Pinto Creek Bridge replacement project to begin September 9

Graphic Courtesy ADOT: Artist rendering of the new Pinto Creek Bridge.

Alternating lane closures with flangers and pilot cars scheduled from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Staff Reports

GILA COUNTY – The Arizona Department of Transportation’s Pinto Creek Bridge replacement project is scheduled to begin Monday, Sept. 9 and will involve lane restrictions from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. while crews remove guardrails, restripe the road near the bridge and place temporary concrete barriers.

The lane restrictions and future closures will affect motorists traveling between Safford and the Phoenix area on U.S. Highway 60.

Photo Courtesy ADOT: Vehicles travel on the existing Pinto Creek Bridge.

The bridge is locating on U.S. 60 between Miami, Arizona, and Superior, and is a complete replacement that involves constructing a new bridge adjacent to the existing bridge and then removing the existing bridge. The project is expected to take two years to complete.

Beginning Sept. 9, drivers should prepare for delays when traveling through the area. Full closures of U.S. Highway 60 are tentatively scheduled to begin in late September between 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

During scheduled closures of U.S. Highway 60, motorists will be detoured to State Route the 77 and State Route177. The detours are expected to add at least 45 minutes to a trip.

Project Purpose

The Pinto Creek Bridge was built to standards in 1949; however, those standards no longer meet the current minimum FHWA American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials and ADOT Bridge Design Guidelines. The purpose of this project is to address a structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridge structure while ensuring that the traveling public is provided a reliable bridge crossing over Pinto Creek preserving the continuity of U.S. Highway 60 and its function as a major transportation link.