Hoover Dam Bypass opens

The Hoover Dam Bypass, the newest part of the US 93 highway, was opened this week by officials from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in conjunction with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT).

Traffic began crossing the Bypass, which includes the Hoover Dam Bridge, officially known as the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, on October 19 after US transportation secretary Ray LaHood dedicated the new bridge at a special ceremony watched by the 1000-plus workers who helped build it.

Constructed by Obayashi Corporation and PSM Construction USA, the US$ 114 million Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge is a single-span, twin-rib concrete arch over the Colorado River. The 580 m-long bridge is part of a US$ 240 million four-lane bypass that will reroute traffic from a two-lane bottleneck crossing the Hoover Dam.

Speaking at the dedication ceremony, transportation secretary Ray LaHood, said, "This magnificent bridge is proof positive that America is not afraid to dream big.

"The jobs supported by this project are undeniable, and its economic benefits to the American Southwest and the nation as a whole will be felt for generations to come."