Ames Construction replaced the obsolete Pinto Creek Bridge on U.S. 60 in Arizona with a new structural steel bridge that rises from the canyon floor in Tonto National Forest.
Built adjacent to the previous bridge, the new bridge is 695 feet long and is supported by three sets of piers. At 138 feet, the tallest piers were constructed with a single continuous pour that required crew members to climb down into the formwork to ensure there were no voids in the concrete. To install the new steel girders, a 400-ton crane was positioned in the canyon bottom—a significant challenge that required access road modifications.
Ames crews contended with a few unforeseen challenges. First, a wildfire spread through the project, pausing construction for one week. Fortunately, neither the new construction nor the old bridge were damaged. Following the fire, a historic monsoon season with frequent storms washed out access multiple times and left the project flooded with fire debris. Crews performed additional maintenance and devised workarounds to maintain the schedule.
Once the new bridge was carrying traffic, crews dismantled and removed the old bridge, which dated to 1949, and restored the site. The new bridge provides one 12-foot-wide lane for traffic in each direction and 10-foot-wide shoulders, serving both the traveling public and commercial vehicles from nearby mines.
Markets: Transportation, Bridges
Location: Gila County, Arizona
Client: Arizona Department of Transportation
Completed: May 2022
Details:
- 695-linear-foot structural steel bridge with 3 sets of piers
- 35,000 cubic yards of earthwork
- 70,000 cubic yards of rock excavation
- 70,000 cubic yards of blasting
- 2,500 tons aggregate processing
- 6,500 tons aggregate placement
2023 America’s Transportation Awards, Best Use of Technology and Innovation
Category: Medium Project, Western Region
AASHTO
2022 Award of Merit
Category: Highway/Bridge
ENR Southwest
2022 Top 10 Bridges
Roads & Bridges magazine