A working session of the Gila County Board of Supervisors on January 24 included discussion of the Tonto Creek Bridge Project and the proposed Environmental Health Ordinance.
Construction on the $21 million Tonto Creek Bridge will begin on September 1, 2022, with substantial project completion expected in March 2024. The first phase of the project (earthwork and bridge construction) he is estimated to complete in December. Phase 2 of the project, which consists of road improvements, is estimated to be completed in February 2024. The completed bridge will have two lanes, a shoulder, and a pedestrian walkway.
Goodman reports that potential impacts on the project may arise from the need for updated biological opinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as additional temporary construction easements are required. These easements were requested by Ames Construction working on the bridge to lower the girders and build the gabion baskets. Goodman said updating the biological opinion could take him up to 135 days, but county officials wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Interior asking for a speedy update.
Goodman also briefed the board on species of concern in the project area, including garter snakes in northern Mexico and wills in the southwest.low Flycatcher. This project employs a full-time biologist to inspect garter snake (endan) sites daily.Geled tribe; the found must be moved before starting work for the day. The flycatcher, also listed as an endangered species, affects logging limits because from October he can only be harvested until March.
Assistant County Manager Michael O’Driscoll updated the board on the proposed environmental health ordinance.He said the ordinance would increase transparencyencie Go to Gila County CashierDent Administration of county responsibilities under a mandate agreement with the Arizona governmentpartition of health services.agreemento, Updated in 2017 to provide inspection and enforcement of food establishments, hotels and motels, pools and spas, public schools, and campsbasis and children’s camps, public health nuisance complaints, and a smoke-free Arizona survey.
Under the ordinance, Gila County will transition from the 2013 FDA Food Code to the 2017 FDA Food Code at Arizona’s request in 2020. O’Driscoll said the move would have no regulatory impact on permitted food establishments. He also added that the ordinance would reduce the types of food permits from 20 he said to 4 he said based on risk.
