The City of Tucson rises from the hot desert. Situated at the junction of Interstates 10 and 19, Tucson is the gateway to the interior of Mexico as well as a stop along transcontinental Interstate 10 between Los Angeles and Jacksonville.
Interstate 10 is the main east-west connection through Tucson. Sweeping into town from the northwest, Interstate 10 skirts the western and southern edges of downtown before meeting Interstate 19. Quickly pushing out of town, Interstate 10 continues east en route to eastern Arizona and southern New Mexico.
Interstate 19 connects Tucson with Old Mexico via historic U.S. 89 and Nogales.
Oracle Road
Arizona 77 is old U.S. 80-89 north of Tucson, leading from the Miracle Mile exit from Interstate 10 (Exit 255) north to the Navajo Indian Reservation north of Holbrook.
Southbound Arizona 77 approaching Miracle Mile. Although not signed here, Miracle Mile carries Arizona 77 to its southern terminus at Junction Interstate 10 in north Tucson. At one time, Miracle Mile used to carry Business Loop I-80, but when the section of Arizona 77 (and former U.S. 80-89 before it) along North Oracle Road was decommissioned and removed from the state system, the business route was also eliminated. Photo taken 05/24/03.
Photographs
Ajo-Tucson
Highway
Arizona 86 is the Ajo-Tucson Highway (Ajo Way within the city limits). It starts at its junction with Arizona 85 in Why and ends at its junction with Business Loop I-19 (South Sixth Avenue) in Tucson.
Eastbound Arizona 86 at Junction Interstate 19 Northbound in Tucson. Note the use of Interstate 10 shields, since northbound Interstate 19 feeds directly into Interstate 10. Photo taken 05/24/03.
Eastbound Arizona 86 at Junction Interstate 19 Southbound in Tucson. Interstate 19 leads south to Green Valley and Nogales. Photo taken 05/24/03.
Westbound Arizona 86 approaching Junction Interstate 19 after its eastern terminus at Business Loop I-19. Note the use of metric distances, which is common for Interstate 19. Photo taken 05/24/03.
Westbound Arizona 86 at Junction Interstate 19 northbound to Junction Interstate 10. Photo taken 05/24/03.
Westbound Arizona 86 at Junction Interstate 19 southbound. Arizona 86 continues west to Why and Ajo. Photo taken 05/24/03.
Arizona 210 is the Aviation Highway, a divided highway with some controlled access between Broadway Boulevard near Downtown and Golf Links Road near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Photographs
Interstate 710 (defunct) - Kino
Parkway
Tucson has a sordid history of canceled freeways, one of which is proposed but unconstructed Interstate 710. Interstate 710 was to follow Kino Parkway from Interstate 10 north to the Aviation Parkway (Arizona 210) near the University of Arizona. Rather than constructing a divided highway to Interstate standards, Kino Parkway is built to expressway standards, with an interchange at Arizona 210. Kino Parkway is not a state-maintained facility.
Northbound Kino Parkway after the traffic signal at unsigned Business Loop I-10/Tucson-Benson Highway. This parkway was to have become Interstate 710, but the parkway was built instead along the alignment of Campbell Avenue. Photo taken 05/24/03.
After the completion of Interstate 10 in Tucson, a business route was designated through downtown Tucson via Miracle Mile (Arizona 77), Oracle Road, Stone Avenue, and Sixth Avenue. This business route followed the route of Historic U.S. 80-89 from Miracle Mile south to Interstate 10, but it was decommissioned in the mid-1990s when the state remanded maintenance of the road to the city of Tucson.
Southbound Stone Avenue at 6th Avenue. Photo taken 05/24/03.
Southbound Stone Avenue entering downtown Tucson. Photo taken 05/24/03.
Southbound Stone Avenue at Pennington Street at downtown Tucson. Photo taken 05/24/03.
