The Most Discussed Highway Nears Completion

The Most Discussed Highway

U. S. HIGHWAY 60 has the distinction of being the most discussed highway in Arizona today. In the 1932 gubernatorial campaign it was the pivot around which the various candidates built their platforms. A highway still in its infancy, but with worlds of experience in its construction, what a tale it could unfold upon its completion? What harrowing experiences it has gone through to reach maturity? But the "light of day is in the East" and it now looks as though the battle for its construction is over and no scars remain from the fray.

Highway 60 is not a little road that runs through Arizona; it is a great transcontinental highway, starting at Norfolk, Virginia, passing through ten states and terminating at Los Angeles, California. It enters Arizona about 15 miles east of Springerville, thence into the delightful early settlement of the Beckers, to Showlow in a direct route, down over the mountains to Globe, Miami, Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix, Wickenburg, leaving the state at the old town of Ehrenberg on the Colorado River. Showlow, years old, received its name from an old card game, in which at one time the winner was asked to "show low" if he were to take the pot, and thus the town received a name.

No finer scenery in the world is to be seen than that around the Salt River, which is bridged with a beautiful steel structure, through a miniature Grand Canyon colored with purple, brown, blue and other hues of the rainbow-a scene never to be forgotten and a picture always to be remembered.

At one point in your travel to the river you may see Highway 60 in four tiers of roadway, but so beautifully constructed that it can be made in high gear. Al C. Fulmore, Surveyor General for Riverside County, California, who was recently taken over this roadway by the writer, stated he never had traveled over a better constructed highway, with such wonderful curves, fills and grades. He believes it to be the finest piece of road construction in the entire country today and a great attraction to the By W. A. SULLIVAN, Mayor of Globe and National President U. S. Highway 60 Association, Inc.

For tourist traveling to the west coast be-cause of its scenic beauty.

In 1931 Highway 60 ended at Spring-field, Missouri, but through the efforts of Lew Wenz, of Oklahoma, a member of the Oklahoma Highway Commssion, and Charles Purcel, state engineer for California, it was extended through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, to California, becoming a coast to coast transcontinental highway. The national organization was formed at Enid, Okla-homa, in 1931, and today it is one of the strongest road organizations in the country. The men behind the or-ganization are men who have made suc-cesses of their own businesses, men ex-perienced in highway matters and who are for all roads-men who believe in the completion of the primary system of Arizona.

The four primary routes in Arizona -U. S. 66 in the north, U. S. 80 in the south, U. S. 89, north and south, and U. S. 60 in the central part, are door-ways to Arizona. It is imperative that these routes be paved.

Highway 60 in Virginia, West Vir-ginia, Kentucky, Illinois and most of Missouri is paved; California and as far into Arizona as Globe is all paved or oil surfaced.

One of the most important actions taken by the Arizona State Highway Commission was to include that portion

New Highway 60 bridge over the Salt River where that stream reaches one of its deepest canyons

of U. S. Highway 60 between Ortego survey for the route between Ortego zona has, because, instead of bringing Lake and Springerville in the Federal Lake and Springerville was made by the tourist into the extreme north or Aid seven per cent system and its desRay Lawrence. This survey follows that extreme south, it introduces him into ignation as a Federal Aid highway. This portion of the country which would the very heart of Arizona. action was taken at the afternoon sesbe open to travel all the year round sion on April 23. The motion further and where snow seldom, if ever, falls. Highway 60 will be an all-weather stated that "funds be set up for the When finished, Highway 60 will be route through Arizona. Springerville completion in this year's budget." The one of the best assets the state of Arimay be reached from Phoenix by traveling approximately 231 miles as compared to 248 miles, the distance from Phoenix to Springerville over Highway 73. The present estimates call for the completion of the highway within approximately two years. There remains 60 miles of highway not contracted for. Of this mileage 11 miles are in Gila County, 27 miles in Navajo County and 31 miles in Apache County. Workmen are now active at two points along the route. One gang in 48 miles from Globe and the other 61 miles from Globe. Two other sections are being built by the Bureau of Public Roads, the first begins 66 miles from Globe and the other 86 miles from Globe. A total of 45 miles of highway has been built from Globe.