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The
new Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge now gives an even quicker
route to and from Las Vegas than ever before.. it is just minutes to or from White Hills Equestrian Estates
Officially named the Mike O'Callaghan
- Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, it is known locally as the Bypass Bridge. Bypassing the road over the Hoover Dam was needed for several
reasons. U.S. Highway 93 is the primary link between
Phoenix and Las Vegas, two cities that have seen population explosions
since the Dam's completion. The section of U.S. 93 that approaches
and crosses Hoover Dam was woefully inadequate. It was one
lane in each direction, narrow, with dangerous sharp turns and
poor visibility. In the
wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, truck traffic over the
Hoover Dam had to be diverted south to a river crossing near Laughlin
NV, in an effort to safeguard the dam from hazardous spills or
explosions. This disruption, however, did not eliminate the threat
of a possible attack on the dam itself, as regular traffic was
still passing over it. The bypass bridge was constructed to
completely remove all 'through' traffic from the dam area,
improve travel times, replace the dangerous roadway, and reduce
the threat of an attack at the
dam site.
Since its completion, it has satisfied those requirements completely.
Traffic began flowing October 19, 2010. The bridge is four lanes wide across a 1,900 foot span. It spans the river at a height of 840 feet above the water.
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