Pinto Creek Bridge (ADOT photo)

An Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) project on U.S. 60 east of the Phoenix area is replacing the 70-year-old bridge over Pinto Creek with a nearly 700-ft. span designed to better accommodate personal and commercial travel for decades to come. This is a two-year, $22.7 million project.

Traffic restrictions will be in place as crews begin to mobilize equipment and begin construction of an access road into Pinto Creek Canyon, causing some traffic restrictions.

During full closures, crews will be conducting blasting to move the highway about 30 ft. to the north to align with the new bridge, motorists will detour on state routes 77 and 177 through Winkelman.

Additional overnight closures are expected later in the project to place bridge girders and pour the concrete deck for the new bridge. Toward the end of the project, a five-day closure of U.S. 60 will be required to finish realigning the highway with the new bridge.

The new bridge will be 695.5 ft. in length and supported by three piers. It is being built adjacent to the current bridge, which will continue to be used during construction. It will have one lane of traffic in each direction and 8-ft. wide shoulders.

Once the bridge is completed, crews will dismantle the existing bridge, built in 1949 with an estimated lifespan of 50 years. While it remains safe for traffic, the existing bridge doesn't meet current standards for bridge design used by ADOT, the Federal Highway Administration and the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials.

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