Bridge girder placement moves Pinto Creek project forward

PHOENIX –  Motorists traveling US 60 between Superior and Globe will see the new Pinto Creek Bridge come into shape in the coming months as crews begin placing girders that will form the structure’s deck.

The work started Monday, March 1, and requires lane restrictions and delays of up to 15 minutes, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. From now until May, restrictions are scheduled between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. As needed, restrictions will be in place between 7 a.m. noon on Fridays.

The bridge girder placement is a major milestone on the $22.7 million project to replace the 71-year-old structure above Pinto Creek. Once the girders are in place, crews will begin forming the bridge deck for the new 695-foot-long bridge.

The work requires lane restrictions so crews can place the girders onto the piers. The 35 girders range in length from 91 feet to 127 feet, and weigh an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 pounds.

Crews are expected to pour the new bridge deck this summer, and that work is expected to require  91an overnight full closure. Later this summer, a 5-day closure is expected to shift the highway’s alignment onto the new bridge. The project is expected to be complete in early 2022.

For more information, please visit azdot.gov/PintoCreekBridge.