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112-472: In the U.S. state of Arizona , Interstate 10 ( I‑10 ), the major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States Sun Belt , runs east from California , enters Arizona near the town of Ehrenberg and continues through Phoenix and Tucson and exits at the border with New Mexico near San Simon . The highway also runs through the cities of Casa Grande , Eloy , and Marana . Segments of
224-537: A gunman shot congresswoman Gabby Giffords and 18 others at a gathering in Tucson. Giffords was critically wounded. The incident sparked national attention regarding incendiary political rhetoric. Three ships named USS Arizona have been christened in honor of the state, although only USS Arizona (BB-39) was so named after statehood was achieved. Arizona is in the Southwestern United States as one of
336-521: A Japanese invasion of the U.S. West Coast (which in fact materialized in the Aleutian Islands Campaign in June 1942), from 1942 to 1945, persons of Japanese descent were forced to reside in internment camps built in the interior of the country. Many lost their homes and businesses. The camps were abolished after World War II. The Phoenix-area POW camp site for Germans was purchased after
448-518: A Spanish Franciscan , became the first European to contact Native Americans. He explored parts of the present state and made contact with native inhabitants, probably the Sobaipuri . The expedition of Spanish explorer Coronado entered the area in 1540–1542 during its search for Cíbola . Few Spanish settlers migrated to Arizona. One of the first settlers in Arizona was José Romo de Vivar . Father Kino
560-568: A channel over millions of years, and is about 277 miles (446 km) long, ranges in width from 4 to 18 miles (6 to 29 km) and attains a depth of more than 1 mile (1.6 km). Nearly two billion years of the Earth 's history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut through layer after layer of sediment as the Colorado Plateau uplifted. Arizona is home to one of
672-730: A divine hero to the Pima people of the Gila River Valley . It was probably considered – and rejected – for its sentimental value before Congress settled on the name "Arizona".) Brigham Young , leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City in Utah , sent Mormons to Arizona in the mid- to late 19th century. They founded Mesa , Snowflake , Heber , Safford , and other towns. They also settled in
784-403: A dry heat from 90 to 120 °F (32 to 49 °C), with occasional high temperatures exceeding 125 °F (52 °C) having been observed in the desert area. Arizona's all-time record high is 128 °F (53 °C) recorded at Lake Havasu City on June 29, 1994, and July 5, 2007; the all-time record low of −40 °F (−40 °C) was recorded at Hawley Lake on January 7, 1971. Due to
896-568: A four-lane freeway in the median to follow. The route was originally called the Tucson Limited Access Highway and the Tucson Freeway . Construction on the bypass began on December 27, 1950. The first section of bypass artery, from Congress Street north to Miracle Mile West, was opened on December 20, 1951 but had no overpasses or interchanges at Grant Road (then DeMoss-Petrie Road), Speedway Boulevard or St. Mary's Road. It
1008-512: A freeway to I-10 at the Alvernon Way interchange. The project will be done in 18 phases with two phases already receiving some funding. The project is expected to cost $ 1.2 billion. I-10 on the north side of Tucson will also be widened from three to four lanes in each direction between Ina Road to 22nd Street. Construction for this started in March 2022 and is expected to last until 2025. In April 2023,
1120-421: A long history and gestation period. The road was first planned in 1957 as SR 143 as part of the 1960 Phoenix Freeway plan as a collector road for traffic from the east side of Phoenix , as well as a proposed eastern exit from Sky Harbor Airport . The present-day interchange with Interstate 10 was for 48th Street, completed in 1967 as part of the original I-10 freeway construction through the southeast sections of
1232-431: A new exit at 125, and Fairway Drive has a new exit at 130. The road from Casa Grande to Tucson was originally SR 84 and SR 93, and when it was rebuilt as a freeway in 1961–1962 it was cosigned as I‑10 and routes 84 and 93 through 1966, when 84 was truncated at Picacho. This section of interstate was completed in 1961, and forced the demolition of the town center at Marana . The freeway through Tucson , which
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#17328593811701344-654: A total metropolitan population of just over 4.7 million. The average high temperature in July, 106 °F (41 °C), is one of the highest of any metropolitan area in the United States, offset by an average January high temperature of 67 °F (19 °C), the basis of its winter appeal. Tucson , with a metro population of just over one million, is the state's second-largest city. Located in Pima County , approximately 110 miles (180 km) southeast of Phoenix, it
1456-528: A visual gash across central Phoenix. Beginning in 1961, a stub of what is now the Inner Loop portion of I‑10 was built northward from the Maricopa Freeway (then I‑10) along 20th Street, ending 0.5 miles (0.80 km) north at Buckeye Road. This stub was originally designated I-510. The Inner Loop name was given to it in 1969, at which time the highway changed numbers, to I-410. The I-10/I-510 interchange
1568-795: Is considered as relatively vulnerable to climate change, which can make six of Arizona`s 15 counties uninhabitable for humans by the years 2040-2060. This was the cautionary warning made by a December 2020 study released by ProPublica and Rhodium Group. Phoenix , in Maricopa County , is Arizona's capital and largest city. Other prominent cities in the Phoenix metro area include Mesa (Arizona's third largest city), Chandler (Arizona's fourth largest city), Glendale , Peoria , Buckeye , Sun City , Sun City West , Fountain Hills , Surprise , Gilbert , El Mirage , Avondale , Tempe , Tolleson and Scottsdale , with
1680-486: Is home to a diverse population. About one-quarter of the state is made up of Indian reservations that serve as the home of 27 federally recognized Native American tribes , including the Navajo Nation , the largest in the state and the country, with more than 300,000 citizens. Since the 1980s, the proportion of Hispanics has grown significantly owing to migration from Mexico and Central America. A substantial portion of
1792-599: Is in Arizona. The Mogollon Rim ( / ˌmoʊ gəˈyoʊn / ), a 1,998-foot (609 m) escarpment , cuts across the state's central section and marks the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau. In 2002, this was an area of the Rodeo–Chediski Fire , the worst fire in state history until 2011. Located in northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon is a colorful, deep, steep-sided gorge, carved by the Colorado River . The canyon
1904-606: Is less well known for its pine-covered north-central portion of the high country of the Colorado Plateau (see Arizona Mountains forests ). Like other states of the Southwest United States, Arizona is marked by high mountains, the Colorado plateau, and mesas. Despite the state's aridity, 27% of Arizona is forest, a percentage comparable to modern-day Romania or Greece. The world's largest stand of ponderosa pine trees
2016-587: Is now considering a reliever freeway in West Phoenix, parallel to I-10 on the old Durango Street corridor, and was originally designated as Route 801, which has since been changed to SR 30 . The original 1962 alignment of I-10 through Phoenix was on the Black Canyon and Maricopa Freeways, now signed as I-17 and US 60, starting at about Grand Avenue. From 1962 to 1974, I‑10 in Phoenix ended at 40th Street, and truck traffic through Phoenix and Mesa
2128-641: Is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and is largely contained in the Grand Canyon National Park – one of the first national parks in the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of designating the Grand Canyon area as a National Park, often visiting to hunt mountain lion and enjoy the scenery. The canyon was created by the Colorado River cutting
2240-529: Is one of the hottest cities in the United States, with an average July high of 107 °F (42 °C). For comparison, the same month's average in Death Valley is 115 °F (46 °C). The city features sunny days about 90% of the year. The Yuma Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of 160,000. Yuma attracts many winter visitors from all over the United States. Arizona State Route 143 Arizona State Route 143 , also known as SR 143 and
2352-740: Is the widest section of freeway in the valley . Construction is underway (as of July 2021) to widen the Broadway Curve area. After exiting the Phoenix metropolitan area, I‑10 continues southward into Casa Grande intersecting I‑8 before heading southeast towards Tucson , paralleling the Santa Cruz River . Several projects have occurred recently, including construction of a new exit at Twin Peaks Road in Marana and widening of I‑10 from Prince Road to I-19 in Tucson to four lanes in each direction, which
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#17328593811702464-547: The 14th-most-populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix , which is the most populous state capital in the United States. Arizona is the 48th state and last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the Union, achieving statehood on February 14, 1912. Historically part of the territory of Alta California and Nuevo México in New Spain , it became part of independent Mexico in 1821. After being defeated in
2576-531: The Arizona Legislature enacted the Stupid Motorist Law . It is rare for tornadoes or hurricanes to occur in Arizona. Arizona's northern third is a plateau at significantly higher altitudes than the lower desert, and has an appreciably cooler climate, with cold winters and mild summers, though the climate remains semiarid to arid. Extremely low temperatures are not unknown; cold air systems from
2688-551: The Colorado Plateau ; mountain ranges (such as the San Francisco Mountains ); as well as large, deep canyons , with much more moderate summer temperatures and significant winter snowfalls. There are ski resorts in the areas of Flagstaff , Sunrise , and Tucson . In addition to the internationally known Grand Canyon National Park , which is one of the world's seven natural wonders , there are several national forests , national parks , and national monuments . Arizona
2800-533: The Four Corners states. Arizona is the sixth largest state by area , ranked after New Mexico and before Nevada . Of the state's 113,998 square miles (295,000 km ), approximately 15% is privately owned. The remaining area is public forest and parkland, state trust land and Native American reservations. There are 24 National Park Service maintained sites in Arizona, including the three national parks of Grand Canyon National Park , Saguaro National Park , and
2912-572: The Hohokam Expressway , is a north–south and access-controlled freeway in Maricopa County , Arizona, that runs from a junction with Interstate 10 at 48th Street in Phoenix to McDowell Road. The only other major junction along the 3.93-mile (6.32 km) route is with Loop 202 , which is located one half-mile south of McDowell Road and the northern terminus. The road lies directly to the east of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport . Along with
3024-454: The Kingdom of Spain and its Spanish Empire in 1821, what is now Arizona became part of its Territory of Nueva California , ("New California"), also known as Alta California ("Upper California"). Descendants of ethnic Spanish and mestizo settlers from the colonial years still lived in the area at the time of the arrival of later European-American migrants from the United States. During
3136-547: The Mexican–American War (1847–1848), the U.S. Army occupied the national capital of Mexico City and pursued its claim to much of northern Mexico, including what later became Arizona Territory in 1863 and later the State of Arizona in 1912. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) specified that, in addition to language and cultural rights of the existing inhabitants of former Mexican citizens being considered as inviolable,
3248-479: The Mexican–American War , Mexico ceded much of this territory to the United States in 1848, where the area became part of the territory of New Mexico . The southernmost portion of the state was acquired in 1853 through the Gadsden Purchase . Southern Arizona is known for its desert climate, with very hot summers and mild winters. Northern Arizona features forests of pine, Douglas fir , and spruce trees;
3360-512: The O'odham name alĭ ṣonak , meaning ' small spring ' . Initially this term was applied by Spanish colonists only to an area near the silver mining camp of Planchas de Plata, Sonora . To the European settlers, the O'odham pronunciation sounded like Arissona . The area is still known as alĭ ṣonak in the O'odham language. Another possible origin is the Basque phrase haritz ona '
3472-473: The Petrified Forest National Park . Arizona is well known for its desert Basin and Range region in the state's southern portions, which is rich in a landscape of xerophyte plants such as the cactus . This region's topography was shaped by prehistoric volcanism , followed by the cooling-off and related subsidence . Its climate has exceptionally hot summers and mild winters. The state
Interstate 10 in Arizona - Misplaced Pages Continue
3584-597: The Phoenix Valley (or "Valley of the Sun"), Tempe , Prescott , and other areas. The Mormons settled what became northern Arizona and northern New Mexico. At the time these areas were in a part of the former New Mexico Territory . During the nineteenth century, a series of gold and silver rushes occurred in the territory, the best known being the 1870s stampede to the silver bonanzas of Tombstone, Arizona , in southeast Arizona, also known for its legendary outlaws and lawmen. By
3696-530: The Sky Harbor Expressway (former SR 153), SR 143's primary purpose is to provide East Valley residents with access to Sky Harbor from westbound Interstate 10 and US 60 . This removes the need to travel longer on frequently congested I-10 and avoid the junction with Interstate 17's southern terminus. The Hohokam Expressway begins at an intersection with McDowell Road in Phoenix . The freeway continues southward to an ornately designed junction with
3808-561: The Southwestern region of the United States , sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado , New Mexico , and Utah . Its other neighboring states are Nevada to the northwest and California to the west. It also shares an international border with the Mexican states of Sonora and Baja California to the south and southwest. It is the 6th-largest and
3920-628: The Territory of New Mexico from 1850 until the southern part of that region seceded from the Union to form the Territory of Arizona . This newly established territory was formally organized by the federal government of the Confederate States on Saturday, January 18, 1862, when President Jefferson Davis approved and signed An Act to Organize the Territory of Arizona , marking the first official use of
4032-530: The valley such as the Tempe and Chandler suburbs. The final design was released in 1974, when SR 143 was not yet a freeway, but a parkway with traffic signals and intersections . The design portrayed the new parkway leaving Interstate 10 north along 48th Street corridor, then angling across the Salt River to reach 44th Street where it was planned to end at Washington Street When it opened in 1978, it included
4144-461: The "Moreland Corridor" alignment of the Papago Freeway by adopting a route south of Buckeye Road. In 1983, ADOT unveiled the current below grade plans on Moreland Street, three blocks south of McDowell Road. Despite some local opposition, I-10 was finally completed in central Phoenix on the Inner Loop alignment, 0.75 miles (1.21 km) north of Van Buren Street , on August 10, 1990. The state
4256-475: The 1920s for Phoenix-Los Angeles traffic, but mostly abandoned after US 60/US 70 was built to the north, through Wickenburg. The Brenda Cutoff's opening on June 18, 1973 was eagerly awaited and was a big deal in newspapers in Phoenix and Los Angeles. It saved motorists from having to drive through Glendale, Sun City, Wickenburg and Salome, about 20 miles (32 km) out of the way, and it eliminated about 80 miles (130 km) of two-lane highway. But
4368-540: The Brenda Cutoff those first few years. The freeway was extended past Tonopah as far east as Phoenix's western fringes (at Cotton Lane) in about 1974. I-10's freeway section ended in Goodyear until the controversial Papago Freeway was finished across the western Valley of the Sun in 1990. During the "west valley gap" years, westbound I-10 traffic was routed off the Maricopa Freeway at 19th Avenue in Phoenix, and stayed on
4480-471: The Broadway Curve, the freeway turns southward again, with US 60 splitting off to become its own freeway. I‑10 continues southward running along the city borders of Phoenix on the west, and Tempe, Guadalupe , Tempe again, and finally Chandler on the east. Immediately north of the Gila River Indian Community , I‑10 has its third and final intersection with Loop 202. Past Loop 202,
4592-450: The Japanese flower gardens until the last link between Tucson and Phoenix opened in about 1972. From 1958 to 1972, the interstate was unmarked south from Tempe and Mesa , and traffic used either SR 87 through Coolidge or SR 93 through Casa Grande, or US 80/US 89 through Mesa and Florence. I‑10 signs reappeared at the town of Picacho, the 1962–1970 western terminus of
Interstate 10 in Arizona - Misplaced Pages Continue
4704-667: The Loop 101 interchange in Tolleson. Construction is planned to begin in 2025 and be completed in 2027. In 2011, ADOT started a study to improve the I-10 in the Tucson area. In December 2020, ADOT released final design concept report that will widen I-10 by two to four lanes from the I-19 to Kolb Road interchanges. Several interchanges will be reconfigured with exit 264 being replaced. SR 210 will also be extended as
4816-516: The Orange Grove Road interchange was closed by ADOT as part of the project. This and the Sunset Road interchange will be closed until at least late 2024. Arizona Arizona ( / ˌ ær ɪ ˈ z oʊ n ə / ARR -iz- OH -nə ; Navajo : Hoozdo Hahoodzo [hoː˥z̥to˩ ha˩hoː˩tso˩] ; O'odham : Alĭ ṣonak [ˈaɭi̥ ˈʂɔnak] ) is a state in
4928-657: The Pacific Ocean during the winter and a monsoon in the summer. The monsoon season occurs toward the end of summer. In July or August, the dewpoint rises dramatically for a brief period. During this time, the air contains large amounts of water vapor . Dewpoints as high as 81 °F (27 °C) have been recorded during the Phoenix monsoon season. This hot moisture brings lightning , thunderstorms , wind, and torrential, if usually brief, downpours. These downpours often cause flash floods , which can turn deadly. In an attempt to deter drivers from crossing flooding streams,
5040-451: The Pantano railroad overpass was too low. This underpass and section of former US 80 was originally constructed between 1952 and 1955 to replace the older more dangerous route over the 1921 Ciénega Bridge . The Marsh Station Road interchange was replaced in 2011, with the railroad mainline rerouted in 2012 and the railroad overpass removed in 2013. The remainder of the old US 80 section
5152-486: The Phoenix metropolitan area. Situated in pine tree forests at an elevation of about 5,500 feet (1,700 m), Prescott enjoys a much cooler climate than Phoenix, with average summer highs around 88 °F (31 °C) and winter temperatures averaging 50 °F (10 °C). Yuma is the center of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Arizona. Located in Yuma County , it is near the borders of California and Mexico. It
5264-469: The Red Mountain portion of Loop 202 . Commuters are then allotted access to Sky Harbor International Airport prior to the Salt River crossing. The southern half of SR 143 begins with the original interchange with University Drive, and then one with Interstate 10 and US 60 . After these two interchanges, the freeway ends by transitioning into 48th Street, a surface street. The Hohokam Expressway has
5376-557: The Southern Pacific overpass was signed as Business Loop 10, SR 84, and SR 93 in the 1960s. It is now marked as the southern leg on SR 77, the new designation for US 80/US 89 north out of Tucson. The Business Loop designation was dropped in 1998. The present-day I‑10 alignment along the Santa Cruz River was laid out after a city bond issue passed in 1948 to build a riverbank-side boulevard with room for
5488-550: The Spanish term Árida Zona ' Arid Zone ' is considered a case of folk etymology . For thousands of years before the modern era, Arizona was home to many ancient Native American civilizations. Hohokam , Mogollon , and Ancestral Puebloan cultures were among those that flourished throughout the state. Many of their pueblos, cliffside dwellings, rock paintings and other prehistoric treasures have survived and attract thousands of tourists each year. In 1539, Marcos de Niza ,
5600-694: The access road as it curved past the Durango Curve. Los Angeles-bound traffic then turned left on Buckeye Road and followed the "TO 10" signs down Buckeye Road (first marked US 80 until 1977, then SR 85 ) for nearly 15 years. The interstate's route through Phoenix was hotly contested in the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s. A plan proposed by the Arizona Department of Transportation involved monstrous block-sized 270-degree "helicoil" interchanges at Third Avenue and Third Street that would connect motorists to freeway lanes 100 feet (30 m) in
5712-461: The air, but voters killed it in 1973 as a result of opposition from the Arizona Republic newspaper and a growing nationwide anti-freeway sentiment. Voters on election day were treated to a photo depiction on the front page of the newspaper that in later years was shown to have drastically overstated the freeway's height, but there is no question the proposed viaducts and helicoils would have been
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#17328593811705824-600: The chance to take part in the flavor and activities of the "Old West". Several upscale hotels and resorts opened during this period, some of which are still top tourist draws. They include the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in central Phoenix (opened 1929) and the Wigwam Resort on the west side of the Phoenix area (opened 1936). Arizona was the site of German prisoner of war camps during World War II and Japanese American internment camps . Because of wartime fears of
5936-536: The city in the Tucson Mountains , is the site of the world's largest collection of Saguaro cacti. The Prescott metropolitan area includes the cities of Prescott, Cottonwood , Camp Verde and many other towns in the 8,123 square miles (21,000 km ) of Yavapai County area. With 212,635 residents, this cluster of towns is the state's third largest metropolitan area. The city of Prescott (population 41,528) lies approximately 100 miles (160 km) northwest of
6048-525: The desert and state line, picking up the Southern Pacific mainline at Indio, California , and I-10 overlies the old roads most of that distance. Moving east from the California line at Ehrenburg , I-10 follows the old route of US 60/US 70 for the first 31 miles (50 km) east from Blythe, California . In 1960, this westernmost stretch of I-10 was built from near the Colorado River east to
6160-520: The east end of Sky Harbor Airport could travel directly onto southbound SR 143 via one of the new ramps. Westbound Loop 202 drivers using the SR 143/Sky Harbor Boulevard exit will have a new elevated ramp to reach southbound SR 143. Many drivers use that route to travel between Loop 202 and Interstate 10. The elevated ramp replaced an older circular ramp that made way for a third new ramp connecting southbound SR 143 to westbound Sky Harbor Boulevard. The entire route
6272-485: The first time just northwest of downtown at The Stack . East of The Stack, I-10 forms the north edge of downtown . Near 3rd Avenue, the highway enters a half-mile tunnel (800 m) that runs under a park and the central branch of the City of Phoenix Library. Emerging past 3rd Street, the highway continues due eastward for another two miles (3.2 km) before coming to another interchange for Route 51 and Loop 202 (second of three junctions with
6384-404: The former Cotton Lane interchange, exit 124) and the Loop 101 Agua Fria Freeway along the way. By December 2019, the simple diamond interchange with 59th Avenue (exit 138) was totally rebuilt, transforming it into the first of two junctions with the Loop 202 Ed Pastor Freeway . As it makes its way through Phoenix , the highway meets with I‑17 and US 60 for
6496-436: The freeway from Tucson. I‑10 was widened from Verrado Way to Loop 101, a total of thirteen miles (21 km). This included a new HOV lane from Dysart Road (exit 129) to Loop 101, later adding a HOV lane from Estrella Pkwy (exit 126) to Dysart Road. From Estrella Pkwy to Verrado Way, an additional lane was added. New interchanges have been added, whereas Citrus Road has a new exit at 123, Sarival Avenue has
6608-407: The freeway through their city but lost that battle. The detour up through Wickenburg was logical decades earlier, when nearly all U.S. highways through Arizona were laid out along railroad tracks, and US 60/US 70 was routed mostly parallel to the Santa Fe rail tracks east of Wickenburg, and the Arizona and California Railway west to Vicksburg. The two old federal routes then struck west across
6720-407: The freeway was opened only as far east as Tonopah, and heavy traffic was routed down narrow county roads through the desert and fields between Tonopah and Buckeye. In addition, there was only one very-small gas station on the very-long route between Buckeye and Quartzsite, on the old county road at the tiny crossroads of Palo Verde. Signs warning "No Services Next 106 Miles" were posted at either end of
6832-496: The future spot where the "Brenda Cutoff" section of I-10 would connect a decade later. Until the early 1970s, this was the last freeway stretch until Phoenix. The "Brenda Cutoff" was named for a gas station on the old road just east of the fork where US 60 now terminates at I-10. Now an obscure name, "Brenda Cutoff" was the working title that the Arizona Highway Department called the stretch of freeway from US 60 to near Buckeye. The Brenda Cutoff paralleled old sand roads used in
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#17328593811706944-404: The good oak ' , as there were numerous Basque sheepherders in the area. A native-born Mexican of Basque ancestry established the ranchería ( small rural settlement ) of Arizona between 1734 and 1736 in the current Mexican state of Sonora . It became notable after a significant discovery of silver there around 1737. The misconception that the state's name purportedly originated from
7056-509: The highway are referred to as either the Papago Freeway , Inner Loop , or Maricopa Freeway within the Phoenix area and the Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway outside metro Phoenix. I-10 through Arizona is designated a "Purple Heart Trail", after the Purple Heart , the award received by American soldiers wounded in combat. The western terminus is located at the California border at the Colorado River in La Paz County where I-10 continues westward into California towards Los Angeles . Here,
7168-399: The highway turns to a more south by southeast direction going through the Gila River Indian Community and entering Pinal County . As of a 2006 estimate, the Broadway Curve portion of I‑10 in Tempe carries an average of 294,000 vehicles per day. This number is predicted to increase by over 150,000 to approximately 450,000 by 2025. This section of I‑10 is currently twelve lanes wide, and
7280-411: The interstate follows the Southern Pacific mainline east through Willcox and Bowie to New Mexico, rather than bend south to the Mexican border along old US 80 (signed as SR 80 after 1989), through Douglas. The road from Benson east through Willcox was designated SR 86 in about 1935, that route number was subsequently shifted west and exists now between Why and Tucson. The bypass around Benson
7392-427: The junction for State Route 85 (SR 85) northwest of downtown Buckeye , and turns due east at Verrado Way (exit 120). Here, the speed limit drops from 75 to 65 mph (121 to 105 km/h). The landscape by this point is largely urban. From there, I-10 traverses through the communities of Goodyear , Avondale , and Tolleson , meeting with local streets and area freeways such as Loop 303 (at
7504-401: The last engagement in the American Indian Wars , which lasted from 1775 to 1918. U.S. soldiers stationed on the border confronted Yaqui Indians who were using Arizona as a base to raid the nearby Mexican settlements, as part of their wars against Mexico. Arizona became a U.S. state on February 14, 1912, coinciding with Valentine's Day . Arizona was the 48th state admitted to the U.S. and
7616-431: The last of the contiguous states to be admitted. Cotton farming and copper mining, two of Arizona's most important statewide industries, suffered heavily during the Great Depression . But during the 1920s and even the 1930s, tourism began to develop as the important Arizonan industry it is today. Dude ranches, such as the K L Bar and Remuda in Wickenburg, along with the Flying V and Tanque Verde in Tucson, gave tourists
7728-401: The late 1880s, copper production eclipsed the precious metals with the rise of copper camps like Bisbee, Arizona , and Jerome, Arizona . The boom and bust economy of mining also left hundreds of ghost towns across the territory, but copper mining continued to prosper with the territory producing more copper than any other state by 1907, which earned Arizona the nickname "the Copper State" at
7840-451: The latter), called the Mini Stack . At this interchange, I‑10 turns southward for about three miles (4.8 km), passing near Sky Harbor Airport and reaching the second junction with I‑17/US 60. Here, I‑17 terminates as I‑10 skews eastward again. After this junction, the highway is cosigned with US 60. Continuing southeast over the Salt River and eastward, I‑10 and US 60 enter Tempe and meets with SR 143 . Then, at
7952-418: The level of the surrounding plain. The crater itself is nearly a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide and 570 feet (170 m) deep. Arizona is one of two U.S. states, along with Hawaii, that does not observe Daylight Saving Time , though the large Navajo Nation in the state's northeastern region does. Due to its large area and variations in elevation, the state has a wide variety of localized climate conditions. In
8064-518: The lower elevations the climate is primarily desert, with mild winters and extremely hot summers. Typically, from late fall to early spring, the weather is mild, averaging a minimum of 60 °F (16 °C). November through February are the coldest months, with temperatures typically ranging from 40 to 75 °F (4 to 24 °C), with occasional frosts. About midway through February, the temperatures start to rise, with warm days, and cool, breezy nights. The summer months of June through September bring
8176-474: The most well-preserved meteorite impact sites in the world. Created around 50,000 years ago, the Barringer Meteorite Crater (better known simply as " Meteor Crater ") is a gigantic hole in the middle of the high plains of the Colorado Plateau, about 25 miles (40 km) west of Winslow . A rim of smashed and jumbled boulders, some of them the size of small houses, rises 150 feet (46 m) above
8288-720: The name "Territory of Arizona". The Southern territory supplied the Confederate government with men, horses, and equipment. Formed in 1862, Arizona scout companies served with the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War . Arizona has the westernmost military engagement on record during the Civil War with the Battle of Picacho Pass (1862). The Federal government declared a new U.S. Arizona Territory, consisting of
8400-573: The needs of senior citizens and attracted many retirees who wanted to escape the harsh winters of the Midwest and the Northeast . Sun City , established by developer Del Webb and opened in 1960, was one of the first such communities. Green Valley , south of Tucson, was another such community, designed as a retirement subdivision for Arizona's teachers. Many senior citizens from across the United States and Canada come to Arizona each winter and stay only during
8512-442: The northern states and Canada occasionally push into the state, bringing temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C) to the state's northern parts. Indicative of the variation in climate, Arizona is the state which has both the metropolitan area with the most days over 100 °F (38 °C) ( Phoenix ), and the metropolitan area in the lower 48 states with the most days with a low temperature below freezing ( Flagstaff ). Arizona
8624-433: The north–south Basin and Range mountains prevalent in the state. In fact, the route from its junction with I‑8 east to New Mexico is almost exactly the same route used by the old horse-drawn stagecoaches, which had to go from waterhole to waterhole and avoid the hostile Apache Indians . This is why I-10 is more of a north–south route between Phoenix and Tucson than east–west. The Southern Pacific Sunset Route line had to take
8736-542: The population are followers of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Arizona's population and economy have grown dramatically since the 1950s because of inward migration, and the state is now a major hub of the Sun Belt . Cities such as Phoenix and Tucson have developed large, sprawling suburban areas. Many large companies, such as PetSmart and Circle K , have headquarters in
8848-496: The primarily dry climate, large diurnal temperature variations occur in less-developed areas of the desert above 2,500 ft (760 m). The swings can be as large as 83 °F (46 °C) in the summer months. In the state's urban centers, the effects of local warming result in much higher measured night-time lows than in the recent past. Arizona has an average annual rainfall of 12.7 in (323 mm), which comes during two rainy seasons, with cold fronts coming from
8960-419: The route 2 miles further north along the relatively narrow 48th Street/canal corridor, curving over McDowell Road and ending abruptly at Indian School Road. The route, which is almost entirely residential, met with significant neighborhood opposition and was eventually dropped, although the north-bound exit and south-bound entrance at McDowell Road was retained. In 2011, the route was updated so drivers departing
9072-472: The route of least hills, and in the 1920s highways were laid down next to the trains across southern Arizona. When the project was being designed in the 1950s, the Arizona Highway Department fought for a nearly straight-shot west from Phoenix for the new freeway, instead of angling northwest out of Phoenix along US 60/US 70/US 89, through Wickenburg . Wickenburgers battled to bring
9184-519: The same physical road is signed as both I‑10 and U.S. Route 95 (US 95). The highway runs east by northeast through Ehrenberg , the Dome Rock Mountains , and Quartzsite and then turns to an east by southeast orientation just before the junction for US 60 . It continues this path entering Maricopa County and the Phoenix Metro area . The route turns east by northeast again at
9296-679: The several armies fighting in Mexico. Only two significant engagements took place on U.S. soil between U.S. and Mexican forces: Pancho Villa 's 1916 Columbus Raid in New Mexico and the Battle of Ambos Nogales in 1918 in Arizona. After Mexican federal troops fired on U.S. soldiers, the American garrison launched an assault into Nogales, Mexico . The Mexicans eventually surrendered after both sides sustained heavy casualties. A few months earlier, just west of Nogales, an Indian War battle had occurred, considered
9408-465: The state, and Arizona is home to major universities, including the University of Arizona , Arizona State University , and Northern Arizona University . The state is known for a history of conservative politicians such as Barry Goldwater and John McCain , though it has become a swing state in recent years. The state's name appears to originate from an earlier Spanish name, Arizonac , derived from
9520-504: The state. After Maricopa County did not allow them to register to vote, in 1948 veteran Frank Harrison and Harry Austin, of the Mojave-Apache Tribe at Fort McDowell Indian Reservation , brought a legal suit, Harrison and Austin v. Laveen , to challenge this exclusion. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled in their favor. Arizona's population grew tremendously with residential and business development after World War II, aided by
9632-516: The state. In 2004, voters passed Proposition 200 , requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. The Supreme Court of the United States struck this restriction down in 2013. In 2010, Arizona enacted SB 1070 which required all immigrants to carry immigration papers at all times, but the Supreme Court also invalidated parts of this law in Arizona v. United States in 2012. On January 8, 2011,
9744-537: The sum of $ 15 million in compensation (equivalent to $ 528,230,769.23 in 2023) be paid to the Republic of Mexico. In 1853, the U.S. acquired the land south below the Gila River from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase along the southern border area as encompassing the best future southern route for a transcontinental railway. What is now the state of Arizona was administered by the United States government as part of
9856-452: The territory gained and lost political influence with the growth and development of the territory. Although names including "Gadsonia", "Pimeria", "Montezuma" and "Arizuma" had been considered for the territory, when 16th President Abraham Lincoln signed the final bill, it read "Arizona", and that name was adopted. ( Montezuma was not derived from the Aztec emperor, but was the sacred name of
9968-578: The time of statehood. During the first years of statehood the industry experienced growing pains and labor disputes with the Bisbee Deportation of 1917 the result of a copper miners' strike. During the Mexican Revolution from 1910 to 1920, several battles were fought in the Mexican towns just across the border from Arizona settlements. Throughout the revolution, many Arizonans enlisted in one of
10080-418: The vital eastern access to Sky Harbor Airport, replacing the old 40th Street entrance that was eliminated when 40th Street was demolished to make way for a new airport terminal and runway expansions. The new parkway rapidly earned a reputation as a constantly congested road, despite having only three traffic signals. As an attempt at decreasing congestion, a grade-separated interchange at University Drive
10192-711: The war by the Maytag family (of major home appliance fame). It was developed as the site of the Phoenix Zoo . A Japanese-American internment camp was on Mount Lemmon , just outside the state's southeastern city of Tucson. Another POW camp was near the Gila River in eastern Yuma County . Arizona was also home to the Phoenix Indian School , one of several federal Indian boarding schools designed to assimilate Native American children into mainstream European-American culture. Children were often enrolled in these schools against
10304-473: The western half of earlier New Mexico Territory, in Washington, D.C. , on February 24, 1863. These new boundaries would later form the basis of the state. The first territorial capital, Prescott, was founded in 1864 following a gold rush to central Arizona. The capital was later moved to Tucson, back to Prescott, and then to its final location in Phoenix in a series of controversial moves as different regions of
10416-619: The widespread use of air conditioning , which made the intensely hot summers more comfortable. According to the Arizona Blue Book (published by the Arizona Secretary of State 's office each year), the state population in 1910 was 294,353. By 1970, it was 1,752,122. The percentage growth each decade averaged about 20% in the earlier decades, and about 60% each decade thereafter. In the 1960s, retirement communities were developed. These age-restricted subdivisions catered exclusively to
10528-515: The winter months; they are referred to as snowbirds . In March 2000, Arizona was the site of the first legally binding election ever held over the internet to nominate a candidate for public office. In the 2000 Arizona Democratic Primary, under worldwide attention, Al Gore defeated Bill Bradley . Voter turnout in this state primary increased more than 500% over the 1996 primary. In the 21st century, Arizona has frequently garnered national attention for its efforts to quell illegal immigration into
10640-483: The wishes of their parents and families. Attempts to suppress native identities included forcing the children to cut their hair, to take and use English names, to speak only English, and to practice Christianity rather than their native religions. Numerous Native Americans from Arizona fought for the United States during World War II. Their experiences resulted in a rising activism in the postwar years to achieve better treatment and civil rights after their return to
10752-540: Was added to the system with a reroute and upgrade to freeway status. Business Loop I-10 was renamed to SR 143 and was realigned to meet up with the under-construction Loop 202 at 48th Street, as opposed to the old 44th Street alignment. Eventually the route from Sky Harbor Boulevard to Loop 202 was moved onto an entirely new path along the Old Cross Cut Canal right-of-way, roughly paralleling 46th Street beginning at Washington Street Draft plans also included extending
10864-521: Was built in 1985. The bridge was built to handle two lanes of traffic in each direction though without a shoulder or emergency lane. (This has been identified as a reason of the traffic backups still seen today, as the rest of the freeway is now built to three lanes on either side, thus creating a bottleneck at the University Drive overpass.) In 1985, the route was surveyed as part of the new Maricopa Association of Governments 1985 Freeway Plan, and
10976-424: Was converted to a diamond interchange by 1964 and the old "quick dip" underpass was removed and replaced by an interstate-standard overpass in the late 1980s. Although the controversial I‑10 route across Phoenix was the last gap of I‑10 to be completed, two pieces of the interstate were subsequently left sitting on divided remnants of old US 80 and were neither built to interstate nor modern safety standards. One
11088-485: Was directed to use Arizona Route T-69 via 40th Street south and Baseline Road east to connect to SR 87 and SR 93, the shortcuts to Tucson. The I-10 signs were moved from the Maricopa Freeway to the Papago Freeway/Inner Loop alignments when it opened in 1990—the last gap of I-10 to be completed between Santa Monica and Jacksonville . This was the only time in Arizona where the posted freeway
11200-402: Was entirely concurrent with I-10 between Sixth Avenue and Miracle Mile until October 11, 1963, when the designation was finally retired in favor of I-10. The old cloverleaf at Sixth Avenue was the first built in Arizona, opening in the early 1950s as a southern Tucson gateway junction to the roads linking Tucson, Benson, Nogales, and the hoped-for Tucson bypass along the Santa Cruz River. It
11312-483: Was first signed SR 84A . The remainder of the route was finished by 1956 to a new cloverleaf interchange at Sixth Avenue (then US 80 and US 89). In 1958, the state added the bypass to the Interstate Highway System as part of I-10 and began converting it to full freeway standards. The freeway was finally completed in 1961, and parts of it obliterated the original road. The SR 84A designation
11424-464: Was incorporated in 1877, making it the oldest incorporated city in Arizona. It is home to the University of Arizona . Major incorporated suburbs of Tucson include Oro Valley and Marana northwest of the city, Sahuarita south of the city, and South Tucson in an enclave south of downtown. It has an average July temperature of 100 °F (38 °C) and winter temperatures averaging 65 °F (18 °C). Saguaro National Park , just west of
11536-475: Was it connected to the rest of the Interstate Highway System. ADOT, it seems, did not want to divert trucks down from T-69 in Guadalupe down into the cotton fields west of Chandler. This section got its interstate signs when the freeway south to Tucson was completed in about 1970, and the "Broadway Curve" was connected a year or so later—for almost two years, I-10 traffic used Baseline Road and 40th Street through
11648-483: Was later extended to Ruthrauff Road/El Camino Del Cerro. After I-10's junction with I-19, I-10 heads southeast towards Benson and Willcox before entering New Mexico. I‑10 in Arizona was laid out by the Arizona Highway Department in 1956–1958 roughly paralleling several historic routes across the state. Particularly east of Eloy, it follows the Butterfield Stage and Pony Express routes, and loops south to avoid
11760-402: Was moved from one road to another: the state never posted interstate signs on older state or U.S. highways. ADOT instead made frequent use of interstate shields with the word "TO" above and arrows below the shield. For several years in the early 1970s, an orphan section of I-10 was opened between Baseline Road and Williams Field Road (now Chandler Boulevard) but was not marked as any highway, nor
11872-514: Was opened about 1979, and other than the Phoenix gap was the last section of I‑10 to be opened. Construction is planned for the 26-mile (42 km) segment from Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) in Chandler to SR 387 near Casa Grande. A third lane will be added in each direction along with improvements to several interchanges, crossroads and bridges. An HOV lane will be constructed for the six-mile (9.7 km) segment from Loop 202 to Riggs Road. Construction
11984-530: Was originally planned to begin in 2025 but was sped up to begin in 2023 when Governor Doug Ducey signed a bill allocating funds for this project. The $ 1 billion project also received a $ 95 million federal grant in January 2024; the state and the Maricopa Association of Governments will provide the rest of the funding. It is planned to be completed in 2026. HOV lane connections are planned to be constructed at
12096-551: Was rebuilt and widened in stages from 1989 to 2014, with frontage roads added, was originally signed as SR 84 from Miracle Mile to Sixth Avenue. The original highway from Casa Grande to Tucson entered the Old Pueblo via Miracle Mile, a road modeled after German Autobahns but without overpasses or an exclusive right of way. Traffic circles at either end of Miracle Mile were the best Tucson could come up with in 1937. The section of Miracle Mile West stretching between Miracle Mile and
12208-498: Was rebuilt to interstate standards, with completion in 2014. East of Tucson, I‑10 parallels and, in some cases, overlies old US 80 to Benson, and was originally cosigned as US 80 and SR 86. The section of I-10 from Valencia Road to Rita Road was the first construction project in the state of Arizona funded by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. Construction began in 1957 and was completed in 1960. From Benson,
12320-418: Was the first multilevel interchange in Arizona and lasted until the Inner Loop was built as a real freeway in the 1980s. This putative freeway was two lanes in each direction and would have been hopelessly inadequate as a leg of the Inner Loop as it was intended. After 1973, Arizona engineers favored a more-modest plan to link I-10 with I‑17 at the "Durango Curve" near 19th Avenue at Buckeye Road, and avoid
12432-582: Was the next European in the region. A member of the Society of Jesus (" Jesuits "), he led the development of a chain of missions in the region. He converted many of the Indians to Christianity in the Pimería Alta (now southern Arizona and northern Sonora ) in the 1690s and early 18th century. Spain founded presidios ("fortified towns") at Tubac in 1752 and Tucson in 1775. When Mexico achieved its independence from
12544-519: Was the old Sixth Avenue interchange, and a small section of freeway east to the overpass over the old Southern Pacific (now Union Pacific ) spur to Nogales and Guaymas. That section was replaced about 1990. The last section of old US 80 that carried the I‑10 traffic was an underpass beneath the Union Pacific mainline east of Tucson, where the freeway median shrank to a guardrail at Marsh Station Road and
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