TUCSON – The Arizona Department of Transportation has reopened both directions of Interstate 10 east of Tucson between State Route 90 and SR 83. The highway had been closed overnight to provide a safe work zone for the removal of the old Marsh Station Bridge and the Mescal Road/J-Six Ranch Road Bridge, which was damaged by a fire on March 15.

The planned closure began at 9 p.m. on Friday (April 8) between SR 83 east of Tucson (exit 281) and SR 90 near Benson (exit 302). Westbound I-10 was reopened at 6:30 a.m. this morning. Due to equipment issues, the reopening of eastbound I-10 was delayed until 7:45 a.m. During the bridge demolition project, motorists were guided by signs through a 67-mile detour.

The Mescal Road/J-Six Ranch Road Bridge and the old Marsh Station Bridge were demolished at the same time to avoid another closure and minimize impacts to the traveling public.

The demolition and removal of the Marsh Station Bridge is part of a $10 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act project and ADOT’s continued investment in Arizona’s interstate highway system. The project includes the new Marsh Station traffic interchange, the extension of Marsh Station Road, drainage improvements and the realignment of approximately three miles of the Union Pacific Railroad line to the north of I-10.

Now that the fire-damaged Mescal Road/J-Six Ranch Road bridge has been removed, ADOT will be working on selecting the contractor and plans to begin construction this summer to build a new bridge at the site. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.

For more information about these projects, please visit http://www.azdot.gov/marshstation and http://www.azdot.gov/mescalJ6bridge or contact Tucson District Senior Community Relations Officer Linda Ritter at 520.388.4266 or lritter@azdot.gov. Local media should contact the ADOT Public Information Office at news@azdot.gov or 1.800.949.8057. Visit http://www.facebook.com/azdot, http://www.twitter.com/ArizonaDOT or http://www.azdot.gov for more information about ADOT.

(SedonaEye.com Editor: Thank you, Ted J. We did consider a weather option for the Eye but since Sedona weather ranges from “beautiful” to “even more beautiful” we determined it unnecessary. If global warming affects Sedona adversely, we will revisit our decision. Happy reading!)