The bridge, located on the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, was constructed by Reclamation in 1966. Recent inspections of the bridge have revealed its road surface is unraveling, leading Reclamation to make the decision to close it.

Jim Cherry, Area Manager for Reclamation's Yuma Area Office, said the closure is necessary to protect those people who use the bridge to cross the river.

"Even though this bridge receives very little use today, our primary concern is public safety," Cherry said. "Once the bridge is closed, we will conduct a thorough inspection to assess the cause of the surface unraveling, and then determine whether to repair and re-open the bridge," he added.

A gated fence barrier will be installed on both bridge approaches to prevent vehicle or pedestrian access. Until then, warning signs have been posted on the approaches to notify the public that the bridge should not be used.

Motorists desiring to access this area on the Cibola Refuge should approach it from the Farmers Bridge, located about 11 miles north of the Lower Cibola Bridge.