Tucson Region

Old Spanish Trail likely neither old, nor Spanish

Today's topic comes courtesy of Tucsonan Richard Hinsley, who asks: "What's the origin of the name of that East Side road named Old Spanish Trail?" The name of the road that meanders from East Broadway through the Southeast Side and on to the scenic Rincon Valley evokes images of armor-clad conquistadores on horseback. But that would be a false image created, apparently, by tourism boosters in the 1950s. Finding no information in the Arizona Daily Star archives nor with the city and county transportation departments, Road Runner checked in with the Arizona Historical Society. Dave Tackenberg, an archivist there, dug through his files and found a document dated Jan. 7, 1987, that says Old Spanish Trail was established Feb. 6, 1950, from East Broadway to Freeman Road. The document states that Old Spanish Trail is a redesignated portion of Old Vail Road and "does not correspond to anything Spanish. Does not date from Spanish period," he said. J.J. Lamb, the education director at Colossal Cave Mountain Park who also serves as something of an area historian, believes Tucson's Old Spanish Trail is a portion of the old coast-to-coast U.S. Highway 80, which largely has been replaced by present-day Interstate 10. Accounts differ as to whether Spanish traders, conquistadores and missionaries used some or all of that route, which Lamb said mainly was a series of "loosely organized tourist spots" from San Diego to Jacksonville, Fla. Tucson is one of many cities along the route. And no, that Old Spanish Trail was not part of the real Old Spanish Trail, located far to the north. That historic trade route - more than 2,700 miles in length, blazed by American Indians, then used by Spaniards, Mexicans and, finally, Americans - originated in what is now Los Angeles and wound its way through the tip of southern Nevada, Northern Arizona, Utah, and Colorado before reaching Santa Fe. Turn lane at Wilmot and Fifth

Mary Blaine Korff asks: For months, people who live around East Fifth Street and North Wilmot Road have had to put up with major traffic disruptions while a major office complex was being built. Now that it's done, we're trying to deal with the increased traffic. But now one of the right-turn lanes for people to turn from southbound Wilmot onto Fifth has been closed. Why? Michael Graham, the city Transportation Department's spokesman, said the curb lane is closed so the developer, Town West Design Development, can work on installing a dedicated right turn lane, which will enable traffic to flow onto Fifth more smoothly. The rezoning agreement between the developer and the city requires construction of the turn lane and completion of the project by September. RoadQ QUESTION: Mark Ruddeforth says "numerous potholes, cracks and the like" make a stretch of North Wilmot Road between East Broadway and East Pima Street "one of the worst in the city." He asks: "What is the city's plan to repair the embarrassing condition of this major artery?" ANSWER: Michael Graham, city Transportation Department spokesman, said the department plans to repave Wilmot between Speedway and Broadway late this summer.