US191 Colorado River Bridge at Moab In Harmony with Nature

The new US191 Colorado River Bridge at Moab is in one of the most highprofile locations in the region. The picturesque landscapes, parks, and recreation areas draw more than 1.5 million visitors a year. The bridge provides a gateway to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, and the Sand Flats Recreation Area.

Fred Doehring, UDOT, and Stephen E. Fultz, Figg, stated “The bridge's aesthetic goals were designed to blend the structure with the scenery as much as possible rather than allow it to serve as a focal point. To achieve this, a special mineral-based stain that reacts with concrete was used to bring out the natural texture and color of the concrete. Extra care was taken to achieve the ideal color, as the scenery coloration changes throughout the day and year with the sun's position and season.

Formliners also were used to create a rock texture on the mechanically-stabilized earth wall panels and piers matching the texture of nearby canyon wall relief, providing a natural rock appearance for river and trail users. Only one pier [each] of the 1022-ft-long structure is located in the river, strategically placed to maintain the navigational channel preferred by recreational users. Pedestrians and mountain bikers are separated from the highway traffic by a new pedestrian bridge upstream.

The bridge was completed in December, 2010, with all the design features completed as outlined in the project scope (UDOT Report).

View Photos is an auto-show of the bridge photos, highlighting the geology and coloration changes. Moab Area Map locates many area attractions and the relative position of the bridge and Moab with I-70.
UDOT Report is the post-completion project report In Harmony with Nature, a pdf document (that may or may not open quickly).