The missing portion of the highway was the new bridge over the Colorado River, which was built at a cost of $7.4 million (about $ in dollars). In June 1975, there were concerns regarding the state delaying new construction projects due to financial concerns, and the effects this would have on the bridge. The bid for the project was awarded to Novo-Rados Construction in October 1975, as one of the final projects before the construction freeze. The new bridge, which replaced the old US 80 bridge, was dedicated on August 18, 1978; this completed I-8 from San Diego to Casa Grande. The Arizona Department of Transportation and the City of Yuma assisted in the planning process. By the time the California portion of the freeway was complete, the average cost was $1 million per mile (about $ in dollars). The bridge opened on September 20, 1978. The State of California was responsible for the bridge erection, even though the State of Arizona owned half of the bridge.