Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge

[Michael]

Construction began in early 2005 and is expected to be completed in 2010.
Span: 1,079 ft
Length: 1,900 ft
Height: 900 ft (above the river)

When completed, it will be in the top 25 of largest arch bridges in the world. See this link for a complete list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_largest_arch_bridges

These images are CGI projections:





Not just a bypass of the dam, but a bypass of the whole windy road before and after.





What's the status?

For a live webcam of the construction, go to http://www.hooverdambypass.org/

These pictures were taken in August 2009:

[IZ]

Cool pics! 

I forgot all about that. 

We drove up to Vegas back in '05 and saw the initial phase of construction.

That and the new road will take a few minutes off the drive.

[Michael]

Here is a photo I took while in a canoe on the Colorado exactly this time last year. I was with a troop of Boy Scouts, and this was a start of a 3-day trip we did down the river through Black Canyon. There was 14 of us -- 5 adult leaders, 9 scouts.



Here is our launching point. You have to go through a licensed outfitter (the woman in the middle there) to escort your boats down to the base of the dam.





It's a beautiful trip, I highly recommend it.



Here is the company we used to rent the canoes and Kayaks. They also drove us and our gear to the launching point at the dam, and then picked us up down the river at the end of our trip.

[Randimus Maximus]

They actually started a lot of the preparatory work in 2002 and 2003 when I used to drive from Vegas to Kingman regularly.

I've been following the construction on that website as well.  Occasionally, I get to see the bridge as I fly into Vegas.

Here is a crazy thought...the dam itself was constructed in about 3 years time...back in the 30s with much more primitive tools and equipment.  The bridge will take about 8.

[Michael]

What's also interesting is I always assumed that this new bridge was a response to 9/11. After the 9/11 attacks, they shut down the road that goes across the top of the bridge for added security.

My mom was actually stuck in Las Vegas after 9/11. She was traveling on business for Bank of America and just happened to be in Las Vegas that week. She was supposed to fly home the next day, but all of the flights were canceled. She couldn't fly home and she couldn't drive home. Luckily she already had a hotel room and was able to wait it out. She ended up renting a car and driving back a few days later when they opened up the road again.

Anyway, the final plans for the bridge were approved in March of 2001, just six months before the attacks.

[pennyrobber]

If you got to be stuck somewhere, Vegas isn't a bad place. 

[IZ]

They actually started a lot of the preparatory work in 2002 and 2003 when I used to drive from Vegas to Kingman regularly.

I've been following the construction on that website as well.  Occasionally, I get to see the bridge as I fly into Vegas.

Here is a crazy thought...the dam itself was constructed in about 3 years time...back in the 30s with much more primitive tools and equipment.  The bridge will take about 8.

I watched a show on History channel once about the making of the dam.  It'd be at least 3 years just to plan these days.
 
It would be cool to see the that thing from the air.  So far, I've only flown into Vegas at night.

Now that you mention it RM (and seeing that just last night I ran into the girl we drove up to Vegas with in '03), I do recall prep work being started back then.   

Michael..looks like a great trip!!  I watched "Into the Wild" the other night.  The movie where Christopher McCandless wasn't waiting 12 years to kayak down the Colorado and did it solo and without a permit. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Wild

That movie and your pics brought back memories from living in Flagstaff and always wanting to do that trip.  Never did take advantage of that opportunity when I was so close.  Maybe now that I'm back in the state..who knows?!  We'll have to talk more about your trip. 

[Michael]

Here is a map that points out our itinerary:

Click on this link to see the full-size map.

[IZ]

Here is a map that points out our itinerary:

Thanks!