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State Route 87 (Arizona)
Encyclopedia
State Route 87 is a north–south road that travels from SR 84 near Picacho, Arizona
northward to SR 264
near Second Mesa
.
. It becomes a state route when it crosses the reservation boundary line and it ends at Interstate 10 exit 211, just south of Eloy, Arizona
in the unincorporated town of Picacho.
Route 87 is known as the Beeline Highway from Payson
through Fountain Hills to its terminus at McDowell Road, just north of Mesa
. All of this portion of Route 87 is a four-lane highway.
There is a stretch of road where the highway splits, taking different canyons through the Mazatzal Mountains
south of Payson, near the junction with SR 188. The old alignment is currently the southbound lanes, while a new alignment was built for the northbound lanes. There is a stretch where the roads cross-over each other because of the difference in elevations of the two canyons.
Once it gets to Mesa, Route 87 is known as Country Club Drive, a major-arterial street, six lanes wide in most sections. It then passes through Chandler
where it becomes Arizona Avenue. South of Chandler, at Hunt Highway, Route 87 proceeds southeasterly as a two-lane rural road through the Gila River Indian Community
until it reaches Coolidge
.
In Coolidge, Route 87 is known as Arizona Blvd. It finally ends 16 miles (25.7 km) south of Coolidge, near the unincorporated town of Picacho, Arizona
. The original southern terminus was 1/2 mile to the north of I-10 at its junction with State Route 84
until 2004 when Route 87 was extended to serve the 1/2 mile decertified SR 84 stretch.
ADOT is currently studying a stretch of I-10 to widen and improve interchanges along its stretch from Tucson to Casa Grande, including the interchange with Route 87. http://www.i10tucsondistrict.com/i8totang2.html
Route 87 is part of the National Highway System
between I-10 and Payson.
Stretches of this road were formerly numbered as State Route 65 and State Route 166.
Notable destinations along Route 87 include the Mogollon Rim
and Tonto Natural Bridge
.
Picacho, Arizona
Picacho is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. The population was 471 at the 2010 census....
northward to SR 264
Arizona State Route 264
State Route 264 is a highway in northeastern Arizona that runs from its junction with US 160 in Tuba City to the border with New Mexico. The roadway is still numbered 264 into New Mexico to its junction with US 491.-Route description:...
near Second Mesa
Second Mesa, Arizona
Second Mesa is a census-designated place in Navajo County, Arizona on the Hopi Reservation. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 814, spread among three Hopi Indian villages atop the 5,700-foot mesa: Musungnuvi , Supawlavi , and Songoopavi...
.
Route description
The road that becomes Route 87 begins at Second Mesa, ArizonaSecond Mesa, Arizona
Second Mesa is a census-designated place in Navajo County, Arizona on the Hopi Reservation. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 814, spread among three Hopi Indian villages atop the 5,700-foot mesa: Musungnuvi , Supawlavi , and Songoopavi...
. It becomes a state route when it crosses the reservation boundary line and it ends at Interstate 10 exit 211, just south of Eloy, Arizona
Eloy, Arizona
Eloy is a city in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 10,855.-Geography:...
in the unincorporated town of Picacho.
Route 87 is known as the Beeline Highway from Payson
Payson, Arizona
- History :Payson considers its founding year as 1882, at which time it was known as Green Valley or Union Park. On March 3, 1884, the town officially established a post office. Postmaster Frank C. Hise recommended that the town be named after a man named Levi Joseph Payson. Senator Payson was very...
through Fountain Hills to its terminus at McDowell Road, just north of Mesa
Mesa, Arizona
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
. All of this portion of Route 87 is a four-lane highway.
There is a stretch of road where the highway splits, taking different canyons through the Mazatzal Mountains
Mazatzal Mountains
The Mazatzal Mountains are a mountain range in south central Arizona, about 30–45 miles northeast of Phoenix and the Phoenix metropolitan area. The origin of the name remains obscure but one possibility is that it is from the Aztec language meaning "place of the deer"...
south of Payson, near the junction with SR 188. The old alignment is currently the southbound lanes, while a new alignment was built for the northbound lanes. There is a stretch where the roads cross-over each other because of the difference in elevations of the two canyons.
Once it gets to Mesa, Route 87 is known as Country Club Drive, a major-arterial street, six lanes wide in most sections. It then passes through Chandler
Chandler, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the Census of 2010, there were 236,123 people, 86,924 households, and 60,212 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 73.3% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 1.5% Native American, 8.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 21.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 8.3%...
where it becomes Arizona Avenue. South of Chandler, at Hunt Highway, Route 87 proceeds southeasterly as a two-lane rural road through the Gila River Indian Community
Gila River Indian Community
The Gila River Indian Community is an Indian reservation in the U.S. state of Arizona, lying adjacent to the south side of the city of Phoenix, within the Phoenix Metropolitan Area in Pinal and Maricopa Counties. It was established in 1859, and formally established by Congress in 1939...
until it reaches Coolidge
Coolidge, Arizona
Coolidge is a city in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 8,154.Arizona Highway 87 and Arizona Highway 287 pass through the town. Coolidge is 56 miles southeast of Phoenix, and 69 miles northwest of Tucson. It is 21 miles...
.
In Coolidge, Route 87 is known as Arizona Blvd. It finally ends 16 miles (25.7 km) south of Coolidge, near the unincorporated town of Picacho, Arizona
Picacho, Arizona
Picacho is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. The population was 471 at the 2010 census....
. The original southern terminus was 1/2 mile to the north of I-10 at its junction with State Route 84
State Route 84 (Arizona)
State Route 84, also known as SR 84, is an east–west highway in south-central Arizona, with its western terminus at Exit 151 of Interstate 8 and its eastern terminus at its junction with State Route 387 and State Route 287 in Casa Grande....
until 2004 when Route 87 was extended to serve the 1/2 mile decertified SR 84 stretch.
ADOT is currently studying a stretch of I-10 to widen and improve interchanges along its stretch from Tucson to Casa Grande, including the interchange with Route 87. http://www.i10tucsondistrict.com/i8totang2.html
Route 87 is part of the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
between I-10 and Payson.
Stretches of this road were formerly numbered as State Route 65 and State Route 166.
Notable destinations along Route 87 include the Mogollon Rim
Mogollon Rim
The Mogollon Rim is a topographical and geological feature running across the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately from northern Yavapai County eastward to near the border with New Mexico.-Description:...
and Tonto Natural Bridge
Tonto Natural Bridge
Tonto Natural Bridge is a natural arch in Arizona, USA, that is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world. The area surrounding the bridge has been made into a state park called Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, which is located off State Route 87, just north of Payson...
.
Junctions
| Mile | Junction | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| , Albuquerque Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As... |
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