KINGMAN – As construction season in northern Arizona resumes, three bridges in the northwestern part of Arizona will be rehabilitated starting this year.

Along Interstate 40, ADOT will reconstruct the bridge decks on the bridge at Exit 123 into the east side of Seligman. The project is needed to replace the damaged elements of the bridges and to perform other upgrades to increase the lifespan of the bridges.

Crews will be replacing the bridge decks of the two bridges as well as the approaches, and any guardrails and curbs as needed. During the project, traffic will be shifted over to share one side of I-40 with one lane in each direction through the work zone. Access to all adjacent properties will be maintained during daytime hours.

Also along I-40, the overpass for Anvil Rock Road, located about 11 miles west of Seligman, will receive a new bridge deck. Work will occur during the day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Drivers along I-40 can expect the highway to be intermittently reduced to one lane as work requires. There will also be a full closure of I-40 when demolition of the bridge deck takes place. Traffic will be rerouted around the closure using the off- and on-ramps at the Anvil Rock Road exit. 

On US 93 south of I-40, ADOT will begin rehabilitation of the Kabba Wash Bridge at milepost 97 north of Wikieup on Monday, April 11. This project will include widening the existing northbound bridge, replacing the existing bridge deck and approach slabs, guardrail work, and installing new pavement markings. Northbound US 93 will be reduced to one lane in the work zone for the duration of the project.

Construction for the bridges at Exit 123 and Kabba Wash is anticipated to be completed in late 2023. The Anvil Rock Road overpass is anticipated to be completed by this fall.

For more information, visit azdot.gov/projects and click on the Northwest District. 

HOLBROOK – The Hermosa Drive Bridge over Interstate 40 in Holbrook will be rehabilitated beginning this spring by the Arizona Department of Transportation, thereby extending the life of the bridge for drivers.

The bridge will receive a new bridge deck, guardrails and barriers. The roadway approaches to the bridge will be improved as well. Drivers can expect daytime and nighttime restrictions due to the construction work.  In addition, there will be periodic overnight closures of I-40 during the project. 

A detour will be in place using State Route 77 (known locally as Navajo Boulevard) when the I-40 closures are in effect. Eastbound drivers will use Exit 286, proceed eastbound on Navajo Boulevard and then re-enter eastbound I-40 at Exit 289. Westbound drivers will use Exit 289, proceed westbound on Navajo Boulevard and then re-enter westbound I-40 at Exit 286.

I-40 will be closed overnight from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Tuesday, April 5. Additional nightly closures in April include April 7-9; April 11-15; and April 18-20.

Additional overnight closures of I-40 are planned throughout the summer. Closures are subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

The project is expected to be completed by this fall.

This bridge project continues ADOT’s commitment to invest in the I-40 corridor as a vital highway for commerce. From 2016 to 2020, ADOT invested more than $275 million in the I-40 corridor.

For more information on this project, visit azdot.gov/projects and click on the Northeast District.

PHOENIX – For its efforts to improve traffic flow and safety in Flagstaff, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Fourth Street Bridge replacement project has won a regional award, as announced Wednesday by the Western Region of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Winning in the Quality of Life/Community Development category in the America’s Transportation Awards competition, the Fourth Street Bridge project was recognized for improving safety for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. The project widened the bridge itself over Interstate 40, adding capacity for vehicles, and created space for bicycles and pedestrians separated by a concrete barrier. The project also connected the Flagstaff Urban Trail System across the interstate.

“We are honored to be recognized for our efforts to improve safety and connectivity in the Flagstaff region,” said Audra Merrick, district engineer for ADOT’s Northcentral District. “This project fits into our mission to connect Arizonans everywhere, every day.”

In addition to creating better community connectivity, the bridge was replaced using the innovative bridge-slide method where crews built the new bridge next to the old one. After the old bridge was demolished, crews used hydraulic jacks to “slide” the new bridge into place.

The method cut an estimated two months off of construction time and saved nearly $7 million over traditional bridge construction methods. This reduced the impact to the local community during construction.

Sponsored by AASHTO, AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the America’s Transportation Awards competition was created to showcase the projects delivered by state departments of transportation every year in order to tell the broader story on the importance of transportation. The awards focus on getting more out of the existing system; implementing new technologies and innovations; and projects that improve overall quality of life and enhance community development.

For more information, visit americastransportationawards.org.

LITTLEFIELD – With lane restrictions and oversize truck detours beginning next week on the I-15 Virgin River Bridge No. 1 project in Littlefield, a new app designed to communicate traffic information and project updates is now available for free download on Apple and Android devices. 

The smartphone app, called Virgin River Bridge, was designed by the contractor for the I-15 bridge replacement project, and it will provide updates of construction activities that will likely impact traffic flow on I-15. 

“This project seemed like a great fit to have its own app to keep the public updated on construction progress and traffic impacts because most of the traffic on this section of I-15 is passing through from one state to another,” said Brenden Foley, assistant district engineer for ADOT’s Northcentral District.

The new app arrives just in time for the start of traffic restrictions on the project. Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 8, I-15 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction across the bridge, and there will be width and weight restrictions in place. 

The width restriction means that all vehicles wider than 10 feet will have to use a 224-mile detour route during construction. Additionally, the overweight restriction means that all vehicles over 129,000 lbs will also have to utilize the detour. Signs, as well as the new app, will direct oversize vehicles to the detour route of US 93, Nevada State Route 319 and Utah State Route 56 between Las Vegas and Cedar City, Utah.

Information from the app is also available on GPS navigation apps such as Drivewyze and Waze.

Kiewit Corporation, ADOT’s contractor for the project, has had success with similar smartphone apps for its work on the Valley Metro Central Avenue Light Rail extension in Phoenix and Project Neon, a project upgrading nearly 4 miles of I-15 in Las Vegas. 

The $56 million bridge-replacement project is anticipated to be completed in spring 2024. For more information, visit azdot.gov/projects and click on the Northcentral District.

FLAGSTAFF – The Arizona Department of Transportation completed the installation of the new Rio de Flag bridge along Historic Route 66 in front of Flagstaff City Hall allowing the road to reopen to traffic Thursday afternoon ahead of schedule.

During the week-long closure, crews demolished the old bridge and installed the new bridge using precast bridge elements. Fabricating the bridge components ahead of time as opposed to building them in place allows the work to go more quickly, reducing the time needed to replace the bridge and impacts to traffic.

With the completion of the new bridge, there is still more work to be done. Crews will remain onsite for the next several weeks to install the bridge barrier and sidewalks and replace the raised median and a portion of concrete pavement on Historic Route 66. 

Since ADOT is partnering with the city of Flagstaff on this effort, crews will also over-excavate the Rio de Flag wash to accommodate drainage infrastructure for the future city of Flagstaff Rio de Flag flood control project. Intermittent lane closures will be required to complete the remaining work.  

The $4.9 million project is expected to be completed by this fall.

More information on the project can be found at azdot.gov/riodeflagbridge.