The Navajo Bridge was designed and constructed during the 1920's, which was an era of significant road and bridge building in Arizona by the State. The infusion of Federal Aid lead to establishment of the Arizona Highway Department and a Bridge Division in 1920. The Navajo Bridge was the only spandrel-braced deck arch undertaken by the Department. The main span has remained unaltered, except for painting in 1977, until its conversion to a pedestrian facility with the opening of its magnificent, modern twin replacement on May 1, 1995.
Arizona's Historic Navajo Bridge spans Marble Canyon in a graceful silvery arch approximately 470 ft. above the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, approximately 125 miles north of Flagstaff Arizona. The 750 feet. long steel bridge with its 616 feet. three-hinged spandrel arch main span has been judged to be the most historically significant bridge in Arizona.
The bridge is located in a uniquely beautiful region that is characterized by high plateaus and steep, red-walled canyons. Although the area is remote and sparsely populated, the bridge was a vital transportation link between northern Arizona and Southern Utah, providing access to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, Kaibab National Forest, Zion National Park, and Bryce National Park. Historic Navajo Bridge replaced Lee's Ferry in 1928 as the only crossing of the Colorado River for a stretch of 600 miles and was still the only crossing between Glen Canyon Dam and Hoover Dam when it was taken out of service in 1995.
The bridge has been designated as only the fourth National Historic Monument by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Other landmarks in Arizona include the Theodore Roosevelt Dam and Salt River Project (1971); Hoover Dam (1984); and the Prehistoric Hohokam Canal System (1992).
