GILA COUNTY, Ariz. — A new bridge in Gila County is in its last phase of completion and county officials emphasize its main goal is to help save lives.
For decades, residents in the county who live on the East side of the Tonto Creek have had to face treacherous waters to cross to the other side of town when the creek floods.
Tim Humphrey, District 2 supervisor for the county, said in the past few years, nearly a dozen people, including three children, have lost their lives attempting to cross the creek.
"Safety was a major issue in living here," Humphrey said. "We put in grants to try to receive funding."
Humphrey said he flew to Washington to find out why their county had not received any grants and how they could improve their application to be selected as a grant recipient.
"They said, 'You have all the nuts and bolts but you don't have the human element'," Humphrey said. "When I got back, I hired a film crew and not only the children crossing in a big army vehicle but it interviewed people's lives of how that creek affects their lives."
Humphrey said the county received $20 million from the state but that the money was taken back.
"When COVID hit, they had to retract the money because nobody knew what COVID was going to cost," Humphrey said.
However, Humphrey said former Gov. Doug Ducey, along with other state and federal representatives, reached out to Washington on a grant to help them get the money.
"It's not only for the safety for the people who live here, but it's on a county that lives on 3 percent of its infrastructure," Humphrey said.
Randy Roberson is a resident of Gila County who said he's seen several instances where his neighbors need help.
In fact, Roberson recalled an experience from five years ago.
"We had a large 4 by 4 truck and [a couple] called and asked if we could help them cross the creek because they had a young child, an infant with sepsis I believe," Roberson said. "It was pretty dicey getting them across the creek but we got them across the creek."
Roberson said he and another neighbor have helped people by using pontoon boats to ferry them to another boat ramp.
"Other than that, the only other option really is a 25-mile four-wheel drive road called the A Cross Road," Roberson said. "Anybody who has been back there in bad weather knows that it's not really much of an alternative."
Tom Goodman, a Gina County engineer, said the $21 million dollar bridge is just under 2000 feet long and 41 feet wide.
"This is a multipurpose bridge," Goodman said. "It's not just motorists, so pedestrians can walk across it. There's 5-foot sidewalks," Goodman explained. "You can walk across it going to school. You can just walk across it to look at the views, all the beautiful views."
Goodman said the bridge is also bound to impact the economy of the county.
"This project is going to benefit the county economically," Goodman said. "Property values have already started to go up."
Goodman said the bridge will open in late June.
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