U.S. Route 70 marker
U.S. Route 70
Route information
Maintained by ADOT
Length122.08 mi[1] (196.47 km)
Existed1926–present
Major junctions
West end US 60 at Globe
East end US 70 at the New Mexico state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
CountiesGila, Graham, Greenlee
Highway system
  • Arizona State Highway System
SR 69 SR 71

U.S. Route 70 (US 70) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs 2,385 miles from Globe, Arizona to Atlantic, North Carolina. In Arizona, the road runs east-west from an intersection with US 60 in Globe to the New Mexico state line near Duncan. The 122.08 miles (196.469 km) of US 70 that lie in Arizona are maintained by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). US 70 serves the towns of Globe and Safford.

Route description

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In Arizona, US 70 traverses 122.08 miles (196.469 km) of southwestern Arizona. It travels through mostly rural desert land, interrupted only by a few small towns. The highway begins at an intersection with US 60 concurrent with Arizona State Route 77 in Globe.[1] US 70 travels southeast out of Globe, concurrent with SR 77 for just over 2 miles.[2] The highway follows the Arizona Eastern Railway for about 6 miles from Globe to San Carlos.[3] Near its eastern intersection with Indian Route 170, US 70 passes the San Carlos Apache Airport before continuing southeast through Peridot and entering Graham County.[4][5]

The highway winds southeast through Bylas, where it begins to follow the railway again.[3][6] Continuing southeast, the road winds through the towns of Pima, Central, Thatcher, and Safford.[6][7] In Safford, the highway picks up a concurrency with US 191.[7] Just east of Safford, US 70 passes through the small community of Solomonville. About 3 miles east of Solomonville, the highway passes just south of the Arizona Department of Corrections' Safford facility. Signs along the roadway warn motorists not to pick up hitchhikers near the prison.[8] The US 191 concurrency ends just east of the prison.

Route 70 continues east through rural desert land for about 28 miles before reaching Duncan, Arizona in Greenlee.[9] From Duncan, the highway continues southeast and crosses into New Mexico.

History

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At its original designation,

Major intersections

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County Location[1] Mile[1] Junction Notes
Gila Globe 0.00   US 60
  SR 77
Western terminus
West end of SR 77 concurrency
2.06   SR 77 East end of SR 77 concurrency
San Carlos 19.07   SR 170 (Indian Route 170) [10]
Graham Pima 67.55 Main Street
Safford 76.27   US 191 West end of US 191 concurrency
86.32   US 191 East end of US 191 concurrency
Greenlee Duncan 115.75   SR 75
122.08   US 70 Continuation into New Mexico

References

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  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Roadway Inventory" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 09, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ "Globe Urban Area Functionally Classified Roads" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. 2005. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Gila County Rail Passenger Study" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. January 2009. p. 16, 17. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  4. ^ "Fort Apache, San Carlos Reservations Functionally Classified Roads" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. 2005. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  5. ^ "Facility Inventory, San Carlos Apache Airport" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "Graham County Functionally Classified Roads" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. 2005. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Safford Area Functionally Classified Roads" (PDF). Arizona Department of Transportation. 2010. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  8. ^ "U.S. Highway 70". AARoads. November 18, 2007. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  9. ^ "Greenlee County Functionally Classified Roads". Arizona Department of Transportation. 2005. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  10. ^ "U.S. Route 70, US-191 to SR 77". Retrieved July 10, 2012.