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Welcome
to Point of Interest Road
Signs! A
collection of photos of road and trail signs. Click
here for more Arizona Signs
Navajo
Bridge - Historic Navajo Bridge
Location
of sign - Navajo Bridge on US 89 in Arizona
Photo
taken- July 2008
Close
up view of sign
Wide
view of sign
Text
of sign:
Historic
Navajo Bridge Dedicated June 14-15, 1929
The
Vital Link
When
the Historic Navajo Bridge opened on January 12, 1929, Flagstaff's
newspaper, the Coconino Sun, called it "the
biggest
news
in Southwest history." It was the only bridge across the
Colorado River for some 600 miles (965 km) and was a vital link in
the
first direct highway route between Arizona and Utah.
By
easing access to this remote and rugged region, the bridge played a
valuable and lasting role in transportation, commerce and
tourism
in northern Arizona and southern Utah.
A
500 Pound Shot!
When
the historic Navajo Bridge was constructed in 1929, blasting the
canyon walls was permitted.
"The closing of the two great halves of the arch bridging the
Colorado River has marked a milestone in the history of
highway
construction
in Arizona." - Ralph A Hoffman, State Bridge Engineer 1928
Ribbons
of Steel
The
historic Navajo Bridge was constructed as two cantilevered arch
halves, each extending 305 ft (94 m) over the gorge.
The
Flagstaff side of the arch was erected first and took two months to
complete. The Fredonia side of the arch was finished two
and
a half months later. The arch was closed on September 12,
1928.
Tale
of the Tape
At
the time of its construction, the historic Navajo Bridge was the
highest steel arch bridge in the world.
Total
length: 834 ft (254 m)
Steel
arch length: 616 ft (188 m)
Arch
rise: 90 ft (27.4 m)
Height
above the river: 467 ft (142 m)
Width
of the roadway: 18 ft (5.5 m)
Amount
of steel: 2.4 million lbs (1,689,000 kg)
Amount
of concrete: 500 cu yards (385 m)
Amount
of steel reinforcement: 82,000 lbs (37,000 kg)
Construction
cost: $390 thousand
Graphics on the Sign
In
addition to the text there are historical photos of the bridge
and its construction.
Please
help us out by submitting
a photo!
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can find more information about the state of Arizona here and
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