Two new bridges have been built along the upper stretch of the main road in popular Madera Canyon south of Tucson — replacing narrow bridges that posed safety problems and slowed traffic flow.
“It facilitates two-way traffic flow over the newly constructed bridges, preventing pinch points and potential backup situations for traffic over single-lane bridges,” said Heidi Schewel, spokeswoman for the Coronado National Forest. The agency manages the Madera Canyon area, about 40 miles south of Tucson.
Construction of the bridges and repaving of the canyon road between and across the two new bridges was completed at the end of April. The work required a temporary loss of vehicle access to the Mount Wrightson trailhead and a picnic area at the upper end of the road. Vehicle access to the sites is once again available.
Schewel said she couldn’t immediately provide a cost estimate for the work.
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Traffic on the road can be especially heavy on weekends when people visit the canyon for hiking, camping, picnicking, bird-watching, nature photography and relaxation in the mile-high terrain.
The site attracts avid bird-watchers from around the world. The Friends of Madera Canyon group notes that “Southeastern Arizona, with Madera Canyon at its heart, is rated the third best birding destination in the United States.”
More than 256 species of birds have been documented — including 15 species of hummingbirds, elegant trogons, sulphur-bellied flycatchers, black-capped gnatcatchers, flame-colored tanagers and 36 species of wood warblers.
