Canyon Diablo Bridge

The Canyon Diablo Bridge, which once carried U.S. Route 66, spans Canyon Diablo in Two Guns, Coconino County, Arizona.

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The Canyon Diablo Bridge, which once carried U.S. Route 66, spans Canyon Diablo in Two Guns, Coconino County, Arizona. Built in 1915 by the Luten Bridge Company, it is a closed-spandrel concrete arch bridge that was bypassed in 1940.

By the mid-1800s, settlers had identified the Two Guns crossing as one of the more favorable points to traverse the steep-sided Canyon Diablo, first by wagon, and later by motor vehicle. ³ Travelers followed winding paths down the canyon’s embankments, then crossed the usually dry riverbed. ⁴

In 1914, the Canyon Padre Bridge opened 19 miles west of Two Guns. That same year, Arizona State Engineer Lamar Cobb selected and surveyed the Two Guns site for a new bridge over Canyon Diablo. ⁵ Plans and specifications were purchased for $500 from the Topeka Bridge & Iron Co., which designed a 128-foot Luten Bridge Company arch bridge with a cantilevered roadway, similar to the Canyon Padre structure. ^{1 5}

Although the riverbed was often dry, sudden flows did occur. The bridge’s concrete parapet walls reflected this hazard; its upstream wall was built solid to shield the roadway from floodwaters, while the downstream wall was pierced with slots to let water pass through. ¹

The construction contract was awarded in late 1914 to Thomas Haddock of Williams, Arizona, the lowest bidder at $9,000. Using concrete and reinforcing steel provided by the state, Haddock’s crew erected the bridge over the winter. The Canyon Diablo Bridge opened on March 17, 1915. ¹

Initially part of the National Old Trails Road, also known as the Santa Fe Highway in Arizona, the bridge became part of U.S. Route 66 in 1926. It served travelers until 1940, when a new bridge was constructed just to the north on a more direct alignment. ^{4 6}

The bridge was incorporated into Interstate 40 in 1965 with the addition of a westbound-only companion bridge. ⁶ In 1976, it was widened to include shoulders.

In recognition of its historical significance, the original Canyon Diablo Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. ¹

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Details

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Sources

1. “Canyon Diablo Bridge.” National Park Service, 30 Sept. 1988.
2. “Vehicular Bridges in Arizona MPS.” National Park Service, 1988.
3. Weiser, Kathy. “Two Guns – Death by Highway.” Legends of America, Apr. 2015.
4. “Two Guns.” Road Trip Journeys, 25 May 2016.
5. “Canyon Padre Bridge.” National Park Service, 30 Sept. 1988.
6. “National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Summary.” Arizona Department of Transportation.