Tucson Closes Aviation Parkway for Bridge Work
The weekend closure lets crews remove sections of the 22nd Street bridge over the parkway as part of a $158 million rebuild.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Home Renovation
Barraza-Aviation Parkway will be closed between Broadway and Golf Links Road from 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, until 6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 16. Crews are removing spans, overhangs, beams and piers from the 22nd Street bridge during the closure.
Why it matters
The current bridge, first built in 1966, cannot support buses, freight trucks or emergency vehicles, and the closure is needed to protect workers and the traveling public. The bridge has been closed to traffic since March, and the project is expected to take up to three years to complete.
The 22nd Street Bridge Revitalization Project carries a $158 million price tag and is expected to take up to three years. The original structure dates to 1966 and cannot carry buses, freight trucks or emergency vehicles.
The players
Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific is a major freight railroad operating across the western United States, and its tracks run beneath the 22nd Street bridge in Tucson.
The details
Crews are removing major bridge sections directly above Aviation Parkway, which requires closing the roadway between Broadway and Golf Links Road. The project will completely rebuild the 22nd Street bridge over Aviation Parkway and the Union Pacific railroad tracks.
Timeline
1966: The current 22nd Street bridge is first built.
March 2026: The 22nd Street bridge is closed to traffic.
8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, 2026: Barraza-Aviation Parkway closure begins.
6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 16, 2026: Barraza-Aviation Parkway reopens.
Roadmap
Many urban overpasses built in the 1960s are now being replaced rather than repaired as their load capacity falls short of modern transit and freight needs. The 22nd Street project follows that pattern, with a full rebuild rather than a patch.
Drivers using Barraza-Aviation Parkway will need an alternate route between Broadway and Golf Links Road from 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, until 6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 16. The 22nd Street bridge will remain closed to traffic during the three-year rebuild.
The takeaway
Plan alternate routes around Barraza-Aviation Parkway for the weekend of Nov. 13 to Nov. 16 and expect the wider bridge project to take up to three years.
Further reading
Explore more local work in Home Renovation coverage across Tucson.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Tucson Sentinel.
