State Route 78 (Arizona–New Mexico)
Arizona State Route 78 (SR 78) and New Mexico State Road 78 (NM 78) are a pair of adjoining state highways located in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico linking U.S. Route 191 (US 191) and Arizona State Route 75 near Greenlee County Airport to US 180 northwest of Cliff, New Mexico. It is also known in its Arizona stretch as Mule Creek Road.
New Mexico State Road 78 | |||||||||
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Route 78 highlighted in red | |||||||||
| Route information | |||||||||
| Maintained by ADOT & NMDOT | |||||||||
| Length | 34.68 mi (55.81 km) | ||||||||
| Existed | 1938–present | ||||||||
| Major junctions | |||||||||
| West end |   US 191 / SR 75 in Three Way, AZ | ||||||||
| East end |  US 180 near Cliff, NM | ||||||||
| Highway system | |||||||||
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Route description
The western terminus of SR 78 is located at a junction with US 191 and SR 75 at Three Way, Arizona near Greenlee County Airport. The highway heads northeast from this intersection along Mule Creek Road. There are a few hairpin turns along this stretch of highway as it follows the surrounding terrain.[1][3] State Road 78 heads eastward through desert, passing through the community of Mule Creek, New Mexico. The road continues eastward until terminating at U.S. Route 180 northwest of Cliff, New Mexico.[4]
History
The highway in Arizona was designated as SR 78 in 1924.[5] Its counterpart in New Mexico was marked as New Mexico State Road 78.[6] By 1938, it was still just a gravel road as were many roads in the area including US 666.[7] It would remain a gravel road in 1961. The other state highways in the area were paved by this time including the majority of its counterpart in New Mexico.[8] By 1971, nearly the entire highway had been paved with the exception of a portion near the New Mexico border.[9]
SR 78 in New Mexico was designated along its current route in the mid-1930s. It was extended to U.S. Route 60 via Mogollon by the mid-1940s and truncated to its present alignment in 1988.[10]
Junction list
| State | County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Greenlee | Three Way | 0.00 | 0.00 | SR 75 / US 191 south – Safford, Duncan, Clifton | Western terminus; road continues as US 191 south |
| 19.47 0.000 | 31.33 0.000 | Arizona–New Mexico line | ||||
| New Mexico | Grant | | 15.213 | 24.483 | US 180 – Glenwood, Silver City | Eastern terminus |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | ||||||
See also
Arizona portal
U.S. roads portal
References
- Arizona Department of Transportation. "2006 ADOT Highway Log" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2009. Retrieved April 9, 2008.
- New Mexico Department of Transportation. "New Mexico Department of Transportation State Road Log" (PDF). Retrieved December 8, 2010.
- Google (April 23, 2008). "Overview Map of SR 78" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
- Google (December 8, 2010). "Overview Map of State Road 78" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
- Arizona Department of Transportation. "ADOT Right-of-Way Resolution 1959-079". Retrieved May 5, 2008.
- Rand McNally (1927). Auto Road Map of Arizona and New Mexico (Map). Scale not given. Chicago: Rand McNally. Retrieved May 5, 2008 – via Arizona Roads.
- Rand McNally (1938). Road Map of Arizona and New Mexico (Map). Scale not given. Chicago: Rand McNally. Retrieved May 5, 2008 – via Arizona Roads.
- Rand McNally (1961). Road Map of Arizona (Map). Scale not given. Chicago: Rand McNally. Retrieved May 5, 2008 – via Arizona Roads.
- Arizona State Highway Department (1971). Road Map of Arizona (Map). Scale not given. Phoenix: Arizona State Highway Department. Retrieved May 5, 2008 – via Arizona Roads.
- Rimer, Steve. "New Mexico Highways 76-100". The Unofficial New Mexico Highways Page. Retrieved December 8, 2010.