SR 89A

How State Route 89A was named

How State Route 89A was named

How State Route 89A was named

By Julian Lopez / ADOT Communications

January 18, 2025

Yes, even in this black-and-white photo the location is given away by the recognizable rock formations.

This photo was taken in the 1970’s (most know the answer since they participated in the Flashback Friday, of course) when there was only one state or federal highway that traveled through Sedona: US 89A.

Wait, what?

If you travel the same segment in the photo today, you’ll see signs for State Route 89A. And if you have the ability to time-travel and went back to the 1930s, it was called State Route 79

We’ll explain.

A picturesque route that travels from Prescott through Jerome, Cottonwood and Sedona before terminating just south of Flagstaff, this route has carried three designations.

First came State Route 79, which was one of the first numbered state highways in Arizona.

The designation changed in 1940 when it became US 89A to indicate its status as an “alternate” to the quicker route from Prescott to Flagstaff along US 89.

In 1993, the southern terminus of US 89 moved from Nogales to Flagstaff and the US 89 designation going further south was decommissioned. The segment lost its US highway status and since the highway between Prescott and Ash Fork became State Route 89, the alternate route through Sedona was designated as State Route 89A.

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SR 89A near Sedona reopened following rockfall mitigation work

SR 89A near Sedona reopened following rockfall mitigation work

SR 89A near Sedona reopened following rockfall mitigation work

December 15, 2023

Flag crews will direct traffic through the area until paving work is finished

FLAGSTAFF – A section of State Route 89A north of uptown Sedona is open to traffic again following rockfall mitigation work on a canyon wall above the highway.

The Arizona Department of Transportation and its contractor worked to safely reopen SR 89A on Friday morning (Dec. 15) after crews cleared loose rocks and sediment from the slope next to the highway. The rockfall mitigation project started on Dec. 3.

A traffic restriction is in place in the area until resurfacing can take place. Pavement repairs are scheduled on Saturday, Dec. 16.

SR 89A is reduced to one lane only with alternating north- and southbound travel between the Owenby Way roundabout and the Midgley Bridge picnic area (mileposts 375-376).
On-site flaggers and a pilot car will direct drivers through the work zone.
Drivers should expect a reduced speed limit in the work zone.

SR 89A was closed this week to ensure driver safety. The work caused debris, including rocks and sediment, to fall onto the roadway while crews were clearing the slope above SR 89A.

State highway conditions are available via ADOT’s 511 Travel Information site, the AZ511 app or by calling 511. Highway information and answers are also available via ADOT’s X (formerly Twitter) feed (@ArizonaDOT) and the agency’s Facebook page (facebook.com/AZDOT).

Closure of SR 89A near Sedona extended for rockfall mitigation

Closure of SR 89A near Sedona extended for rockfall mitigation

Closure of SR 89A near Sedona extended for rockfall mitigation

December 8, 2023

Traffic will continue to use I-17 detour between Sedona and Flagstaff

FLAGSTAFF – A section of State Route 89A north of uptown Sedona is now scheduled to remain closed through next week as construction crews perform critical clean-up work after recent blasting for rockfall mitigation, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The safety of the traveling public is a key reason for the extended closure of SR 89A in both directions between the Owenby Way roundabout and the Midgley Bridge picnic area (mileposts 375-376).

While construction crews are expediting efforts to remove loose rock on the canyon wall and clear the roadway, the highway closure is scheduled until 6 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. These critical operations need to be completed to create safer conditions along SR 89A.

Drivers should continue to plan extra travel time while using State Route 179 and Interstate 17 as a detour route in either direction for travel between Sedona and Flagstaff.

Plan for full closures of SR 89A north of uptown Sedona Dec. 3-9

Plan for full closures of SR 89A north of uptown Sedona Dec. 3-9

Plan for full closures of SR 89A north of uptown Sedona Dec. 3-9

November 21, 2023

Access to and from Oak Creek Canyon restricted for rockfall mitigation

FLAGSTAFF – Work to safely remove rocks from an area above State Route 89A north of uptown Sedona will require full daytime highway closures and nighttime restrictions the week of Dec. 3-9, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should plan on using detour routes along Interstate 17 for travel between Sedona and Flagstaff while the following closures limit travel in Oak Creek Canyon:

Daytime Closures: SR 89A closed to all traffic between the Owenby Way roundabout (north of uptown Sedona) and the Midgley Bridge picnic area from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday to Saturday (Dec. 3-9) for rockfall mitigation. Detour: Traffic will detour on State Route 179 and I-17 while SR 89A is closed.
Overnight Restrictions: SR 89A will temporarily be opened every half hour between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday through Saturday (Dec. 3-9) to clear any traffic waiting at the Owenby Way roundabout (northbound) and Midgley Bridge (southbound) closure points. The temporary openings of SR 89A will then occur once per hour between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. each night until the rockfall mitigation work is completed. Detour: Drivers can consider detouring on SR 179 and I-17 during overnight hours.

SR 89A improvement project in Cottonwood starts Monday (July 31)

SR 89A improvement project in Cottonwood starts Monday (July 31)

SR 89A improvement project in Cottonwood starts Monday (July 31)

July 26, 2023

Work will require weekday restrictions until early 2024

COTTONWOOD – A highway improvement project on State Route 89A in Cottonwood is set to start on Monday, July 31, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Restrictions are anticipated through early 2024. Drivers should plan for delays at times and allow extra time while the following weekday restrictions are in place from approximately 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.:

SR 89A in Cottonwood will be narrowed to one lane at times in either direction between Cottonwood Street and the Verde River bridge (mileposts 353 - 356).
A 12-foot width restriction will be in place.
No weekend work is currently planned as part of the project.

Drivers should obey a reduced speed limit and use caution when approaching and driving through the work zone. Access to area businesses will be maintained with some necessary restrictions.

Crews will be doing pavement resurfacing work while also making sidewalk and gutter improvements and other repairs along this stretch of SR 89A.

More information is available on the project web page. Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov. ADOT also provides highway condition updates via its Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT.

SR 89A Project Map (ADOT - Cottonwood Area 2023)

SR 89A daytime closures north of uptown Sedona start June 20

SR 89A daytime closures north of uptown Sedona start June 20

SR 89A daytime closures north of uptown Sedona start June 20

June 13, 2023

Lengthy detours required due to rockfall mitigation work

SEDONA – Drivers who normally would use State Route 89A in an area north of uptown Sedona should allow extra travel time and plan to use detours due to scheduled highway closures between June 20 and 28, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

SR 89A is due to be closed between Owenby Way, near uptown Sedona, and the Midgley Bridge picnic area, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, June 20-22, and again on Tuesday, June 27, and Wednesday, June 28.

The closures are needed for safety while crews are doing rockfall mitigation work as part of an ongoing SR 89A improvement project in the area.

Drivers, including those planning to travel to Slide Rock State Park or other destinations in Oak Creek Canyon, will need to use the following detours while the SR 89A closures are in place:

Northbound Detour: Sedona-area drivers can use southbound SR 179 to northbound Interstate 17 to reach southbound SR 89A at the J.W. Powell interchange (Flagstaff Airport exit).
Southbound Detour: Flagstaff-area drivers can use southbound I-17 to northbound SR 179 to reach Sedona.

SR 89A will be open for traffic during nighttime hours on each of the days when work will require closures. Lane restrictions and a pilot car operation are currently in use along the highway north of Sedona from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays during June.

Additional project information is available at azdot.gov/SR89A.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov. ADOT also provides highway condition updates via its Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT.

Behind the Place Name: Prescott

Behind the Place Name: Prescott

Behind the Place Name: Prescott

By John LaBarbera / ADOT Communications

November 29, 2022

Jerome, Clarkdale, Prescott. Just three of the unique place names in Arizona’s Verde Valley. But just how did these towns, along State routes 89 and 89A, get their names in the first place?

We pondered this very question and set out on a fact-finding mission.

This is the second in our series, and we venture to the largest city of the bunch, Prescott. With a population just shy of 43,000, Prescott is the county seat of Yavapai County and a bustling central Arizona destination.

Arizona was officially declared a US territory in February 1863. Just one year later, Fort Whipple was moved from Chino Valley to a new, more mountainous locale that was declared "Prescott" on May 30, 1864.

It was named in honor of historian William Hickling Prescott, a man who lived and died in Massachusetts and, by all accounts, never set foot in what would become the territory of Arizona. Prescott died of complications following a stroke in 1859.

William H. Prescott is considered one of the most distinguished historians of the 19th century, being instrumental in the development of history as an academic subject. Following a stint researching Italian poetry, Prescott focused on the history of Spain, spanning from the Renaissance to the early Spanish empire.

He was left partially blind following a food fight during his freshman year at Harvard when he was struck in the eye with a slice of bread and suffered deteriorating eyesight for the rest of his life.

He has a statue and an entire building named after him in Boston, plus a street is named in his honor near Harvard, his bread-tossing alma mater across the river in Cambridge. But the once-territorial-capital of Arizona is his only U.S. namesake west of the Mississippi (And Prescott Valley, of course).

But William H. Prescott does have a global influence: The Colegio Anglo Americano Prescott in Peru is also named after him. One of his most popular works was “The History of the Conquest of Peru,” which chronicled Spain’s exploits in the country.

So, next time you're traveling to or through Prescott, you'll know how the town got its name.

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Overnight closures of SR 89A in Oak Creek Canyon continue next week

Overnight closures of SR 89A in Oak Creek Canyon continue next week

Overnight closures of SR 89A in Oak Creek Canyon continue next week

August 18, 2022

SEDONA – The Arizona Department of Transportation has been working overnight on State Route 89A through Oak Creek Canyon this week to continue improvements to the highway. These overnight full closures will continue next week.

Beginning Monday, Aug. 22, crews will continue to close SR 89A from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. so they can safely work on improvements to the highway.

Northbound SR 89A will be closed at the Cave Springs Campground at milepost 386, while southbound 89A will be closed at the Oak Creek Vista Overlook at milepost 390. Drivers traveling between Flagstaff and Sedona will need to use I-17 and SR 179 as a detour to get around the closure.

No overnight closures are scheduled this weekend. Crews should wrap up this series of overnight full closures by Friday, Aug. 26.

The $11.1 million project started earlier this year and includes rockfall mitigation, erosion control and bridge rehabilitation. The work is anticipated to be completed by late 2023 with a possible winter hiatus at the end of this year.

For more information about the project, visit azdot.gov/SR89A.

Behind the Place Name: Jerome

Behind the Place Name: Jerome

Behind the Place Name: Jerome

By John LaBarbera / ADOT Communications

July 21, 2022

Welcome to the first blog in a series on the origins of Verde Valley place names.

Today we zero in on everyone’s favorite haunted ghost town, Jerome; that little winding, mining ‘burg up on the hill.

In these modern times, we know Jerome for its kitschy vintage stores, colorful architecture and refreshing walkability. But long before its incorporation in 1899, it was already a hardscrabble mining village full of industrious men and women who made their living unearthing copper.

Copper was noted in the area as far back as 1585 when Spanish Conquistadors were sent to the region to recover gold and silver.

The first official copper claims, however, came in 1876 by Angus McKinnon and Morris A. Ruffner. These claims were purchased by future Arizona Territory governor Frederick A. Tritle in 1880.

In 1883, Tritle formed the United Verde Copper Company with Frederick F. Thomas, a mining engineer from San Francisco. They were financially sponsored by a couple of bankers from New York named James A. MacDonald and Eugene Jerome.

Yes, THAT Jerome. He became the secretary of the United Verde Copper Company. But much like the namesake of Prescott, just 35 miles to the southwest, Jerome never visited the town named for him.

Not much is known about Mr. Jerome, other than the fact that he was a prominent lawyer and invested heavily in mining ventures. Much more is known about Jerome’s first cousin, Jennie Jerome.

Jennie Jerome was born in Brooklyn in 1854 and was raised there and in Paris, France. A talented pianist as a girl, Jennie put her personal ambitions on hold when, in 1874, she married Lord Randolph Churchill at the British Embassy in Paris. Jennie would henceforth be known as Lady Randolph Churchill.

Less than eight months after their nuptials, Lady Randolph gave birth to the couple’s first child: A boy named Winston.

Winston Churchill, of course, would go on to become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II and was arguably the most prominent British statesman in history.

So now you know that Arizona has a direct connection to Winston Churchill and that it runs straight through that quirky hill town of Jerome, just a short drive from anywhere along State Route 89A.

What will we learn next time? Find out in the next edition of Behind the Place Name. Right here, on the ADOT Blog.

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ADOT to create smoother ride along Milton Road in Flagstaff

ADOT to create smoother ride along Milton Road in Flagstaff

ADOT to create smoother ride along Milton Road in Flagstaff

March 31, 2022

FLAGSTAFF – Beginning Monday, April 4, the Arizona Department of Transportation will improve the pavement on Milton Road in Flagstaff, creating a smoother ride for drivers and repairing years of winter weather damage.

The work will take place along Milton Road, also known as SR 89A, from Forest Meadows Street to Phoenix Avenue near Flagstaff City Hall - a distance of about one-and-a-half miles.

Crews will begin the project by making sidewalk repairs while also bringing curb ramps and driveways into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The initial stage of work will continue for several weeks before crews turn their attention to resurfacing Milton Road.

Paving work will include milling down the old pavement, resurfacing with new asphalt and restriping the road.

Work will take place mainly during nighttime hours to reduce traffic impacts. Drivers can expect lane closures within any Milton Road work zones while the resurfacing project is underway.

Improvements to the road’s pavement are anticipated to be completed by the end of the summer.

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