Bridge demolition underway on I-10 at Ruthrauff Road

PHOENIX – A day after crews moved eastbound Interstate 10 traffic off a bridge over Ruthrauff Road in northwest Tucson, crews have begun demolishing the structure as part of an Arizona Department of Transportation interchange replacement project.

Over the weekend, westbound I-10 traffic began using what had been the westbound frontage road and eastbound I-10 traffic moved to what had been the westbound lanes. ADOT is maintaining three lanes of travel in each direction of I-10 as well as access to area businesses throughout this two-year project.

Demolishing the eastbound bridge is an important step forward for a $129 million project building a modern traffic interchange that includes a bridge carrying Ruthrauff Road/El Camino del Cerro over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.

All traces of the bridge are expected to be gone by the end of the week.

Crews will spend the rest of the year creating the western half of the interchange and new eastbound I-10 lanes in the project area. By late 2020 or early 2021, another traffic shift will allow crews to demolish the westbound I-10 bridge and construct the eastern half of the interchange.

The new interchange is scheduled to open in late 2021. Work began in January as part of the Regional Transportation Authority’s 20-year transportation plan. The Pima Association of Governments manages the RTA.

More information about the project is available at azdot.gov/RuthrauffTI.