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Information:
The Queen Creek Arch Bridge, also known as the Queen Creek Viaduct was built in 1949 as a reroute of U.S. Route 60 through Queen Creek Canyon. This is a steel arch bridge with a total length of 576.8 ft. This arch bridge rises high over the old US 60 and the previous, now historic Queen Creek Bridge, also called the Old Queen Creek Bridge.
Driving Directions:
Located in Pinal County, east of Superior, AZ on US 60 over Queen Creek Canyon.
US 60 New Highway Route,
1949-1952 Alignment
Queen Creek Tunnel Bridge
Location:
Located in Pinal Cunty on US 60, 1.5 miles east of Superior, AZ.
East Entrance Coordinates:
33.3056120, -111.0795958
East Entrance Elevation:
3470 feet
West Entrance Coordinates:
33.3042922, -111.0837504
West Entrance Elevation:
3370 feet
Tunnel Specifications:
Tunnel Type:
Automotive
Carries:
US 60 Highway
Crosses:
Superstition Mountains
Current Status:
Open
Date Open:
1952
Replaced:
Old US 60 highway route
Total Tunnel Length:
1,217 feet (371 meters)
Total Tunnel Clearance:
22 feet
Total Tunnel Width:
42 feet
Number of Tunnel Lanes:
3
Tunnel Average Grade:
6 percent
Queen Creek Arch Bridge, 1949, concrete deck, steel arch
Location:
On new build of US 60.
Coordinates:
33.2987696, -111.0900730
Elevation:
3046 feet
Bridge Specification
Bridge Type:
Steel Arch, Concrete Deck Bridge
Status:
Open for travel
Date Open:
1949
Replaced:
Old Queen Creek Bridge (See photo below)
Total Length:
577.1 feet
Total Deck Width:
34.1 feet
Main Span Length:
380.9 feet;
Crosses:
Queen Creek Canyon
Clearance Above:
(Vehicle Clearance) Open.
Clearance Below:
(Vessel Clearance) not specified.
US 60 New Highway Route,
1921-1949 Alignment
The alignment includes the Old Queen Creek Arch Bridge and the Claypool Tunnel is part of the first US 60 route built during 1921-1922. This alignment of US 60 is now part of the abandoned alignment of US 60 route located in the Queen Creek Canyon on the eastern outskirts of the town of Superior, Arizona.
Old Claypool Tunnel (1922)
Location:
East Entrance Coordinates:
33.303369689897885, -111.08032044632851
East Entrance Elevation:
3,565 feet
West Entrance Coordinates:
33.30328331031778, -111.08114787594087
West Entrance Elevation:
3,372 feet
Tunnel Specifications:
Tunnel Type:
Automotive
Carries:
Old alignment of US 60
Crosses:
Superstition Mountains
Current Status:
Closed to auto traffic, open to foot traffic
Date Open:
Date Replaced:
(old bridge name)
Replaced:
(old bridge name)
Total Tunnel Length:
300 feet
Total Tunnel Clearance:
Total Tunnel Width:
Clearance Above:
(Vehicle Clearance) feet
Clearance Below:
(Vessel Clearance) feet
Old Queen Creek Arch Bridge (1921)
Location:
On an old extension of US 60
Coordinates:
33.2966096, -111.0892537
Elevation:
2943 feet
Bridge Specification
Bridge Type:
open spandrel arch
Status:
Intact but closed to traffic
Date Open:
1921
Replaced by:
New Queen Creek Bridge
Year Bypassed:
1949
Total Length:
feet
Total Deck Width:
feet
Main Span Length:
feet;
Crosses:
Queen Creek Canyon
Clearance Above:
(Vehicle Clearance) Open.
Clearance Below:
(Vessel Clearance) not specified.
(m4bridge-arch-az-queencreek) Old Queen Creek Bridge below New Bridge
photo credit: Robert Thompson
Ancient Steps:
Uto-Aztecan
Among the earliest inhabitants of the area where Superior, Arizona is now located were the indigenous peoples of the
Second Migration across the Land Bridge from Asia, called the Uto-Aztecan language people, which ancient people are the ancestors of the modern indigenous people known today as the Pascua Yaqui and the Tohono O'odham. There are now numerous bands, all of which still speak the O’odham language, however, each group has various dialects.
Athabaskcan
Also in this same land area are the Apache indigenous people, whose ancestors were part of the
Third Migration across the land bridge from Asia.
In the 1870s, when the American Indian Wars were increasing, a company of Apache horsemen were ambushed by the US cavalry. After losing 50 men, the Apache retreated into the mountain, which area is now Superior, Arizona.
With the loss of many of their brothers, the Apache accepted defeat and the remaining 75 Apache Warriors leaped to their death rather than being captured by the US Army. Due to this event by the Apache, this mountain became known as the Apache Leap Mountain.
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