 93 at Wickenburg Loop 303 in Surprise Loop 101 in Peoria Northern Parkway in Glendale I-17 in Phoenix I-10 from Phoenix to Tempe Loop 101 in Tempe Loop 202 in Mesa US 70 / SR 77 in Globe US 180 / US 191 near Springerville
East end	US 60 at New Mexico state line
Location
Country	United States
State	Arizona
Counties	La Paz, Maricopa, Pinal, Gila, Navajo, Apache
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Arizona State Highway System Interstate US State Proposed Former
← SR 51 US 60 → SR 61 ← SR 347 SR 360 → SR 364

View east along Route 60, Mesa

Route description

I-10 to Wickenburg

The western terminus of US 60 is located at an interchange with I-10 near the community of Brenda east of Quartzite. It heads northeast from this junction to Vicksburg Junction where it curves towards the east. It continues to the east to Hope where it intersects SR 72. East of Hope, the highway briefly curves towards the north-northeast through the Granite Wash Pass before curving towards the northeast. It continues this direction until it reaches Aguila. The highway heads east to an intersection with SR 71 after passing through Aguila. US 60 continues towards the east until it reaches Wickenburg and an intersection with US 93. From Wickenburg, the highway heads towards the southeast towards Phoenix. It has an intersection with SR 74 in Morristown as it continues towards the southeast.

Grand Avenue

Main article: Phoenix metropolitan area arterial roads § Grand Avenue

As US 60 enters the Phoenix metropolitan area, It intersects Loop 303 in Surprise where it becomes Grand Avenue as it continues southeast. It continues to a junction with Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) in Peoria before heading through Glendale. The highway enters the Phoenix city limits and continues towards the southeast until it reaches an interchange with 27th Avenue near Thomas Road.

Improvements to the Grand Avenue portion of US 60, which were included in the Maricopa Association of Governments' 20-year Regional Transportation Plan, have been made. Among such improvements is the reducing of many of the busiest six-legged intersections to four-legged intersections by constructing overpasses, underpasses, and access roads.

US 60 Marker

I-17/I-10 concurrencies

After briefly heading south along 27th Avenue, US 60 turns left onto Thomas Road for 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) until it reaches I-17. At I-17 the highway begins to run concurrently with I-17 towards the south. It passes through an I-10 interchange known as "The Stack." US 60 continues to run concurrent with I-17 around the Durango Curve and continues east until it again reaches I-10 at the interchange known as "The Split." US 60 begins to run concurrently towards the east with I-10 after the interchange. Along the freeway, US 60 passes along the south side of the airport and over a bridge traversing the Salt River. Once over the river, the freeway continues towards Tempe to an interchange with SR 143. The freeway curves back towards the south following the SR 143 interchange.

Superstition Freeway

After the curve, I-10 and US 60 part ways in Tempe, with I-10 continuing towards the south and US 60 now heading east along the Superstition Freeway. The freeway continues towards the east to a second interchange with Loop 101 (Price Freeway).

Loop 101 and US 60 interchange in Tempe

The freeway enters Mesa city limits after the interchange as it continues towards the east to the SuperRedTan interchange with Loop 202. The freeway enters the city limits of Apache Junction in Pinal County as it continues eastbound. The freeway portion of the highway ends in Apache Junction as US 60 curves towards the southeast.

Apache Junction to the state line

US 60 Marker

The highway continues towards the southeast passing through Gold Canyon to an interchange with SR 79 at Florence Junction. US 60 curves towards the east at this junction as it heads to Superior and an interchange with SR 177. From Superior the highway begins to head towards the northeast to Miami and Claypool. It continues to a junction with SR 188 before passing through Midland City and turning towards the south towards Globe. US 60 curves back towards the east in Globe and continues to an intersection with US 70 and SR 77. US 60 heads northeast from the intersection concurrent with SR 77. The two highways curve towards the north before curving back towards the northeast as they head towards Show Low. As the highway continues towards the northeast it enters the San Carlos Indian Reservation. Within the reservation, the highway goes through a series of hairpin turns as it enters the Salt River Canyon. After descending into the canyon, the highway passes over the Salt River and enters the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. The highway continues towards the northeast and enters Navajo County before reaching an intersection with SR 73. It continues northeast from this intersection to the city of Show Low.

In Show Low, US 60 intersects SR 260 and briefly runs concurrently with SR 260 as it heads northeast through the city. The concurrency with SR 77 also ends in Show Low as SR 77 heads north to Snowflake and US 60 continues towards the east. US 60 leaves the Show Low city limits and heads east to a junction with SR 61 which heads northeast towards Concho. US 60 continues east from this intersection before curving towards the southeast as it heads towards Springerville.

As it enters the Springerville city limits, it intersects and begins to run concurrently with US 180 and US 191. The three highways continue along the same alignment through Springerville, passing over the Little Colorado River. As the three highways continue through the city, they eventually split with US 180 and US 191 heading south towards Alpine and US 60 continuing towards the east. US 60 continues towards the east leaving the Springerville city limits and crossing over the state line into New Mexico.

History

State Route 74
Location	Ehrenberg to Wickenburg
Length	111.20 mi (178.96 km)
Existed	1927–1931

State Route 360
Location	Tempe to Apache Junction
Length	26.41 mi (42.50 km)
Existed	1970–1992

In 1927, what is now US 60 was signed as or roughly followed by SR 74 between the California border near Ehrenburg and Wickenburg, US 89 from Wickenburg to Florence Junction, US 80 from Phoenix to Florence Junction, US 180 from Florence Junction to Globe and US 70 between Springerville and the New Mexico border. The segment of highway between Springerville and Globe had not been constructed yet. US 60 was extended into Arizona on June 8, 1931, from its original western terminus at US 66 in Springfield, Missouri. While what is now US 60 was under construction between Globe and Springerville, US 60 was temporarily routed down SR 73 as US 60T through San Carlos and McNary. The current route through Show Low was completed sometime between 1935 and 1938. US 60 through Arizona has had far fewer major changes than some other U.S. routes, but one notable example is being replaced by Interstate 10 between Los Angeles, California, and the highway's current terminus near Quartzsite. (The Arizona section of this route was decommissioned in 1982.)

US 60 is now the only U.S. Route to serve Phoenix. US 70 (decommissioned 1969), US 80 (decommissioned 1977) and US 89 (decommissioned 1992) have all been truncated outside of Phoenix. The only other major change was being realigned from an "in-town" route along city arterials through Mesa, Tempe, and Phoenix to the old SR 360 alignment a few miles south and merging with I-10 and I-17 into Downtown Phoenix.

The Pinto Creek Bridge in 1955.

In 1949, the Pinto Creek Bridge won an Annual Award of Merit for being the "most beautiful steel bridge", given by the American Institute of Steel Construction.

In 1952, the Claypool Tunnel was bypassed by the Queen Creek Tunnel to the north, upgrading from a simple “hole in the rock”-type tunnel to a more modern tunnel.

Recent improvements

US 60 shield used from 1926 to 1955

In recent years, Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has been working to widen and improve US 60 through the Metropolitan Phoenix area, as it is one of the area's principal freeways. Along the Superstition Freeway segment in the East Valley between I-10 and Loop 202, ADOT has completed its project of adding additional general purpose lanes (five total plus an HOV lane in each direction), adding auxiliary lanes between exits, improving sound barriers, replacing signs, improving lighting conditions, adding rubberized asphalt to reduce noise, adding variable message signs, installing cameras, and adding traffic sensors. A new partial interchange at Meridian Road, along the Maricopa–Pinal county line, opened in October 2015.

Directional colored shields found on US 60 in Arizona during the 1950s.

Along the Grand Avenue segment in Phoenix, ADOT has been widening portions of Grand Avenue in addition to constructing additional overpasses and underpasses at six former six-way intersections to improve traffic flow along US 60 in the Northwest Valley.

ADOT is currently in the study phase of adding additional lanes between Loop 101 and Loop 303 in the far West Valley.

Future

Due to rapid growth in the far eastern Phoenix suburbs within Pinal County and increasing road congestion in the Gold Canyon area, ADOT has begun to study potential freeway-grade realignments of US 60 past the current eastern terminus of the Superstition Freeway in Apache Junction. The new freeway alignment would bypass the existing at-grade section of US 60 through Gold Canyon, and would either rejoin the existing alignment southeast of town (in the vicinity of the Arizona Renaissance Festival grounds) or at the newly constructed freeway-grade junction with SR 79 at Florence Junction.

Major junctions

County	Location	mi	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
La Paz	Brenda	30.89	49.71		I-10 – Phoenix, Los Angeles	Exit 31 on I-10; I-10 west is former US 60 / US 70 west
	Hope	49.55	79.74		SR 72 west – Parker	Eastern terminus of SR 72
Maricopa	Aguila	86.07	138.52		SR 71 north – Prescott	Southern terminus of SR 71
	Wickenburg	110.24	177.41		Washington Street	Interchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		110.27	177.46		Museum, Parking	Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance; serves Desert Caballeros Western Museum
		110.33	177.56		US 93 north – Kingman, Las Vegas	Roundabout; southern terminus of US 93
	Morristown	120.11	193.30		SR 74 east to I-17	Western terminus of SR 74
	Sun City West	138.48	222.86		Loop 303 (Bob Stump Memorial Parkway)	Exit 119 on Loop 303
	Surprise	142.75	229.73		Bell Road	Interchange; left exits and entrances
	Peoria	148.90	239.63		Loop 101 south (Agua Fria Freeway)	Exit 11 on Loop 101
		149.23	240.16		To Loop 101 north – Glendale	Access via 91st Avenue; exit 11 on Loop 101
		151.97	244.57		Olive Avenue / 75th Avenue	Interchange with Olive Avenue; at-grade intersection with 75th Avenue
	Glendale	153.35	246.79		67th Avenue / Northern Avenue	Interchange with 67th Avenue; at-grade intersection with Northern Avenue; future Northern Parkway west
		154.74	249.03		Tunnel underneath 59th Avenue / Glendale Avenue intersection
		155.41	250.11		55th Avenue north to Maryland Avenue	Interchange; westbound exit and entrance
		156.21	251.40		51st Avenue / Bethany Home Road	Interchange with 51st Avenue; at-grade intersection with Bethany Home Road
	Glendale–Phoenix line	157.40– 157.59	253.31– 253.62	157	43rd Avenue / Camelback Road	Interchange; 43rd Avenue is former SR 69
	Phoenix	159.01	255.90	159	Indian School Road / 35th Avenue	Currently a traffic-light interchange with Indian School Road and at-grade intersection with 35th Avenue; to be reconfigured into an underpass with ramps to/from the 35th Avenue/Indian School Road intersection above
		160.09	257.64		Grand Avenue southeast – Downtown Phoenix	Interchange; left exit eastbound; left entrance westbound; US 60 (east) splits from Grand Avenue, which becomes unsigned US 60X east; exit 160 on US 60X; former US 60 / US 70 east / US 89 / SR 93 south
		201.945	324.999		I-17 north (Black Canyon Freeway north) – Flagstaff	Western end of I-17 concurrency; exit 201 on I-17
		200.885	323.293	200B	McDowell Road / Van Buren Street	Exit numbers follow I-17; no signage for Van Buren Street westbound
		200.589	322.817	200A	I-10 – Central Phoenix, Los Angeles	Exit 143 on I-10
		199.706	321.396	199B	Adams Street / Van Buren Street	Westbound exit and entrance only
		199.555	321.153		Jefferson Street	Eastbound exit only
		199.165	320.525	199A	Grant Street / Buckeye Road (Historic US 80)	No westbound signage for Buckeye Road
		198.843	320.007	198	Buckeye Road (Historic US 80)	Westbound exit only
		197.943	318.558	197	Durango Street / 19th Avenue	No westbound signage for Durango Street
				Durango Curve; Black Canyon Freeway transitions to Maricopa Freeway
		196.938	316.941	196	7th Avenue / Central Avenue	No westbound signage for Central Avenue
		195.935	315.327	195B	7th Street / Central Avenue	No eastbound signage for Central Avenue
		194.920	313.693	195A	16th Street	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		168.28	270.82	194	I-17 ends / I-10 west (Inner Loop) – Los Angeles, Sky Harbor	Southern terminus of I-17; no exit number westbound; eastern end of I-17 concurrency, western end of I-10 concurrency; I-10 exits 150 (east) & 150A (west)
		149.94	241.31	150B	24th Street	Exit numbers follow I-10; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		150.77	242.64	Salt River bridge
		151.50	243.82	151	University Drive / 32nd Street
		152.39	245.25	152	40th Street
	Phoenix–Tempe line	153.38	246.84	153A	SR 143 north (Hohokam Expressway) / 48th Street south / Broadway Road – Sky Harbor Airport	Signed as exit 153 eastbound; Broadway Road not signed westbound; exits 1A-B on SR 143
	Tempe			153C	SR 143 north	Planned HOV interchange; to be westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		153.75	247.44	153B	Broadway Road / 52nd Street	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		171.63	276.21	—	I-10 east (Maricopa Freeway east) – Tucson	Eastern end of I-10 concurrency; exit 154 on I-10
				Western end of Superstition Freeway (former SR 360)
		172.52	277.64	172	Priest Drive	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		173.67	279.49	173	Mill Avenue
		174.42	280.70	174	Rural Road
		175.41	282.30	175	McClintock Drive
		176.44– 176.47	283.95– 284.00	176A	Loop 101 south (Price Freeway)	Exits 55A-B on Loop 101
	Tempe–Mesa line			176B	Loop 101 north (Price Freeway)
		177.43	285.55	177	Dobson Road
	Mesa	178.41	287.12	178	Alma School Road
		179.41	288.73	179	SR 87 (Country Club Drive) – Chandler
		180.36	290.26	180	Mesa Drive
		181.41	291.95	181	Stapley Drive
		182.40	293.54	182	Gilbert Road
		184.39	296.75	184	Val Vista Drive
		185.39	298.36	185	Greenfield Road
		186.38	299.95	186	Higley Road
		187.87	302.35	187	Superstition Springs Boulevard	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		188.38	303.17	188	Power Road
		189.38	304.78	189	Sossaman Road	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		190.42– 190.60	306.45– 306.74	190	Loop 202	SuperRedTan Interchange; signed as exits 190A (north) and 190B (south) eastbound; exits 30A-B on Loop 202
		191.39	308.01	191	Ellsworth Road
		192.39	309.62	192	Crismon Road
		193.40	311.25	193	Signal Butte Road
Maricopa–Pinal county line	Mesa–Apache Junction line	194.41	312.87	194	Meridian Road	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Pinal	Apache Junction	195.41	314.48	195	Ironwood Drive
		196.41	316.09	196	SR 88 east (Idaho Road)
		197.41	317.70	197	Tomahawk Road
		198.41	319.31	198	Goldfield Road (Historic US 80)	Western end of Historic US 80 concurrency
		199.17	320.53	199	Old West Highway (Historic US 80 west)	Westbound exit only; former US 60 / US 70 / US 80 west / US 89 north
		199.44	320.97		Mountain View Road	Eastern end of Superstition Freeway (former SR 360); traffic light westbound
	Gold Canyon			205	SR 24 west (Gateway Freeway)	Planned interchange
	Florence Junction	212.27	341.62	212	Historic US 80 east / SR 79 – Florence, Tucson	Interchange; eastern end of Historic US 80 concurrency; former US 80 / US 89
	Superior	226.87	365.11	227	SR 177 south – Kearny, Winkelman	Interchange; northern terminus of SR 177
Gila	Globe	247.04	397.57		SR 188 north (Apache Trail) – Roosevelt	Southern terminus of SR 188; former SR 88 west
		250.76	403.56		Maple Street	Interchange via connector road
		252.05	405.64		US 70 east / SR 77 south (Ash Street east) – Safford, Winkelman	Western end of SR 77 concurrency; western terminus of US 70
Navajo	​	318.14	512.00		SR 73 east	Western terminus of SR 73
	Show Low	339.72	546.73		SR 260 west (Clark Road) – Heber-Overgaard	Western end of SR 260 concurrency
		341.69	549.90		SR 260 east (White Mountain Road) – Pinetop-Lakeside, Springerville	Eastern end of SR 260 concurrency
		342.25	550.80		SR 77 north (Penrod Road) – Holbrook	Eastern end of SR 77 concurrency
Apache	Bell	353.16	568.36		SR 61 north – St. Johns	Southern terminus of SR 61
	Springerville	384.45	618.71		US 180 west / US 191 north – St. Johns	Western end of US 180/US 191 concurrency
		387.83	624.15		Mountain Avenue to SR 260 – Eagar	Serves White Mountain Regional Medical Center
		388.69	625.54		US 180 east / US 191 south – Alpine	Eastern end of US 180/US 191 concurrency
	​	401.97	646.91		US 60 east – Socorro	Continuation into New Mexico
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access       Route transition       Unopened

Notes

Related route

U.S. Route 60X
Location	Phoenix, Arizona
Length	1.47 mi (2.37 km)
Existed	1992–present

U.S. Route 60X(1)
Location	Mesa, Arizona
Length	5.99 mi (9.64 km)
Existed	1992–present

An unsigned U.S. Route 60X is also listed by ADOT and is divided into two discontinuous segments, both of which are located within Maricopa County in the Phoenix area. Both sections of US 60X were portions of the pre-freeway alignment of US 60 between Apache Junction and central Phoenix.

US 60X begins near Grand Avenue and Thomas Road at exit 160, where US 60 leaves Grand Avenue for Thomas Road. It then follows Grand Avenue southeast over I-17/US 60, terminating at an intersection with 18th Avenue and Willetta Street.

The eastern segment of US 60X picks up at Sossaman Road, traveling east across Main Street/Apache Trail, crossing Loop 202 and Ellsworth Road before terminating at Meridian Drive, at the Pinal County line.

Major intersections

The eastern segment of US 60X has posted mile markers that likely correspond to the former alignment of US 60.

Western section

The entire route is in Phoenix, Maricopa County.

mi	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
0.000	0.000		Grand Avenue northwest (US 60 west)	Continuation beyond western terminus of US 60X
		160	27th Avenue (US 60 east) to Thomas Road	Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
0.56	0.90		24th Drive to I-17 north	Right-in/right-out interchange; westbound exit and entrance only
1.31	2.11		McDowell Road / 19th Avenue to I-10 east	Access to I-10 via 19th Avenue south
1.47	2.37		18th Avenue / Willetta Street	Eastern terminus of US 60X; road continues southeast as Grand Avenue
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Incomplete access

Eastern section

The entire route is in Mesa, Maricopa County.

mi	km	Destinations	Notes
189.01	304.18	Main Street west (Historic US 80 west) / Sossaman Road	Western terminus of US 60X(1); west end of Historic US 80 concurrency; road continues as Main Street (Historic US 80)
190.71– 190.79	306.92– 307.05	Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway)	Loop 202 exits 27 (south) and 28 (north)
194.00	312.21	Apache Trail (Historic US 80 east) / Meridian Drive	Eastern terminus of US 60X(1); east end of Historic US 80 concurrency; road continues into Pinal County as Apache Trail (Historic US 80)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

See also

• U.S. roads portal
• Arizona portal
• SuperRedTan Interchange
• Superstition Mountains
• Roads and freeways in metropolitan Phoenix

External links

Template:Attached KML/U.S. Route 60 in Arizona

KML is from Wikidata

• Media related to U.S. Route 60 in Arizona at Wikimedia Commons