Contributed Photo/Courtesy ADOT: A work crew repairs the highway from flood damage.
Expect reduced speed limits, lane restrictions in the coming monthsÂ
Contributed Article/Courtesy ADOT
GILA AND PINAL COUNTIES – U.S. Highway 60 has reopened between Superior and Miami after maintenance crews with the Arizona Department of Transportation repaired extensive flood damage that forced the highway to close early Wednesday.
ADOT crews worked around the clock to make repairs, hauling in about 169 truckloads of rock to shore up the roadway. More than 2,000 cubic yards of boulders were placed along the roadway where it abuts the Bloody Tanks Wash west of Miami. Also, crews have removed damaged guardrails and cleared debris from drainage systems to reduce the risk of future flood damage.
More than 60 people worked to make repairs, including about 30 ADOT employees and 20 Ames Contracting employees who have been working on the nearby Pinto Creek Bridge replacement project. The Pinto Valley Mine also assisted ADOT by supplying boulders.
While both lanes of the highway are now open, ADOT encourages drivers to use extra caution on U.S. Highway 60 between Superior and Miami because of the potential for future flooding due to an adjacent burn scar. ADOT also recommends avoiding travel when storms are passing through the area as well as at nighttime.
Motorists should plan for periodic lane restrictions and delays of 30 to 60 minutes in the coming weeks and months as ADOT makes longer-term repairs, including work on the guardrail, pavement, and drainage systems. When restrictions are in place, drivers should consider using State Routes 77 and 177 through Winkelman, a roughly 70-mile detour that includes a 10 percent grade and will significantly increase travel time. Also, drivers can use SR 87 and SR 188 as alternate routes.
The closure is a reminder that many factors can trigger unplanned closures, including rainfall from storms. Drivers should get road conditions at AZ511.gov before traveling, or by checking with ADOT on Twitter, Facebook, or the ADOT Alerts app.
