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| - Being that today is Memorial Day, it is relevant to review the Mike O' Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (also the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge). Although the Memorial Bridge is a memorial to two great men, it is also celebration of progress. If the Hoover Dam, which is 1,500 feet upstream, is the Eighth Wonder of the World, the Memorial Bridge could be the Ninth Wonder of the World.
Connecting the Nevada and Arizona sides of Black Canyon, the Memorial Bridge is a five star engineering marvel. The facts are awesome. It costed $240 million to build. It is 1,900 feet with a 1,060 foot span. It towers 900 feet over the Hoover Dam. It features the widest concrete arch in the Western Hemisphere. It is the second highest bridge in the United States. And it is the first concrete-and-steel composite bridge built in the United States. No wonder why the Memorial Bridge has become a major tourist attraction since it opened on October 19, 2010.
It is well known that the Hoover Dam opened the West Frontier. However, The Memorial Bridge is expanding the Vegas frontier. The greatest achievement of the Memorial Bridge is that it has greatly alleviated the gridlock that motorists experienced driving on the former US 93 right-of-way across the Hoover Dam and up and down steep hairpin curves. It is estimated that the Memorial Bridge has reduced a 15 to 20 minute commute across the Colorado River to 15 seconds. This creates a boost in the economy that is expanding the Vegas metropolitan area into northern Arizona. Places such as Kingman and the Hualapai Mountain Regional Park are now a short drive from Las Vegas. When or if the economy picks up, it is anticipated that major developers will be back to discussing their proposed master planned cities along US 93 between the Nevada state line and Kingman. The Memorial Bridge is a major component of the Proposed Interstate 11 that will connect Mexico to Phoenix, while utilizing a major part of the US 93 corridor.
As a hiker, I appreciate the adjacent pedestrian walkway along the north side of the bridge. The parking lot is off of Nevada State Route 171 (former US 93) just west of the Hoover Dam. There is sufficient parking. From the parking lot, what seems like the most crooked uphill pedestrian walkway in America , brings people to the high elevation of the pedestrian walkway. The neat thing is that it is ADA accessible. For people in a hurry, there are stairs to reach the top. At the spot where the pedestrian walkway levels off, there are interesting information signs that discuss the engineering design, and facts that you would want to know about the bridge. Ahead there is a "Welcome to Nevada' sign. After a sharp left turn, you are walking on the bridge. The walkway is enveloped by US 93 to the right and a 4 foot railing overlooking the Hoover Dam to the left. This is some dam 5 star scenery. On the ground there is a circle that lets you know that you are in Arizona. At the end of the bridge, the pedestrian walkway dead ends short of a "Welcome to Arizona" sign and Sugarloaf Mountain. If you have time and are up to a long hike, I strongly recommend the Railroad Tunnel Trail from the Hacienda to the Memorial Bridge. It is a 5 star hike.
I also appreciate that the Memorial Bridge blends in with the Hoover Dam. The concrete-and-steel composite design compliments instead of distracting from Hoover Dam. From the draft design study stage to completion, the Memorial Bridge was designed to complement the Hoover Dam aesthetically. I feel that they both make up one major attraction instead of two distinct attractions.
There is also a dark side to the Memorial Bridge. It is a spot that has been used for bridge jumping. Since it was built there have been six reported bridge jumpers. This is a concerning number. I feel that the Nevada Department of Transportation ought to follow the example of the Golden Gate Bridge and install emergency hot line phones along the bridge with an urgency.
Whether I am driving or hiking across the Mike O' Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, I greatly appreciate it. It has opened up a world of hiking trails for me, which include Hualapai Regional Park and Sugarloaf Mountain at the other end of the bridge. It has made it easier to travel to the Grand Canyon and Phoenix. And it is a beautiful bridge to hike across where I can stop to take the best dam pictures and appreciate living in Las Vegas.
**Review 79 of the Daniel S. Yelp 100 Challenge**
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