Best Lizards
STAFF PICK: Spark plugs, pesos and the handles of coffee cups portruding from concrete are not what most people think go into making a great reptile. But in this case that's exactly what you'll find on the bridge median as Irvington Road crosses the west branch of the Santa Cruz River. The two gila monstrosities are well worth the effort if you're on foot or bike. It's only then that you can see all of the different types of tile, glass bottles, religious statues and billiard balls used in this giant lizard's unsheddable reptilian skin. The mirror-encrusted tongues flash out a warning while a brass plaque on one playfully challenges: "To Play--Turn Bottom Up." The bridge is also flanked with four proud, agave-topped, rock columns. Designed by Mexican Tile Company architect Bob Vint in 1993, this is another example of the Santa Cruz River area's facelift that is making the west side a vibrant, colorful destination for other Tucsonans.
