Interstate 10 in Arizona 2013. The remainder of the old US 80 section was rebuilt to interstate standards, with completion in 2014. East of Tucson, I‑10 parallels and in some cases overlies old US 80 to Benson, and was originally co-signed as US 80 and SR 86. The section of I-10 from Valencia Road to Rita Road was the first construction project in the state of Arizona funded by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. Construction began in 1957 and was completed in 1960. From Benson, the Interstate follows the Southern Pacific mainline east through Willcox and Bowie to New Mexico, rather than
Arizona State Route 79 the current SR 79. On the afternoon of October 12, 1940, silent film actor Tom Mix died in a car accident on SR 79 (then part of U.S. Route 80) 18.5 miles southeast of Florence, Arizona. Business State Route 79 is a business loop in central Arizona. It lies entirely within the town limits of Florence located in Pinal County. The road begins south of town at its parent State Route 79 near the Central Arizona Project canal and travels northbound on Main St passing a "Y" junction with State Route 287 to Coolidge. The road continues northbound to an