REFERENCE TITLE: ADOT; primitive roads; designation

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1456

Introduced by

Senator Farnsworth

AN ACT

Amending section 28-7041, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to state highways and routes.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 28-7041, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE28-7041. State highways and routes defined; primitive road designation

A. The state highways, to be known as state routes, consist of the highways declared before August 12, 1927 to be state highways, under authority of law, that the board, after receipt of a recommendation from the director, may add to, abandon or change. If the board proceeds contrary to the recommendations of the director, it the board shall file a written report with the governor stating the reasons for the action.

B. The state highways consist of the parts of the state routes designated and accepted as state highways by the board. A highway that has not been designated as a state route shall not become a state highway and any portion of a state route shall not become a state highway until it has been specifically designated and accepted by the board as a state highway and ordered to be constructed and improved.

C. The director or the director's designee may designate a state highway or route as a PRIMITIVE ROAD.

D. Neither this state or its employees are liable for damages or injuries resulting from the use of a primitive road designated pursuant to subsection C of this section except for intentional injuries or gross negligence caused by an employee acting within the scope of the employee's employment.

E. The department shall place signs on each road designated as a primitive road in locations adequate to warn the public. These signs shall state "Primitive road, caution, use at your own risk. This surface is not regularly maintained".

C. F. All highways, roads or streets that have been constructed, laid out, opened, established or maintained for ten years or more by the state or an agency or political subdivision of the state before January 1, 1960 and that have been used continuously by the public as thoroughfares for free travel and passage for ten years or more are declared public highways, regardless of an error, defect or omission in the proceeding or failure to act to establish those highways, roads or streets or in recording the proceedings. END_STATUTE