Crookton Overpass, Route 66, Arizona

 

Old Crookton Overpass
The old bridge over the BNSF tracks still looks to be in good shape, though a bit narrow by today's standards.  The road leading up to it has been turned in to crushed gravel, and there is a little drop on each side so driving your car across it is really not feasible.  This is looking east, so the new bridge is on the right.

Bridges over the BNSF
Route 66 goes over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad tracks. There are two bridges, the new bridge, on the left in the photo, carries the road.  The old bridge (on the right), is not open to traffic but you can pull over and walk across it.  I took this photo looking west, so if you are driving east, the old bridge will be on your left.

 

The open road

The road goes on like this for miles. There is an occasional house along the road but no services.

Old road bed
Crookton Road rejoins I-40 and the easiest way to get to Ash Fork is to take the interstate. You can cross under the interstate and continue on 66, but it turns to gravel and I'm not sure you can get all the way to Ash Fork because I didn't take it.


As you are driving on I-40 you can see this old raised road bed to the north (left if you are traveling west to east and right if going east to west. It will be much easier to see if you are driving towards the west).  It sure looks like it was a significant road and I thought it was an old alignment of Rt-66, but apparently that went to the south of I-40. I believe this is an abandoned Santa Fe Railroad right of way.
 

Culvert

You will pass a couple of culverts where the old, raised road, went over a wash. There is no top to them so you can't drive this road, but they are easy to see from the road (when going west).

 Next stop: Ash Fork, Arizona;  Prior stop: Seligman, Arizona.  You can see all my Route 66 posts here. 

 

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