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
Politics of the Arizona Borderlands Politics of the Arizona Borderlands The Arizona borderlands are the geographic and cultural region north of the Arizona portion of the US-Mexico border. The area is unique in that it features both an international border and the Tohono O'oham sovereign nation along much of that border. Frequent and persistent topics of interest in the area include the presence of illegal immigration, the confluence of local, state, and national politics surrounding the border, conservation and sustainable living, and the presence of drug traffickers and paramilitary forces in the vicinity. Arizona's southern border comprises 24% of the entire United States-Mexico Border and