The Hoover Dam Bypass, opened in 2010, diverts traffic from US Highway 93 to relieve congestion and increase safety. The 3.5-mile corridor connects Clark County, Nevada and Mohave County, Arizona, and includes a bridge over the Colorado River. The bypass has significantly reduced traffic flow and is expected to see a 50% increase in traffic over the next 20 years. The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge was named in honor of two respected citizens of the area.
The Hoover Dam Bypass, opened to vehicular traffic in 2010, diverts traffic from US Highway 93 to relieve congestion. The rather short bypass allows through traffic to avoid the Hoover Dam area, frequented by tourists. The construction of the bypass included the construction of a bridge over the Colorado River.
Since it was designated as a North American Free Trade Agreement route, US Highway 93 has experienced significant traffic congestion. The increased amount of traffic combined with the heavy restrictions at the dam crossing had slowed traffic dramatically. The Hoover Dam Bypass is designed to relieve increased traffic flow. The 3.5-mile (5.6 km) corridor connects Clark County, Nevada and Mohave County, Arizona.
Foot and tourist traffic combined with increased security measures following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks led to a need for a safer crossing that would reduce a possible attack on the dam and ease traffic congestion. Since its opening on October 19, 2010, the Hoover Dam Bypass has significantly reduced traffic flow as it passes the dam. Travelers and commercial traffic can now bypass the inadequate two-lane seawall crossing, leaving it for tourists and slower-moving traffic.
The Hoover Dam Bypass crosses the Colorado River approximately 1,500 feet (about 457 m) south of the Hoover Dam across the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, formerly known as the Colorado River Bridge. The length of the bridge is approximately 2,000 feet (610 m) and spans the canyon approximately 900 feet (274 m) above the Colorado River. The bridge connecting the Arizona and Nevada highways was the first concrete-steel composite bridge built in the United States.
Approximately 17,000 vehicles use the new Hoover Dam Bypass daily. The amount of traffic is expected to increase by more than 50 percent over the next 20 years as people get used to it. Other factors expected to increase traffic on the Hoover Dam Bypass include the expected increase in population and commerce. Work on the bypass began in early 2003 and was not completed until 14 October 2010. Foot, cycle and vehicular traffic followed over the next few days.
The bridge was named in honor of two respected citizens of the area. Mike O’Callaghan was a decorated Korean War veteran who later became governor of Nevada between 1971 and 1979 and died in 2004. Pat Tillman played professional football for Arizona State University and the National Football Arizona Cardinals League. He turned down a multi-million dollar contract to play soccer so he could join the US Army after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He lost his life in 2004 when he was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan.
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