The border vidette., 1929-06-29
THE GRAND CANYON BRIDGE

Id Lu0 Way uuuOCT Vi ATIIOud
Highways, Governor George 81.
Dern of Utah, says:
Construction of the Grand
Canyon bridge across the Colo
RADIO River below Lees Ferry
will furnish the first and only
direct route between the centers
of Utah and Arizona which, here
tofore, have been widely separ
ated by the impossible barrier
of the Colorado River.
THE two states are truly sis
ter states, having much in com.
mon. Their industries are sim.
liar, with mining predominating
in each. Both lie in semi arid
belt and the problems of one are
largely the problems of the other.
Many of the Inhabitants of Ari.
zona formerly we're residents of
Utah, while numerous Utahns
have resided, for a short time at
least, 10 Arizona. AS o result
of these facts there exists be
tween Utah and Arizona a bond
of friendship that is unusually
strong. The new bridge, by
bringing the peoples of the two
states more closely together, will
cement more firmly that invisible
tie which units states and ma
tions having interests in common
1t will mean also that larger
numbers of tourists will visit the
scenic attractions of each state.
| Heretofore it has been unusual
for many of the tourists visiting
the national parks of Utah to
travel through Arizona, and few
of those proceeding east or west
through Arizona have viewed
the North Rim of the Grand
Canyon; the majestic grandeur
of ZION National Park, or the
more subtle beauties of Bryce
National Park and Cedar Breaks.
They have continued their jour
ney east or west unconscious of
the wonderful attractions to be
found in Utah.
But with the completion of
the Grand Canyon bridge and
the Improvement of the high
ways leading to that bridge,
there will be seen q change.
More and more of the tourists
visiting the scenic wonderland
Of Utah will proceed down into
the sister state and thence to
1 their destinations. Motorists
travelling through Arizona will
be able to make detour of two
or three days into Utah, see and
drive over the marvellous Zion
Mt. Carmel highway, with its
switchbacks and huge tunnel,
from the galleries of which the
floor Of Zion, may be seen far
| below. -
increase. in the north south
traffic from Salt Lake to Nogales
| will be another result Of the con
struction of the bridge. A large
1 percentage of the traffic now
4 goes east and west. But there
are conditions which make q
direct north south route from
/ Utah to Arizona desirable. The
heat becomes too intense for
comfort in Phoenix during the
summer months, while the cold
of Utah winters causes many
citizens of this state to think of
the genial climate of Phoenix at
that time of year. The Grand
Canyon bridge will make it more
! convenient for the citizens of
either state to visit the other.
THE bridge will be an attrac
ton in itself, spanning the can.
yon at approximately 700 feet
above the stream, giving a de.
lightful view of the scenes be
low. Motorists will have the
/ keen pleasure to be derived from
the ride across the Kaibab For.
est, the greatest virgin forest in
the country, with its herds of
beautiful deer.
Yes, the completion of the
Grand Canyon bridge will mean
much to the State of Utah, and
the people of this state are hap
py in the thought that the bene
fits accruing to- Utah from this
great piece of engineering en-
genuity will be shared by Ari.
zona."