Pima Mine Road Bridge at Santa Cruz River (CMAR)

The new Pima Mine Road Bridge crossing the Santa Cruz River replaces an existing 20-ton load restricted bridge and provides for a future 4-lane roadway between Interstate-19 (I-19) and Nogales Highway.  Improvements extend approximately 1000’ on each side of the Santa Cruz River and include new travel lanes, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and three 36” waterline crossings.

The primary challenge associated with this project was the limited working space and numerous existing utilities within the vicinity of the new bridge.  An 85’ wide bridge needed to be constructed in 100’ of public right-of-way that was already occupied by the existing bridge, regional fiber-optic communication lines, significant overhead electric lines, and an existing 24” waterline.  In addition, the existing Pima Mine Road right-of-way was bordered by Union Pacific Railroad on the south and the Tohono O’odham Nation on the north, meaning additional right-of-way could not be acquired for construction of the project.

Borderland worked with the numerous project stakeholders to develop a construction phasing plan that allowed the new bridge to be built in halves while maintaining traffic and utility operations throughout construction.

Project Details

Location: Town of Sahuarita, Pima County, Arizona
Guaranteed Price: $6.1 M
Owner: Town of Sahuarita, Public Works Department
Project Delivery: CMAR
Scope: (2) span AASHTO precast concrete girder bridge, (3) 36-inch pipelines

Project Recognition/Awards:

  • 2017 Public Works Project of the Year – Structures (Small Cities/Rural Communities) presented by Southern Arizona Branch, Arizona Chapter – Arizona Public Works Association (APWA)

Community Benefits

The project improves mobility for regional traffic (between I-19 and Nogales Highway) by eliminating the previous load restrictions and accommodates future development in the area by providing a four-lane bridge crossing.

Features

  • New four-lane Pima Mine Road bridge crossing the Santa Cruz River
    • The bridge is 85’ wide and 199’ long (two-spans of AASHTO Type IV pre-cast/pre-stressed girders)
    • Bridge structure accommodates existing and future-use utilities
  • (3) 36-inch diameter waterlines
    • Cement Mortar Lined and Coated Welded Steel Pipe (Class 150)
    • Included temporary HDPE bypass of existing flows during construction