U.S. Route 70

U.S. Route 70 marker
U.S. Route 70
Map
US 70 highlighted in red
Route information
Length2,381 mi[1] (3,832 km)
Existed11 November 1926[2]–present
HistoryRe-routed several times west of New Mexico between 1926 and 1969.
Major junctions
West end US 60 / SR 77 at Globe, AZ
Major intersections
East endSeashore Drive / School Drive in Atlantic, NC[3]
Location
CountryUnited States
StatesArizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina
Highway system
US 69 US 71

U.S. Route 70 or U.S. Highway 70 (US 70) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,381 miles (3,832 km) from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. It is a major east–west highway of the Southeastern, Southern and Southwestern United States. Established as one of the original highways of 1926, it originally ran only to Holbrook, Arizona, then was extended in 1934 as a coast to coast route, with the current eastern terminus near the Atlantic Ocean in Atlantic, North Carolina, and the former western terminus near the Pacific Ocean in Los Angeles, California. The current western terminus was then truncated to US 60 / SR 77 in Globe, Arizona. Before the completion of the Interstate system, U.S. Highway 70 was sometimes referred to as the "Broadway of America", due to its status as one of the main east–west thoroughfares in the nation. It was also promoted as the "Treasure Trail" by the U.S. Highway 70 Association as of 1951.[4]

In the early years, US 70 had a different route between Clovis, New Mexico and eastern Arizona, taking the route of current US 60 and US 180 to an endpoint in Holbrook. US 70 was later re-routed to El Paso, Texas, when US 60 was extended to California. US 70 was later re-routed again west of Alamogordo, New Mexico along its current route to Globe, as well as being concurrent with US 60 to a common terminus in Los Angeles, California.

  1. ^ "U.S. Route Number Database" (December 2009 ed.). American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference 1926 Map was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "End of U.S. Highway 70". Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  4. ^ "New Life Given U.S. Highway 70; 'Treasure Trail'". Palo Verde Valley Times. Blythe, California. 15 August 1951.