Twin Peaks Road in Marana is roughly eight miles long, spanning from the desert valley west of the Tucson Mountains to the Continental Ranch master-planned community.
In the near future it will expand over the Santa Cruz River and connect with Interstate 10 as part of a planned freeway interchange included in the recently approved Regional Transportation Plan.
But nowhere along Twin Peaks Road can one find a reason for its name. That's because one of the two peaks has been slowly carved away for 57 years.
The land where both peaks used to lie, two miles south of Twin Peaks Road and a mile east of North Sandario Road, is part of a 640-acre plot owned by Arizona Portland Cement Co., which has its main plant on the west side of I-10 north of Avra Valley Road.
Plant manager Dave Bittel said Arizona Portland Cement has been mining the easternmost of the two peaks for limestone deposits since 1949.
People are also reading…
"When I came here in 1972, (the eastern peak) was higher than the one you see now," Bittel said. "We're at about ground level now."
Bittel said his company has no plans to mine the remaining peak, saying the materials inside it are not conducive to making cement.
There are also no plans to change the name of the road to reflect its current surroundings, said Marana Town Manager Mike Reuwsaat.
"I think it'd be pointless," he said. "People are used to that name. And no one likes their address being changed."
Now you know
Ask us about it
● Ever wonder about that pile of junk cars taking up space on the corner of that major intersection for as long as you can remember? And what's that new business moving in at the shopping center you drive past every day on your way to work?
We'll find out.
E-mail us questions about things around the Northwest Side that have you scratching your head, and we'll do some research, then write about them in this space. Send inquiries to tkjos@azstarnet.com.
