Burro Creek 2005 Bridge

Burro Creek 2005 Bridge
Wikieup, Arizona, United States
388 feet high / 118 meters high
700 foot span / 213 meter span
2005

Located across the remote Burro Creek gorge along highway 93 about 15 miles (24 kms) south of Wikieup, Arizona are two of the southwestern United States’ longest arch spans. The original silver colored 2-lane truss arch was built in 1966 by the American Bridge Company and spans 680 feet (207 mtrs) between hinges. In 2005, a second span of 700 feet (213 mtrs) was built parallel to the original Burro Creek bridge. The new rust weathered arch now carries two lanes of northbound traffic while the 1966 span handles southbound traffic. Several alternate proposals were designed including a concrete segmental arch and a solid steel rib arch.

A campground and wilderness area is located about a mile downstream of the crossing where you can hike along the south side of the creek and view the bridges from below. The site is a favorite of Phoenix-area BASE jumpers.

Burro Creek 2005 Bridge Elevation

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A view of the 1966 bridge just before construction of the parallel span. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Another view of the 1966 bridge before the new span was built next to it. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Burro Creek Bridge steel rib arch proposal by Arizona Department of Transportation.

Burro Creek Bridge steel rib arch proposal by Arizona Department of Transportation.

Burro Creek Bridge concrete arch proposal by Arizona Department of Transportation.

Burro Creek Bridge concrete arch proposal by Arizona Department of Transportation.

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

I was startled by a BASE jumper who flung himself over the side of the northbound span during my visit to the bridge in early 2009. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com