Public input helps shape San Pedro River Bridge replacement project

Public involvement truly helps shape ADOT projects … just ask residents living near the San Pedro River Bridge.

Their local bridge sits on SR 90 and is slated for replacement – construction has already begun, in fact.

But, way before work got started earlier this week those residents took part in several ADOT public meetings where they were given a couple of different construction schedule alternatives.  

One option called for a full closure of SR 90 at the San Pedro River…

That choice would have allowed the bridge replacement to wrap up in a six-month time frame, but it would have meant very lengthy detours for residents. The option was eliminated after comments from residents indicated a preference for a longer project schedule that would be able to keep SR 90 open through the duration.

18-month construction schedule – no extended full closure

“We’ll have a six-month construction period, six months of shut down for the summer migratory bird season in the San Pedro riparian wilderness area, which is where the bridge project is, and then six more months to finish the bridge,” says ADOT Senior Community Relations Officer C.T. Revere.

What else do drivers need to know?

This bridge, constructed in 1955, will be replaced by a new structure featuring wider traffic lanes and shoulders that meet current standards and provide adequate space for vehicles – including emergency responders, bicycles and pedestrians.

Construction on the $7 million bridge replacement project started Oct. 1 and once work is complete (by spring 2014), drivers can expect:

• A new 44-foot wide bridge that replaces the existing 26-foot wide bridge.
•  Two 12-foot traffic lanes and 10-foot shoulders in both directions.
• Improved guardrails, and roadway and bridge approaches.
• A new bridge that’s six feet higher than the existing structure (this is to comply with 100-year floodplain requirements.

Drivers also should take note of this project’s impact on traffic…

• A temporary traffic signal will guide alternating traffic through a single shared lane during construction. Wait times are expected to be 5 to 8 minutes, with delays of up to 15 minutes possible. Motorists are advised to plan ahead and allow extra travel time.
• Some overnight closures of SR 90 will be required for the safety of the public. Those scheduled closures will be announced in advance. 
• ADOT intends to have one lane open in each direction with no traffic signal during the season that construction work is shut down.

More information on this project – including maps, traffic alerts and construction fact sheets – can be found on the SR 90 San PedroBridge replacement project webpage.

Work to replace San Pedro River Bridge is under way

As you can see in the video above, work to replace the San Pedro River Bridge is in full swing…

Construction started Oct. 1 and continues until March, which is when the project will shut down for about six months to accommodate the summer migratory bird season in the San Pedro riparian wilderness area. Work starts back up again in Oct. 2013 and is on schedule to finish by spring 2014.

This project is designed to replace the existing San Pedro River Bridge (built in 1955!) with a new structure featuring wider traffic lanes and shoulders that meet current standards and provide adequate space for vehicles.

You might remember that we blogged about this project a few months ago and highlighted the public involvement process (here’s the link). People in the community told ADOT they wanted the highway to stay open – at least partially – during construction.

That feedback helped shape the project and the construction schedule…

“The community let us know during the planning phase of this that they didn’t want us to completely shut the highway down and do the construction of the bridge,” says ADOT Senior Community Relations Officer C.T. Revere in the video above. “So we kept a lane open and the traffic signal is controlling the traffic through there.”

Besides community comment, the bridge’s location has also played a role in shaping the project…

As illustrated in the video above, the bridge’s locale – it sits in one of two congressionally designated national riparian conservation areas in the country – has factored into how crews are working to construct the new bridge.

Wattles and sediment barrier are in the plan along with a re-seeding and planting plan that includes the replacement of trees that were taken down for construction.

“Some of those trees had to be removed because the bridge is going to be wider than the existing one,” Revere says in the video. “The one that’s there now is 26-feet wide. The new one will be 44 feet wide. Also the construction activities to build the new bridge required us to have some clearance.”

We’ll continue to keep you updated on this project, but you can always find more information, including traffic alerts, construction fact sheets and maps, on the SR 90 San Pedro Bridge replacement project page.