Page "Arizona State Route 85" Paragraph 4

In 1973, the connector between I-10 and Baseline Road was established, and was redesignated in 1978 as a spur route of Route 85.

As the old, indirect US 80 was removed from Arizona, Route 85 was extended north in 1977 over the old alignment of US 80 to Buckeye and extended east to Phoenix.

Portions of the route in Buckeye and Phoenix were turned over to their respective cities for maintenance in 1990.

The following year, a portion of the highway between Avondale and Phoenix was turned over to Maricopa County for maintenance.

Also in 1991, the overlap between Route 85 and SR 86 was eliminated and the western terminus of SR 86 was changed to its junction with Route 85 in Why.

In 1994, the northern end of Route 85 was moved onto the Route 85 Spur that connected to I-10 and the remaining portions along the old alignment to the east were redesignated as a temporary route of Route 85.

In 1999, the portion of the old route in Avondale was turned over to the city for maintenance.

The portion of the old route around the state capitol complex, the last remaining section of the old route between Phoenix and Buckeye, was turned over to the city of Phoenix in 2001.