Bend towards the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. The mileposts north of Gila Bend reflect the mileage of old US 80 in proximity to the California state line. This stretch of highway north of Gila Bend is a part of the National Highway System. The highway passes near the western edge of the Sonoran Desert National Monument and also provides access to the Buckeye Hills Regional Park. SR 85 continues northward to a crossing of the Gila River as it nears Buckeye. The highway intersects Buckeye Road which is where the original routing of US 80 and later SR 85 followed into Phoenix before being rerouted onto its current alignment. The highway continues towards the north, crossing over the Buckeye Canal before reaching its northern terminus at exit 112 on I-10. History The first numbered highway along the SR 85 corridor was established in 1927 between Gila Bend and Phoenix as US 80. At the time, it was only paved from Phoenix to Hassayampa. Although not paved between Hassayampa and Gila Bend, it was an improved road. This original routing of US 80 still exists as Old US 80 west of the SR 85 alignment. A dirt road between Gila Bend and Ajo did exist at this time, but it was not a part of the state highway system. By 1935, the entire route of US 80 between Gila Bend and Phoenix had been paved. The road south of Gila Bend had also been improved to a gravel road. In 1936, SR 85 was established, but it only extended as far north as Gila Bend and as far south as Ajo. By 1938, SR 85 had been paved as well as the portion between Ajo and Why that would eventually become part of SR 85. The portion between Why and the border with Mexico began showing up on maps at this time as a gravel road. In 1943, the portion of the highway between Ajo and Why was added to the state highway system, but as SR 86, when it was extended west from Tucson to Ajo. In 1955, the highway was extended to Lukeville at the Mexican border with an overlap with SR 86 between Ajo and Why when a county road was added to SR 85. In 1973, the connector between I-10 and Baseline Road was established, and was redesignated in 1978 as a spur route of SR 85. As