MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz. — Motorists traveling southbound on Interstate 15 through the Virgin River Gorge can expect 30-minute-or-longer delays Monday morning.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Highway Patrol Division will be conducting a few traffic breaks southbound on I-15 to assist the Arizona Department of Transportation and the construction crews working on Bridge No. 6 as they unload some brand new bridge girders, Arizona Department of Public Safety Sgt. John Bottoms said.
“We recommend using old Highway 91 to avoid any delays,” Bottoms said.
Alternate route
Those seeking to avoid the construction work in the Virgin River Gorge may take Highway 91 as an alternate route. The highway bypasses the Gorge entirely, intersecting with I-15 at Littlefield, Arizona, to the south and connecting to St. George, Utah, at the north via Santa Clara and Sunset Boulevard. See map inset.
ADOT Bridge rehabilitation project
Bridges in the Virgin River Gorge were originally constructed in the 1970s. When this section of highway was built, it was the most expensive rural interstate highway built, per mile, and was completed in 1973 after a decade of construction.
ADOT began work in January 2014 to modernize and rehabilitate bridges through the Gorge. Work on three of the bridges has been completed thus far, specifically surfaces for Virgin River Bridge No. 2 at milepost 13, Bridge No. 3 at milepost 15 and Bridge No. 7 at milepost 22.
Work began on Bridge No. 6 in the spring of 2014 and is currently anticipated to be completed in 2016. Bridge No. 6 involves a $27 million rehabilitation project replacing the bridge’s superstructure – girders, deck and railings – as well as widening the roadway through the narrow passage of the gorge.
Current highway conditions
To stay up to date with the latest highway conditions in Arizona, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter or call 511; outside of Arizona, telephone 888-411-7623.
Related posts
- I-15 construction switches to southbound bridge; Virgin River Gorge
- Man killed in Virgin River Gorge crash identified; accident details released
- Traffic advisory: Multiple motorcycle accidents cause delays through Gorge
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