Quest Ventures

Guthrie Bridge Removal

Built in 1950, Guthrie Bridge was known as a significant piece of large scale bridge construction. The massive steel structure spanned 727 feet in length and weighed over 1,500 tons. The two lane bridge, located in Greenlee County, Arizona, carried highway traffic over the Gila River until it was replaced in 2009. A year later the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) contracted with Quest Civil Constructors, Inc. (Quest) to remove the abandoned bridge.

The bridge was built over the Gila River and an active railroad track which offered multiple challenges during planning and execution. After extensive planning, the bridge structure was demolished in three phases over the course of twenty days. The concrete bridge deck was removed first, exposing the entire steel structure. In the second phase, the steel trusses and approach spans were removed and hauled-off to an approved recycling center. The third and final phase included removal of six concrete piers and two abutments, final grading, seeding and vegetation establishment of the project site.

Safety, environmental and lead abatement concerns were top priorities throughout the duration of the Project.