TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Big updates today on the 22nd Street Bridge project on the Southside. Neighbors and former council member Richard G. Fimbres gathered at 22nd Street and Cherrybell Stravenue to share the latest on the long-delayed bridge reconstruction.
If you’ve ever driven through 22nd St. between Kino Parkway and Tucson Boulevard, then you know just how backed up it can get, but by early next year, that’s about to change.
Jesse Lugo, a native Tucsonan, was only eight years old when the 22nd Street Bridge was constructed.
“This bridge was built in 1966. That's a long time ago," Lugo said. "In fact, this bridge is dangerous because the rebar is sticking out of that—out of the concrete on it.”
Lugo, along with Southside neighbors and former council member Richard G. Fimbres, gathered to recognize the city’s Department of Transportation (DTM) for locking in funding for the reconstruction through a grant.
“They finally secured the $25 million that the federal government had reneged," said Lugo.
The bridge will be demolished. Some of what the new design includes are more lanes, exit and entrance ramps, eight-foot pedestrian-bicycle lanes and access for heavy trucks and buses.
“The city said it's going to take about two to two and a half years to be completed," he said.
Lugo tells me community groups like Barrio Centro, Arroyo Chico and Colonia Solana pushed for changes to the original plan, helping shape the design residents wanted.
"People from neighborhoods came together because the city had proposed a plan that we didn't agree upon," he said.
Lugo shares how much the project is estimated to cost.
“The cost of construction is probably going to be close to about $175 million. That consists of about eight different organizations, but this is a Regional Transportation Authority, RTA project, that was spearheaded by them," said Lugo.
Later this month, DTM will choose a bidder to complete the construction.
“The contractor will then publicly be known, and then they'll decide, you know, a date and time that we'll start seeing the bulldozers actually demolishing the bridge to reconstruct the new bridge, which will take about two to two and a half years," Lugo said.
Lugo and neighbors say they will make sure the bridge is named after a man who served 32 years with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and is a Vietnam-era veteran, along with serving 16 years on the city council.
“There is no other person that this bridge should be named after other than Richard G. Fimbres,” said Lugo.
When construction is completed, each side will have three lanes in each direction, matching 22nd Street and removing the current bottleneck.
Construction is set to begin in early 2026. More information on the project can be found here.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
