Old Route 66 Colorado River Bridge

South of the I-40 Bridge, Needles, CA
Phone:

East < GO > West

The old Route 66 Colorado River bridge is just south of I-40. Today it carries a pipeline instead of automobile traffic. The tall towers aren't part of the bridge. They support a cable suspended pipeline just north of the bridge. From this angle that pipeline kind of blends in to the deck line of the river bridge.

The 1916 Old Trails Arch Bridge was used by Route 66 from 1926-1947. It was so narrow that when trucks or busses used the bridge it was one way only. It also had a weight limitation of 11 tons. With all the traffic during World War II a new, wider bridge was needed so they reopened the Red Rock Railroad Bridge to traffic until 1966 when the interstate bridge was built. The Red Rock Bridge was demolished in 1978.

The Old Trails Arch Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Directions: To view this bridge take the I-40 Park Moab exit. Follow the Park Moab Rd. north to its intersection with the National Trails Highway then right and follow the road as it passes under I-40 to pullout area and the sign in the photo below.

This sign is actually on the California side of the Colorado River, but eastbound on I-40 it welcomes you to Arizona, and westbound it invites you to come back again. The welcome sign was built in 1947.

This monument sign invites you to return to Arizona.

This photo shows part of the I-40 bridge as well as the old bridge.

Photo(s): 2013