Beginning Monday, motorists near Miami, Arizona, should expect delays on U.S. 60 while the Pinto Creek Bridge gets an upgrade.
The current Pinto Creek Bridge was built in 1949 with an estimated lifespan of 50 years — 70 years later, it’s getting replaced.
Garin Groff from ADOT said the bridge is still safe, however it no longer meets modern structural standards. He said it is trying to get the word out to avoid confusion during the construction.
“There’s been a lot of planning that’s gone into this to deal with the difficulties of building a bridge in a canyon as well as trying to accommodate all the travelers in the area and to give them a very predictable schedule," said Groff.
Starting on Monday, U.S. 60 traffic will encounter delays, but the old bridge will remain open until the new crossing is ready. The $22 million project is expected to take about two years.
The 1949 bridge will remain open with one lane in each direction, however restrictions and closures will apply.
Lane restrictions should be expected from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, Oct. 7-9 on U.S. 60 between Miami and Superior. Other US 60 restrictions are tentatively scheduled to begin Oct. 21 with lane restrictions between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily and full closures scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
During the closures, motorists will detour on State Route 77 and State Route 177 through Winkelman which will add about 45 minutes to the trip between the Globe area and Superior This is expected to be in effect for six to eight weeks.
Toward the end of the project, overnight closures should be expected as well as a five-day closure of U.S. 60 to finish realigning the highway with the new bridge.
