Arizona State Route 87, state highway in Arizona, United States
Arizona State Route 87 is a state highway in Arizona that runs from the southern part of the state all the way to the Hopi Reservation near Second Mesa. It crosses urban areas around Chandler and Coolidge, open desert stretches, and a mountain section north of Phoenix known as the Beeline Highway, where the road widens to four lanes.
The route was established in the 1920s as a basic connection to the mountains and was gradually improved over the following decades. A local figure named Harvey Bush was central to the push that brought a proper mountain road between Phoenix and Payson into existence.
The road passes through the Gila River Indian Community and approaches the Hopi Reservation near Second Mesa, where the land and local ways of life shape the surroundings. Drivers who slow down through these sections notice differences in roadside structures, signs, and how people use the space around them.
Cell phone coverage can be weak along long stretches of the road, so it helps to carry water and check the car before setting off. Some sections have uneven pavement, particularly in less developed parts, so drivers should stay alert.
Several different local governments are each responsible for their own section of the road, which gives it a slightly different look and feel depending on where you are. This arrangement reflects how the road grew over time, with each community taking on its own piece of the infrastructure as the route expanded northward.
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