Arizona State Route 85
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| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by ADOT | ||||
| Length: | 128.86 mi (207.38 km) | |||
| Existed: | 1936 – present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end: |
 Fed. 8 at Mexican border at Lukeville
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 I-8 in Gila Bend
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| North end: |
 I-10 in Buckeye
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| Location | ||||
| Counties: | Pima, Maricopa | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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State Route 85 (SR 85) is a 128.86-mile-long (207.38 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Arizona. The highway runs from the United States-Mexico border near Lukeville to the north ending at Interstate 10 (I-10) in Buckeye. The highway also intersects I-8 in Gila Bend and serves as a connector between I-8 and I-10 and for travelers between Phoenix and Yuma as well as San Diego. SR 85 between I-10 and I-8, as well as I-8 between SR 85 and I-10 in Casa Grande, is touted as a bypass of the Phoenix area for long-distance travelers on I-10.
SR 85 was established in 1936 as a route between Gila Bend and Ajo. It was extended southward to the US-Mexico border in 1955, and extended northward to Phoenix when it replaced U.S. Route 80 (US 80) in 1977. The northern end of the highway was realigned in 1994 onto the connecting highway between I-10 and Buckeye. The remaining portion of the highway between Buckeye and Phoenix was gradually turned over to the cities and county along the route during the 1990s with the final portion turned over in 2001.
The southern terminus of SR 85 is located at the United States-Mexico border near Lukeville in Pima County. The road continues across the border into Mexico to the town of Sonoita as Mexican Federal Highway 8. SR 85 heads north from the border as a two-lane road, passing through the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. The highway leaves the monument boundary and heads to a junction with SR 86 in Why. SR 86 heads east from this junction towards Tucson and southeastern Arizona. SR 85 heads northwest from this junction to the town of Ajo. From Ajo, the highway heads north and enters the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range. While within the range, the highway enters Maricopa County. After the highway passes through the range, it continues towards the north to a junction with I-8 in Gila Bend. After passing I-8, the highway intersects the business loop of I-8 and turns towards the east to run concurrently with business loop along Pima Street in Gila Bend. The two highways split, with the business loop heading towards the southeast and SR 85 heading northeast providing access to Gila Bend Municipal Airport
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