The Hoover Dam Bypass-- Part 2

This new bridge is 900 feet above the Colorado River and will cost $160 million. As a result, US-93 will be detoured around the dam and the whole project is considered to be quite a feat of engineering.

The bridge is to be supported by two huge twin arches made up of 53 individual 24-foot long sections which are being cast on the site. Once finished, each arch will stretch 1000 feet across the river.

Since it spans between Nevada and Arizona, it will officially be known as the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. O'Callaghan was the governor of Nevada and Tillman was a former football player from Arizona who was killed while serving his country in Afghanistan.

Construction started in 2005 and is slated to be finished next year.

The Hoover Dam was started in 1931 and used enough concrete in it to build a road from New York City to San Francisco. The water behind it is called Lake Mead and took six years to fill. The original road which is being bypassed opened the same time as the dam, 1936.

I figure they will probably have some accidents due to gawking. Right now there are two huge towers with suspension wires holding the parts of the arch in place until they are completed. I've heard they then plan on removing them, but I kind of hope they don't as those towers sure look neat.

I'm Tired of Bridges That Don't Look Like Bridges. --RoadDog

The Hoover Dam Bypass

A friend sent me an update on the continuing construction of this new bridge which will afford a great view of the dam and eliminate the current mess at the top of it as people are slowed down by checks by homeland security on US-93. That would be really bad if terrorists set off explosives on it.

The pictures show an impressive superstructure at this time, although most will be removed at completion. The suspension part is just to hold up the massive twin arches during construction, but hopefully they will put something back. I always hate driving over a bridge and not knowing its a bridge.

Maybe two towers just for show would be in order. Hopefully the sides of the bridge will not be built in such a way as to obstruct any views of the dam.

More to Come. --RoadDog