Navajo Bridge
Encyclopedia
Navajo Bridge crosses the Colorado River's Marble Canyon
near Lee's Ferry
in the US state of Arizona
. Apart from the Glen Canyon Bridge
a few miles upstream at Page, Arizona
, it is the only roadway crossing of the river and the Grand Canyon
for nearly 600 miles (965.6 km). Spanning Marble Canyon
, the bridge carries northbound travelers to southern Utah
and to the Arizona Strip
, the otherwise inaccessible portion of Arizona north of the Colorado River, which includes the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park
.
Prior to the construction of the first Navajo Bridge, the only river crossing from Arizona to Utah was at nearby Lee's Ferry
, where the canyon walls are low and getting vehicles onto the water is relatively convenient. The ferry offered only unreliable service, however, as adverse weather and flooding regularly prevented its operation.
Construction of the original Navajo Bridge began in 1927, and the bridge opened to traffic in 1929. It was paid for by the nascent Arizona State Highway Commission (now the Arizona Department of Transportation
) in cooperation with the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs
, as the eastern landing is on the Navajo Nation
. The steel spandrel bridge design was constructed by the Kansas City Structural Steel Company. The bridge is 834 feet (254.2 m) in length, with a maximum height of 467 feet (142.3 m) from the canyon floor. Its roadway offers an 18 feet (5.5 m) surface width with a load capacity of 22.5 tons
(although the posted legal weight limit was 40 tons). During the design phase, a wider roadway was considered, but ultimately rejected, as it would have required a costly third arch to be added to the design, and the vehicles of the time did not necessitate the wider road.
In 1990, however, it was decided that the traffic flow was too great for the original bridge, and that a new solution was needed. The sharp corners in the roadway on each side of the bridge's approach had become a safety hazard due to low visibility, and the deficiency in the original design's width and load capacity specifications were becoming problematic. The bridge had also become part of U.S. Route 89A
.
Deciding on a solution was difficult, due to the many local interests. Issues included preservation of sacred Navajo land, endangered plant species in Marble Canyon, and the possibility of construction pollution entering the river. The original proposal called for merely widening and fortifying the bridge, but this was ultimately rejected since this could not possibly bring it up to current federal highway standards. Replacement was then the only option, and it was eventually decided to entirely discontinue automobile use of the original bridge. A new bridge would be built immediately next to the original and have a considerably similar visual appearance, but would conform to modern highway codes.
The new steel arch bridge was commissioned by the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration
, and was completed in September 1995, at a cost of approximately $15 million.
The original Navajo Bridge is still open to pedestrian and equestrian use, and an interpretive center has been constructed nearby to showcase the historical nature of the bridge and early crossing of the Colorado River. Bungee jumpers
are frequently seen using the span. The original bridge has been designated as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
Total length: 834 ft (254 m)
Steel arch length: 616 ft (188 m)
Arch rise: 90 ft (27.4 m)
Height above river: 467 ft (142 m)
Width of the roadway: 18 ft (5.5 m)
Amount of steel: 2.4 million lb (1,089,000 kg)
Amount of concrete: 500 yd³ (385 m³)
Amount of steel reinforcement: 82000 lb (37,000 kg)
Construction cost: $390,000
Total length: 909 ft (277 m)
Steel arch length: 726 ft (221 m)
Arch rise 90 ft (27.4 m)
Height above river: 470 ft (143 m)
Width of the roadway: 44 ft (13.4 m)
Amount of steel: 3.9 million lb (1,769,000 kg)
Amount of concrete: 1,790 yd³ (1370 m³)
Amount of steel reinforcement: 434,000 lb (197,000 kg)
Construction cost $14,700,000
Marble Canyon
Marble Canyon is the section of the Colorado River canyon in northern Arizona from Lee's Ferry to the confluence with the Little Colorado River, which marks the beginning of the Grand Canyon....
near Lee's Ferry
Lee's Ferry
Lee's Ferry is a site on the Colorado River in Coconino County, Arizona, United States, about 7.5 miles southwest of the town of Page, Arizona and the Glen Canyon Dam, and about 9 mi south of the Utah-Arizona border. It is the former location of a ferry established by John D. Lee, a Mormon...
in the US state of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. Apart from the Glen Canyon Bridge
Glen Canyon Dam
Glen Canyon Dam is a concrete arch dam on the Colorado River in northern Arizona in the United States, just north of Page. The dam was built to provide hydroelectricity and flow regulation from the upper Colorado River Basin to the lower. Its reservoir is called Lake Powell, and is the second...
a few miles upstream at Page, Arizona
Page, Arizona
Page is a city in Coconino County, Arizona, United States, near the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 6,794.-Geography:Page is located at ....
, it is the only roadway crossing of the river and the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
for nearly 600 miles (965.6 km). Spanning Marble Canyon
Marble Canyon
Marble Canyon is the section of the Colorado River canyon in northern Arizona from Lee's Ferry to the confluence with the Little Colorado River, which marks the beginning of the Grand Canyon....
, the bridge carries northbound travelers to southern Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and to the Arizona Strip
Arizona Strip
The Arizona Strip is the part of the U.S. state of Arizona lying north of the Colorado River. The difficulty of crossing the Grand Canyon causes this region to have more natural connections with southern Utah and Nevada than with the rest of Arizona....
, the otherwise inaccessible portion of Arizona north of the Colorado River, which includes the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is the United States' 15th oldest national park and is located in Arizona. Within the park lies the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, considered to be one of the Wonders of the World. The park covers of unincorporated area in Coconino and Mohave counties.Most...
.
Prior to the construction of the first Navajo Bridge, the only river crossing from Arizona to Utah was at nearby Lee's Ferry
Lee's Ferry
Lee's Ferry is a site on the Colorado River in Coconino County, Arizona, United States, about 7.5 miles southwest of the town of Page, Arizona and the Glen Canyon Dam, and about 9 mi south of the Utah-Arizona border. It is the former location of a ferry established by John D. Lee, a Mormon...
, where the canyon walls are low and getting vehicles onto the water is relatively convenient. The ferry offered only unreliable service, however, as adverse weather and flooding regularly prevented its operation.
History
Arizona Department of Transportation
The Arizona Department of Transportation is an Arizona state government agency charged with facilitating mobility within the state. In addition to managing the state's highway system, the agency is also involved with public transportation and municipal airports...
) in cooperation with the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
, as the eastern landing is on the Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American-governed territory covering , occupying all of northeastern Arizona, the southeastern portion of Utah, and northwestern New Mexico...
. The steel spandrel bridge design was constructed by the Kansas City Structural Steel Company. The bridge is 834 feet (254.2 m) in length, with a maximum height of 467 feet (142.3 m) from the canyon floor. Its roadway offers an 18 feet (5.5 m) surface width with a load capacity of 22.5 tons
Short ton
The short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...
(although the posted legal weight limit was 40 tons). During the design phase, a wider roadway was considered, but ultimately rejected, as it would have required a costly third arch to be added to the design, and the vehicles of the time did not necessitate the wider road.
In 1990, however, it was decided that the traffic flow was too great for the original bridge, and that a new solution was needed. The sharp corners in the roadway on each side of the bridge's approach had become a safety hazard due to low visibility, and the deficiency in the original design's width and load capacity specifications were becoming problematic. The bridge had also become part of U.S. Route 89A
U.S. Route 89A (Arizona)
U.S. Route 89A is a north–south auxiliary U.S. highway, though its actual direction of travel is more east–west. The highway is an old routing of U.S. Route 89 from Bitter Springs, Arizona to Kanab, Utah. The state of Arizona has designated this highway the Fredonia-Vermilion Cliffs...
.
The new steel arch bridge was commissioned by the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
, and was completed in September 1995, at a cost of approximately $15 million.
The original Navajo Bridge is still open to pedestrian and equestrian use, and an interpretive center has been constructed nearby to showcase the historical nature of the bridge and early crossing of the Colorado River. Bungee jumpers
Bungee jumping
Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that...
are frequently seen using the span. The original bridge has been designated as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
Original bridge
Dedicated: 1929-06-14 to 1929-06-15 after two years of constructionTotal length: 834 ft (254 m)
Steel arch length: 616 ft (188 m)
Arch rise: 90 ft (27.4 m)
Height above river: 467 ft (142 m)
Width of the roadway: 18 ft (5.5 m)
Amount of steel: 2.4 million lb (1,089,000 kg)
Amount of concrete: 500 yd³ (385 m³)
Amount of steel reinforcement: 82000 lb (37,000 kg)
Construction cost: $390,000
New bridge
The main pin of the new bridge was set 1994-10-14, after seven months of construction.Total length: 909 ft (277 m)
Steel arch length: 726 ft (221 m)
Arch rise 90 ft (27.4 m)
Height above river: 470 ft (143 m)
Width of the roadway: 44 ft (13.4 m)
Amount of steel: 3.9 million lb (1,769,000 kg)
Amount of concrete: 1,790 yd³ (1370 m³)
Amount of steel reinforcement: 434,000 lb (197,000 kg)
Construction cost $14,700,000