Santa Cruz County is accepting public input on proposed options for the Babocomari Bridge through Oct. 14.
Comments can be submitted via the following means:
- Online Comment Form: https://azdot.gov/BabocomariBridgeComments
- Phone: 520.375.7830 or 520.584.3632
- Email: jfontesjr@santacruzcountyaz.gov or ted.buell@hdrinc.com
- Mail: Babocomari Bridge Project HDR Engineering Inc., 1 South Church Ave., Suite 1400, Tucson, AZ 85701
Display boards and background information on the project are available on the Arizona Department of Transportation website.
The display boards detail the four alternatives being considered:
- Option 1: Do nothing
- Option 2: Construct a new bridge at a new location/alignment
- Option 3: Rehabilitate existing bridge
- Option 4: Construct a new bridge at the current bridge’s location
In December 2024 Santa Cruz County received $3.9 million of federal funds through the Off-System Bridge Program for replacement of the one-lane bridge, which has a weight limit of 10 tons. Monies for this project must be authorized by ADOT by September 2027. If they are not, they will be returned to the federal government.
ADOT is currently completing the environmental clearance process required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The project team is also conducting an alternatives analysis and evaluation under Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966.
Because the project receives federal funding, Section 4(f) requires the project team to consider feasible and prudent alternatives that avoid or minimize impacts to protected properties. These can include publicly owned parks, recreation areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
This review will help determine how the project can address transportation needs while considering the bridge’s historic significance and other potential impacts.