Hite Crossing Bridge, Steel arch bridge over the Colorado River in San Juan County, Utah, United States
Hite Crossing Bridge is a steel arch bridge carrying Utah State Route 95 over the Colorado River northwest of Blanding, Utah. Its single shallow arch rises above a flat deck, with vertical and diagonal members forming a lattice between them. The bridge stands between rock walls above the river, near Hite Marina on Lake Powell.
In 1880 prospector Cass Hite established Dandy Crossing, a ford of the Colorado River 2 miles (3.2 km) downstream of today's bridge, and the settlement that grew there took his name. In 1946 Arthur Chaffin ran an automobile ferry powered by an old car engine and held on a steel cable; it operated for 20 years until Lake Powell flooded Hite. The bridge, designed by David Sargent, was advertised for bids on June 29, 1963 at about US$3 million and dedicated on June 3, 1966, as part of the realignment of State Route 95 approved in 1962.
The name comes from prospector Cass Hite, who in 1880 set up a ford called Dandy Crossing at the mouth of the Dirty Devil River, about 2 miles downstream. The settlement that grew there took his name. The American Discovery Trail crosses the Colorado on the bridge today.
The bridge sits in one of the most remote parts of Utah, far from towns or gas stations, so carrying extra water and fuel before heading out is a good idea. The road across is paved, but the surrounding desert offers little shade and conditions can change quickly depending on the time of year.
The bridge is the only automobile crossing of the Colorado River between the Glen Canyon Bridge, 185 miles (298 km) downstream, and the U.S. Route 191 bridge near Moab, 110 miles (180 km) upstream. The American Discovery Trail also uses it to cross the river.
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