View source for Arizona State Route 69

{{Short description|State highway in Yavapai County, Arizona}}
{{For|the former SR 69|U.S. Route 93 in Arizona}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox road
|state=AZ
|type=SR
|route=69
|alternate_name=Black Canyon Highway
|map={{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=240|frame-lat=34.458|frame-long=-112.295|zoom=9|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Arizona State Route 69}}}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=SR&nbsp;69 highlighted in red
|length_mi=33.87
|length_ref=<ref name="ADOT Highway Log">{{ADOT log|year=2008|accessdate=April 17, 2008}}</ref>
|established=May 19, 1936
|direction_a=South
|terminus_a={{jct|state=AZ|I|17}} in [[Cordes Lakes, Arizona|Cordes Lakes]]
|junction={{jct|state=AZ|AZ|169}} in [[Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona|Dewey-Humboldt]]
|direction_b=North
|terminus_b={{jct|state=AZ|AZ|89}} in [[Prescott, Arizona|Prescott]]
|counties=[[Yavapai County, Arizona|Yavapai]]
|previous_type=AZ
|previous_route=68
|next_type=SR 1978-Temp
|next_route=69
}}

'''State Route 69''' ('''SR 69''') is a highway that serves as the main road to [[Prescott, Arizona]], from [[Interstate 17 (Arizona)|Interstate 17]]. The highway mainly consists of four-lanes (two per side), although some sections in Prescott and Prescott Valley are wider. Prior to the construction of [[Interstate 17 (Arizona)|Interstate 17]] in the 1960s and early 1970s, State Route 69 continued south to [[Phoenix, Arizona]], as the Prescott-Phoenix Hwy or Black Canyon Highway on a different alignment, through the ghost towns of [[Bumble Bee, Arizona|Bumble Bee]] and [[Cordes, Arizona|Cordes]].

==Route description==
[[File:2013, View W, AZ 69 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|left|Arizona State Route 69]]
The southern terminus of SR 69 is located at exit 262 of I-17, at a spot known as Cordes Junction.  It heads northwest from this interchange passing through [[Mayer, Arizona|Mayer]] before curving towards the north at [[Poland Junction, Arizona|Poland Junction]]. It continues north to a junction with SR 169 in [[Dewey-Humboldt]]. The highway gradually curves towards the west after this junction as it heads through [[Prescott Valley, Arizona|Prescott Valley]]. It continues its gradual curve towards the southwest until it curves towards the west near Yavapai Hills. The highway continues towards the west until it reaches its terminus at SR 89 in Prescott.<ref name="ADOT Highway Log"/><ref>{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=17068370238996902374,34.325680,-112.120690%3B10064526303268155366,34.547900,-112.449740&saddr=AZ-69+%4034.325680,+-112.120690&daddr=Unknown+road+%4034.547900,+-112.449740&doflg=ptm&jsv=107&sll=34.45585,-112.284755&sspn=0.390099,0.639954&ie=UTF8&z=11 |title=overview map of SR 69 |accessdate=2008-04-17}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Arizona 69 1927.svg|thumbnail|100px|right|Original signage for SR&nbsp;69.]]
SR&nbsp;69 was first established as a state highway on May 19, 1936.<ref>{{ADOT res|ASHD=yes|year=1936|P|587|date=May 19, 1936|access-date=June 8, 2023|text=Establish original alignment of SR&nbsp;69 from Phx to the Jct. of Hwy. 89, 2.5 miles North of Prescott. Later abandoned in 62-149 (ptn.). Also see pages 585 & 586 of the Official Minutes.}}</ref> The new route served as a shorter connection than the pre-existing [[U.S. Route 89 in Arizona|US&nbsp;89]] from [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] to [[Prescott, Arizona|Prescott]] for northbound travelers. The original route taken by SR&nbsp;69 reached [[Mayer, Arizona|Mayer]] from [[Black Canyon City, Arizona|Black Canyon City]], by way of [[Bumble Bee, Arizona|Bumble Bee]] and [[Cordes, Arizona|Cordes]].<ref>{{cite ADOT map|year=1939|access-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref> By 1951, a new paved alignment of SR&nbsp;69 had been constructed between [[New River, Arizona|New River]] and Cordes, bypassing the original road through Bumble Bee.<ref name="DavidRumsey02">{{cite map |url=http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~212033~5500190:Shell-Highway-Map-of-Arizona-and-Ne?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=w4s:/what/Automobile;q:Arizona;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=10&trs=14 |title=Shell Highway Map of Arizona and New Mexico |year=1951 |author2=H.M. Gousha Company |author1=Shell Oil Company |scale=1:1,774,080 |location=Chicago |publisher=Shell Oil Company |via=David Rumsey Map Collection |access-date=April 1, 2015}}</ref> By 1958, SR&nbsp;69 was re-routed on another new alignment through [[Cordes Junction, Arizona|Cordes Junction]], bypassing the remainder old route between New River and Mayer, through Cordes.<ref>{{Cite ADOT map|year=1958|access-date=June 10, 2023}}</ref> Despite being bypassed by a newer alignment, the original route was still owned and maintained by the state until December 28, 1962.<ref>{{ADOT res|ASHD=yes|year=1962||159|date=December 28, 1962|access-date=June 10, 2023|text=ABANDON PART OF S.R.69 FROM JCT. 43RD AVE. &  GRAND AVE. TO 3 MILES SE OF MAYER}}</ref> SR&nbsp;69 was truncated from Phoenix to Cordes Junction in 1970, after Interstate 17 was completed.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 21, 1970 |title=Weekends Into Vacations |volume=80 |page=24 |work=The Arizona Republic |issue=340 |location=Phoenix |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/phoenix-arizona-republic-apr-21-1970-p-24/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 8, 2023 |via=NewspaperArchive}}</ref>

==Junction list==
{{jcttop|state=AZ|exit|county=Yavapai|length_ref=<ref name="ADOT Highway Log"/>}}
{{AZint|exit
|location=Cordes Lakes
|lspan=2
|mile=0.00
|road={{jct|state=AZ|I|17|dir1=south|city1=Phoenix}}
|notes=Southern terminus; former SR&nbsp;69 south}}
{{AZint|exit
|exit=263
|type=incomplete
|mile=0.90
|road={{jct|state=AZ|road|Arcosanti Road|to2=to|I|17|dir2=north|city1=Flagstaff}}
|notes=Interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance; I-17 north is former [[Former state routes in Arizona#State Route 79 (1950–1993)|SR&nbsp;79]] north}}
{{AZint|exit
|espan=6
|location=Dewey-Humboldt
|mile=19.05
|road={{jct|state=AZ|SR|169|dir1=north|I|17|to2=to|city1=Camp Verde}}
}}
{{AZint
|location=Prescott Valley
|mile=21.17
|road={{jct|state=AZ|road|Fain Road|name1=[[Arizona State Route 89A#Spur route|SR&nbsp;89A Spur]] north|location1=Fairgrounds}}
|notes=SR 89A Spur (unsigned) continues {{convert|7.2|mi|km}} north to meet [[Arizona State Route 89A|SR&nbsp;89A]]}}
{{AZint
|location=Prescott
|lspan=4
|mile=34.01
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=AZ|SR|89|dir1=north|city1=Chino Valley|city2=Ash Fork}}
|notes=Interchange; northbound exit only; former {{jct|state=AZ|US|89|noshield1=yes}}
}}
{{AZint
|mile=
|type=incomplete
|road=Overland Road
|notes=[[Right-in/right-out]] interchange; southbound entrance only}}
{{AZint
|mile=
|type=incomplete
|road=Gurley Street – Business District
|notes=Interchange; northbound left exit only}}
{{AZint
|mile=34.12
|road={{jct|state=AZ|SR|89|dir1=south|name1=Sheldon Street}}
|notes=Northern terminus; former {{jct|state=AZ|US|89|noshield1=yes}}
}}
{{jctbtm|keys=incomplete}}

==References==
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Expressways in the United States]]
[[Category:State highways in Arizona|069]]
[[Category:Prescott, Arizona]]
[[Category:Transportation in Yavapai County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Prescott Valley, Arizona]]