The Gila River Bridge on US 70 is located approximately one mile west of the community of Bylas on the San Carlos Apache reservation. The existing 23-span steel girder bridge, constructed in 1957, will remain in use until the new 15-span precast concrete girder bridge is constructed adjacent to it. The project is scheduled to begin in February 2012, with completion of the new bridge and demolition of the old bridge scheduled for fall 2012. The bridge and new highway approaches on US 70 will be paved in the spring of 2013. The project cost is $12.7 million.

The new bridge will include the following:

• Fifteen precast concrete-girder spans
• Wider travel lanes
• Emergency shoulders
• Pedestrian walkway
• Wider highway approaches
• Intersection improvements on US 70 at Calva Road
• Habitat and wetlands protection and compliance