zuma Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Got this is message from a good mate... it showcases a true feat of engineering, and is illustrated with beautiful pictures. In fact, you can get more up-to-date news in the site dedicated to its construction: [The Hoover Dam Baypass] Also, up-to-date views through an, apparently, live webcam feed are also available via: Hoover Dam Baypass Webcam (you may need to turn your pop-up blocking option off) ----- Creeping closer inch by inch, 900 feet above the mighty Colorado River , the two sides of a $160 million bridge at the Hoover Dam slowly take shape. The bridge will carry a new section of US Route 93 past the bottleneck of the old road which can be seen twisting and winding around and across the dam itself. When complete, it will provide a new link between the states of Nevada and Arizona. In an incredible feat of engineering, the road will be supported on the two massive concrete arches which jut out of the rock face. The arches are made up of 53 individual sections each 24 feet long which have been cast on-site and are being lifted into place using an improvised high-wire crane strung between temporary steel pylons. The arches will eventually measure more than 1,000 feet across. At the moment, the structure looks like a traditional suspension bridge. But once the arches are complete, the suspending cables on each side will be removed. Extra vertical columns will then be installed on the arches to carry the road. The bridge has become known as the Hoover Dam bypass, although it is officially called the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, after a former governor of Nevada and an American Football player from Arizona who joined the US Army and was killed in Afghanistan . Work on the bridge started in 2005 and should be finish by the end of 2010. An estimated 17,000 cars and trucks will cross it every day. The dam was started in 1931 and used enough concrete to build a road from New York to San Francisco. The stretch of water it created, Lake Mead , is 110 miles long and took six years to fill. The original road was opened at the same time as the famous dam in 1936. An extra note: The top of the white band of rock in Lake Mead, that can be seen in the background of first photo, is the old waterline prior to the drought and development in the Las Vegas area. It is over 100 feet above the current water level! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PigFish Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 I was out there in April and while I did not have my camera, this crappy picture is out of my cell phone, I have to tell you that the whole scene is pretty awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmycaution Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Thanks for posting. I was there just as they were beginning construction, pretty amazing stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethLG Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Incredible Great photos as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samb Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Thats BAD ASS!! I had no idea this was being built, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rckymtn22 Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Thats BAD ASS!! I had no idea this was being built, lol. Ditto, very cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKA27 Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 The damn is such a beautiful area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZCUBAN Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Great Pics Zuma thanks these huge engineering projects really blow me away OZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolivr Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Awesome, thanks for sharing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvm4 Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 I was wondering what it would look like when I was out there a couple years ago. Glad to see it's nearing completion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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