Hoover Dam Bypass Milestone

kdog

Here's something you don't see every day.



The bridge construction over the Colorado River at the Hoover Dam was started in 2004 and is almost done five years later. The bridge is part of the larger dam bypass which is scheduled to open in late 2010. Currently travelers to Las Vegas from Arizona must drive at 15 MPH directly on the Hoover Dam which is always full of tourists and is a real mess. The bypass will knock anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours off the trip to Vegas depending on traffic. So needless to say, we're really looking forward to it. I've been following the the construction progress for the past three years that I've lived in the area. Every time I go over the dam there's something new.

Tonight I was returning from some shopping in Las Vegas, I came around a corner and was amazed to see that the supporting arch on the bridge is fully connected now! I'd been watching the arch grow from each side of the river for many months, and just today they inserted the last piece I'm told. That's a huge milestone. And then, just as I was passing over the dam, a shower of red sparks rained down from the bridge and I realized "a dude is up there welding the two halves of the bridge together!!!" :wow BUT... you cannot stop your car on the dam. So I had to keep going a fairly long way up the hill away from the dam to get to a parking lot. I grabbed my gear and trotted down toward the dam in the 100F heat. As I approached the dam, I tried my best to avoid looking at the sign that said "DAM CLOSED TO PEDESTRIANS AFTER DARK", and I pondered the existential definition of darkness as I continued onward. I could see the dude was done welding, but I was going to get a shot anyhow. I picked my spot, and just as I was setting up, the dude started welding again! :clap I managed to fire off a few quick shots before getting busted by the cops. :bwg So that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Here's a shot from the parking lot where I had to park. You can see how far it was down to the center of the dam which is where I took the first shot above.


Anyway, I'm pretty jazzed about these shots because I feel like I've captured an historic event.

Thanks for looking.
-joel

jsrucci

Nice shots!
Joel, those are some awesome shots. I'm not sure why, but I have a thing for dams and bridges. Unfortunately I've only been able to photography them during the day... I really like those night shots!

A few links to some of mine:

http://jsrucci.smugmug.com/photos/447495180_PaJPk-X3.jpg

http://jsrucci.smugmug.com/photos/447589549_RMdJP-X3.jpg

http://jsrucci.smugmug.com/photos/447695352_F3zsS-X3.jpg

http://jsrucci.smugmug.com/photos/562909108_sUoEh-X3.jpg

http://jsrucci.smugmug.com/photos/575924997_NLgq8-X3.jpg

http://jsrucci.smugmug.com/photos/575925423_KWfVM-X3.jpg

kdog

Thanks, Steve. You've got some killer shots of the Glen Canyon Dam in there thumb (For those who don't know, the GCD is the next dam up stream from the Hoover Dam.)

Cheers,
-joel

Wil Davis

What do they say about timing being everything? Fabulous pictures, and as you point out, quite a unique event! Nice job. The only time I've been in that location was over 20 years ago, and even then it was like a zoo, but I seem to remember the water level in Lake Mead being much higher than shown in your second picture…

…and Steve, I've a similar fascination of bridges and dams; nice set of pictures!

Thanks for sharing!
- Wil

Skippy

kdog wrote:

Here's something you don't see every day.


The bridge construction over the Colorado River at the Hoover Dam was started in 2004 and is almost done five years later. The bridge is part of the larger dam bypass which is scheduled to open in late 2010. Currently travelers to Las Vegas from Arizona must drive at 15 MPH directly on the Hoover Dam which is always full of tourists and is a real mess. The bypass will knock anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours off the trip to Vegas depending on traffic. So needless to say, we're really looking forward to it. I've been following the the construction progress for the past three years that I've lived in the area. Every time I go over the dam there's something new.

Tonight I was returning from some shopping in Las Vegas, I came around a corner and was amazed to see that the supporting arch on the bridge is fully connected now! I'd been watching the arch grow from each side of the river for many months, and just today they inserted the last piece I'm told. That's a huge milestone. And then, just as I was passing over the dam, a shower of red sparks rained down from the bridge and I realized "a dude is up there welding the two halves of the bridge together!!!" :wow BUT... you cannot stop your car on the dam. So I had to keep going a fairly long way up the hill away from the dam to get to a parking lot. I grabbed my gear and trotted down toward the dam in the 100F heat. As I approached the dam, I tried my best to avoid looking at the sign that said "DAM CLOSED TO PEDESTRIANS AFTER DARK", and I pondered the existential definition of darkness as I continued onward. I could see the dude was done welding, but I was going to get a shot anyhow. I picked my spot, and just as I was setting up, the dude started welding again! I managed to fire off a few quick shots before getting busted by the cops. :bwg So that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Here's a shot from the parking lot where I had to park. You can see how far it was down to the center of the dam which is where I took the first shot above.

Anyway, I'm pretty jazzed about these shots because I feel like I've captured an historic event.

Thanks for looking.
-joel

WOW :wow WOW again even :wow
Having actually seen Hoover Dam twice in the past, minus the Bridge Construction these images are so easy for me to remember what it looked like previously.

That is one massive span they have constructed there Joel.
Your shots are awesome, they have they Sci-Fi feel to them,
like when is the Space Ship going to land ???

I'd be thrilled too if I was you :ivar
Excellent Post, Awesome Shots !

... Skippy
.

dlplumer

Very cool shots Joel , but "shopping in Vegas"?

Great shots Steve

Azzaro

clap azzaro

kdog

Wil Davis wrote:

What do they say about timing being everything? Fabulous pictures, and as you point out, quite a unique event! Nice job. The only time I've been in that location was over 20 years ago, and even then it was like a zoo, but I seem to remember the water level in Lake Mead being much higher than shown in your second picture…

…and Steve, I've a similar fascination of bridges and dams; nice set of pictures!

Thanks for sharing!
- Wil

Thanks, Wil. Yep, timing is everything.

The water level in Lake Mead is alarmingly low. Not sure what the actual figure is, but it's got to be at least 30' down.

BTW, love your sig quote.
-joel

kdog

Skippy wrote:

WOW :wow WOW again even :wow
Having actually seen Hoover Dam twice in the past, minus the Bridge Construction these images are so easy for me to remember what it looked like previously.

That is one massive span they have constructed there Joel.
Your shots are awesome, they have they Sci-Fi feel to them,
like when is the Space Ship going to land ???

I'd be thrilled too if I was you :ivar
Excellent Post, Awesome Shots !

... Skippy
.

Thanks, Skippy. Yeah, this area certainly does have "another world" kind of feel. It's an incredible place as you know.

Funny, in three years this is the first time I've bothered to stop and take a proper picture (I have tele'd a few tourists in the past while sitting in traffic though. )

Cheers,
-joel

kdog

dlplumer wrote:

Very cool shots Joel , but "shopping in Vegas"?

REI, baby! :ivar

Photog4Christ

Great dam shots!!!

So... Is Megatron really in there?

Milan

Amazing pictures and great timing!

denisegoldberg

These are fabulous!

--- Denise

While I'm Waiting

Wow!!! Love them!!!!

dixonduke

Spectacular!

Thank you for making the effort to capture the shot! I know the walk down is not the most pleasant one to make.

Andy

*mint*

wfeller

Tripped out shots!

Panther

Howdy KDog,

What a spectacular image, and love the story, you took the chance and the end result was something that you'll always remember.

Just am in awe of the lighting and the amount of details all through the whole image, even in the dark or shadow areas.

Very nicely done!!!

I'd say someone will want this for their Conference Room or Living Room!!

kdog

Azzaro wrote:

clap azzaro

Thanks, Azzaro.

-joel

kdog

Photog4Christ wrote:

Great dam shots!!!

So... Is Megatron really in there?

Thanks, Neal. You don't want to know. :wow

Cheers,
-joel

kdog

Milan wrote:

Amazing pictures and great timing!

Thanks, Milan. You just never know what's going to happen, which is why you always bring your camera.

-joel

kdog

denisegoldberg wrote:

These are fabulous!

--- Denise

Thank you, Denise. I appreciate you checking in.

-joel

kdog

While I'm Waiting wrote:

Wow!!! Love them!!!!

Thanks, glad you liked 'em and thanks for the comment.

-joel

kdog

dixonduke wrote:

Spectacular!

Thank you for making the effort to capture the shot! I know the walk down is not the most pleasant one to make.

Thanks! The walk wasn't so bad, it was the anticipation that was killing me.

Cheers,
-joel

kdog

Andy wrote:

*mint*

Oh yay, I got the coveted "Andy *mint* award!

Thank you, sir!

-joel

kdog

wfeller wrote:

Tripped out shots!

Thanks, Walter. That whole dam area is pretty trippy, eh?

Cheers,
-joel

kdog

Panther wrote:

Howdy KDog,

What a spectacular image, and love the story, you took the chance and the end result was something that you'll always remember.

Just am in awe of the lighting and the amount of details all through the whole image, even in the dark or shadow areas.

Very nicely done!!!

I'd say someone will want this for their Conference Room or Living Room!!

Hey Craig, thanks a bunch man. Glad you liked the pics AND the story.

You are right, the buzz from this shot is going to last a long time. I'm sure we'll hang this one up at home, and where else it ends up remains to be seen.

Thanks again for your kind remarks.
-joel

kdog

Photog4Christ

kdog wrote:

Thanks, Neal. You don't want to know. :wow

Cheers,
-joel

Well, I was going to say "DAM! Those are some great shots!" but I figured I better not!

anwmn1

:ivar :jawdrop



Nicely done my friend!

Mitchell

Joel, these are excellent. Thanks for sharing!!