Throwback Thursday (Friday): Arizona Highways, July 1976

From the issue: “Sadie Curtis, a well-known Navajo weaver from the Ganado area, demonstrates the finishing touches on a 50-star American flag at the Hubbell Trading Post.” Photograph by Jerry Jacka.

Navajo Route 20 to Open in September as Detour for U.S. 89

A 150-foot section of U.S. Route 89 buckled in February. Photo courtesy of ADOT.

 

When a 150-foot portion of U.S. Route 89 buckled in February, travelers in Northeastern Arizona faced bumpy roads and long delays. Now, the newly paved Navajo Route 20 will be rededicated as U.S. 89T and will eventually serve as a detour route. Below, you’ll find the official press release from the Navajo Division of Transportation.

 

     BODAWAY GAP-It only took 79 days to pave Navajo Route 20. Finishing 11 days ahead of schedule, the crew from FNF Con­struction, Inc. paved the final mile of Navajo Route 20 on August 8, 2013. Construction officially began on May 21. FNF was contracted by the Arizona Department of Transporta­tion to pave 28 miles of N20. Assisting them was AZTEC Engineer­ing and RUMCO. The new road was completed just in time, as the Page Unified School District started the new school year. Hundreds of Navajo students attend school in Page and previously faced bumpy roads  and lengthy drive times to get to school. N20 is now designated as U.S. 89T and will be utilized to restore essential traffic from U.S. 89 for a period of three years, after which the road will revert back to the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. U.S. 89 was closed on Feb. 22, after a dry landslide damaged a portion of roadway near the Bitter Springs and Echo Cliffs area, south of the Big Cut. The Navajo Division of Transportation, ADOT, BIA and Federal Highway Administration joined forces to pave N20 as a detour route.

“This was a game-changing collaboration,” said Paulson Chaco, director of NDOT. “Not only did ADOT get this paving done in such a short timeframe, but we all came together to expedite the project.” … The official soft dedication celebration for the road will take place on August 29, at the junction of the Coppermine Chapter road and N20. Festivities will begin at 10 a.m. (DST).  Floyd Stevens, president of Coppermine Chapter, said ADOT’s road crew will continue working on finishing touches for the road­way through Sept. “We’re very excited about the opening. The word is already out,” Stevens said.  Until the road is officially opened to the traveling public, motor­ists are encouraged to continue utilizing the detour route on U.S. 160 and State Route 98 for travel into Page. Information: http://www.navajodot.org or http://www.azdot.gov/us89

Friday Fotos: Arizona’s Monument Valley & the Indomitable Susie Yazzie

Bev Pettit & Susie Yazzie

In honor of Susie Yazzie’s passing, our Friday Fotos theme was Monument Valley/Navajo Culture. A huge thanks to everyone who shared their photos on our Facebook wall, especially those wonderful images of Susie herself.

Susie, you will be missed by your friends at Arizona Highways.

Stacy LeClair

Peter Carroll & Susie Yazzie

Bev Pettit

Peter Carroll

Jackie Klieger

Bev Pettit & Susie Yazzie

Doug Koepsel

Doug Koepsel

Jackie Klieger

Bob Martinson

Don Lawrence

Denis Serebriakov

Ed Taube & Susie Yazzie

Valerie Millett

Carolyn Gooding & Susie Yazzie

Bob Miller

Valerie Millett

Matt Veach

Photography by Saija

Bob Miller

Marty Van Allen

Ed Taube

Peter James Nature Photography

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By publishing a photographer’s work to its blog, Arizona Highways does not endorse the photographer’s private business or claim responsibility for any business relationships entered into between the photographer and our readers.