SR 87 begins to the north of I-10 at a junction with an unsigned orphan segment of SR 84, which serves as a direct connection to I-10 at Exit 211. SR 87 travels north for toward Coolidge, passing by the town of Eloy. In Coolidge, SR 87 is known as Arizona Boulevard. The highway leaves Coolidge heading northwest and travels as a two-lane rural road through the Gila River Indian Community until it reaches a junction with SR 587on the border between the Gila River Indian Community and Chandler. North of this junction, SR 87 travels along Arizona Avenue in Chandler, intersecting SR 202 before entering Mesa and becoming Country Club Drive. The highway then intersects with U.S. 60 and SR 202 for a second time, before leaving Mesa as the Beeline Highway. The Mesa and Chandler sections of SR 87 are discontinuous, with most of these sections between McKellips Road in Mesa and Cloud Road in Chandler being owned and maintained by their respective cities. SR 87 is known as the Beeline Highway from McDowell Road, just north of Mesa, passing by Fountain Hills and to Payson. This portion of SR 87 is entirely a four-lane highway. There is a stretch of road where the highway splits, taking different canyons through the Mazatzal Mountains south of Payson, near the junction with SR 188. The old alignment is currently the southbound lanes, while a new alignment was built for the northbound lanes. There is a stretch where the roads cross-over each other because of the difference in elevations of the two canyons. SR 87 is part of the National Highway System between I-10 and Payson. ADOT is currently studying a stretch of I-10 to widen and improve interchanges along its stretch from Tucson to Casa Grande, including the interchange with SR 87.
History
SR 87 was designated in 1924 from Casa Grande to Mesa. In 1927, it was rerouted to end in Eloy, and the old route was renumbered AZ 187. In 1959, it extended to Strawberry Junction. In 1967, it extended north over State Route 65 to its current terminus. Notable destinations along SR 87 include the Mogollon Rim and Tonto Natural Bridge.
Gallery
Major intersections
Notes
SR 87 is discontinuous throughout much of Chandler and Mesa, with most of it being owned and maintained by these respective cities. A 1.5 mile ADOT-owned segment north of the Western Canal and south of Baseline Rd is the city limits separating Mesa from Gilbert and Chandler. The only major portions where SR 87 technically exists wholly inside Mesa city limits is the area surrounding US 60 and then a short length south of the SR 202 Red Mountain Freeway north of McKellips Rd.
