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.

Arizona State Route 78 andNew Mexico State Road 78 marker Arizona State Route 78 andNew Mexico State Road 78 marker

Arizona State Route 78 and
New Mexico State Road 78

Route 78 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ADOT & NMDOT
Length34.68 mi (55.81 km)
  • 19.47 mi (31.33 km) in Arizona[1]
  • 15.213 mi (24.483 km) in New Mexico[2]
Existed1938–present
Major junctions
West end US 191 / SR 75 in Three Way, AZ
East end US 180 near Cliff, NM
Location
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
Highway system
  • Arizona State Highway System
  • New Mexico State Highway System
← SR 77AZ→ SR 79
← NM 77NM→ NM 80

Route description
NM 78 at mile marker 7

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 on February 17, 1959,[5] and the section in New Mexico was designated along its current route in the mid-1930s as New Mexico State Road 78.[6]

By 1938, what would eventually become SR 78 on the Arizona side was still just a gravel road as were many roads in the area including US 666.[7] This section would remain a gravel road until 1961. The other state highways in the area were paved by this time including the majority of the New Mexico section.[8] By 1971, nearly the entire highway had been paved with the exception of a portion near the New Mexico-Arizona state line.[9] It was extended to U.S. Route 60 in New Mexico via Mogollon by the mid-1940s and truncated to its present alignment in 1988.[10]

Junction list
StateCountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
ArizonaGreenleeThree Way0.000.00
 US 191 / SR 75 south – Safford, Duncan, Clifton		Western terminus; US 191 is former US 666; road continues as US 191 south
 19.47
0.000		31.33
0.000		Arizona–New Mexico state line
New MexicoGrant​15.21324.483 US 180 – Glenwood, Silver CityEastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References
  1. Arizona Department of Transportation. "2006 ADOT Highway Log" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2009. Retrieved April 9, 2008.
  2. New Mexico Department of Transportation. "New Mexico Department of Transportation State Road Log" (PDF). Retrieved December 8, 2010.
  3. Google (April 23, 2008). "Overview Map of SR 78" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
  4. Google (December 8, 2010). "Overview Map of State Road 78" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
  5. Arizona State Highway Department (February 17, 1959). "ADOT Right-of-Way Resolution 1959-079". Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via Arizona Highway Data. ESTABLISH AS A STATE ROUTE FROM JCT S.R.75 & U.S.666 NE APPROX 20 MILES TO NEW MEXICO STATE LINE
  6. 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.
  7. Rand McNally (1938). Road Map of Arizona and New Mexico (Map). Scale not given. Chicago: Rand McNally. Retrieved May 5, 2008 – via Arizona Roads.
  8. Rand McNally (1961). Road Map of Arizona (Map). Scale not given. Chicago: Rand McNally. Retrieved May 5, 2008 – via Arizona Roads.
  9. 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.
  10. Rimer, Steve. "New Mexico Highways 76-100". The Unofficial New Mexico Highways Page. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
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