Bridge in the Tonto Basin opens, saves people from trying to cross flooded creek

TONTO CREEK, AZ (AZFamily) — For the very first time Monday, people living and traveling in the Tonto Basin, about an hour and a half northeast of Phoenix, are able to drive across the Tonto Creek Bridge that has been years in the making.

We have previously reported about a number of deaths and rescues that have happened at the Tonto Creek because people would try to cross the flooded waters.

The project has been thought about for decades, and on Monday, construction on the bridge connecting the east side to the west side of the Tonto Basin was complete.

Some residents say it gives them hope that no more lives will be lost and will make getting to their homes and destinations much safer.

The 2,000-foot bridge will now save people from driving across the creek. It’s an area that usually floods from spring snowmelt and monsoon thunderstorms.

People who didn’t cross would be stuck at their homes for weeks at a time, or were forced to drive more than an hour of the way to avoid the flood.

Randy Roberson has lived in the area for decades and has watched the progression of the bridge.

“It’s been a struggle for everyone over here,” Roberson said. “It’s such an end to an era to look at what has gone on here and the struggles everyone has had, and the damage to vehicles, loss of life.”

He has played a big role in helping people get food and medicine when the creek floods.

“When people can’t get across the (Gila County) Sheriff’s Office has contacted me, and Hospice Compassus out of Payson, to use my drone to fly meds across the hospice patients on this side,” he said.

Life before the bridge has proven to be deadly. In 2019, a family tried to cross the flooded creek. Three kids, all under the age of 7, died after being swept away.

“I think that brought this to a whole another level and we got the attention of people that were overlooking the need,” Roberson said.

Roberson believes these two new lanes will create a safer future for Arizona families.

“I know there is a lot of people worried about what kind of change this will bring to the rural lifestyle here and all that and it’ll probably have some effects but in the grand scheme of things we all just need to get through the day and move to next week,” he said. “It’s been interesting to watch this whole thing. It seems like it took forever, and today to be able to cross the creek it was extra special.”

There will be an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday.

There is also a sidewalk on the bridge. This will allow kids to get to and from school safely.

In previous years, some kids would hop in a military-style vehicle to cross the creek to make it to class.

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