Hoover Dam Bypass Update

kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
edited January 5, 2010 in Other Cool Shots
In the the Best Shots of 2009 thread, Andrew asked me if I had any recent shots of the new bridge over the Hoover Dam. Well, it just so happened that I stopped there on Saturday on my way home from Yellowstone and so took a few shots. They were shot in late morning, and are nowhere near as dramatic as the night shots I posted previously. But, since he asked, I figured this was as good an excuse as any to post them.

752804608_6TFf9-XL.jpg

Skateboarding anyone?
752784260_XCmea-X2.jpg

View from behind and over the dam
752785732_PxuKa-XL.jpg

Those were shot during the day and so I didn't get "hassled by the man" this time. :D

Here's the original shot I posted that was taken on July 11. Honestly, the amount of progress made since then seems surprisingly modest. Although keep in mind this has been under construction for a number of years.

588913960_bB4Am-XL.jpg

So that's my update. :deal

Cheers,
-joel

Comments

  • anwmn1anwmn1 Registered Users Posts: 3,469 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2009
    Hmm..... I think its time for another boat trip. deal.gif
    But be sure to find a better parking spot next time. rolleyes1.gif
    "The Journey of life is as much in oneself as the roads one travels"


    Aaron Newman

    Website:www.CapturingLightandEmotion.com
    Facebook: Capturing Light and Emotion
  • Wil DavisWil Davis Registered Users Posts: 1,692 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2009
    Thanks for the update, Joel - stunning pictures! thumb.gif

    I still can't get over how the level of the lake has gone down (>100 ft) in the past 22 years!

    Thanks for sharing!

    - Wil
    "…………………" - Marcel Marceau
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited December 30, 2009
    anwmn1 wrote:
    Hmm..... I think its time for another boat trip. deal.gif
    But be sure to find a better parking spot next time. rolleyes1.gif
    You talking about this parking spot, Aaron?

    IMG_7788.jpg

    Yeah, it's amazing how fast the water level in the river can change, eh? :wow
  • Photog4ChristPhotog4Christ Registered Users Posts: 716 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2009
    kdog wrote:
    Skateboarding anyone?
    l

    I'm sure there is someone that would try that!
  • CWSkopecCWSkopec Registered Users Posts: 1,325 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2009
    Nice update, Joel. #2 is a seriously cool shot, love the perspective on it! clap.gif
    Chris
    SmugMug QA
    My Photos
  • WillCADWillCAD Registered Users Posts: 722 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2009
    Nice shots Joel. I was there in April for my 40th birthday trip (my only time out west so far) and was fascinated by the bridge, but then I'm in the transportation industry so that kind of thing is somewhat familiar to me.

    I'm curious about the circumstances of your stunning original night shot. Did you park somewhere, or just stop in the middle of the dam? Was it a tripod shot, or did you just brace on a car window or something? Did you get arrested? :D

    I guess I can share some of my pics of the bridge from April (though mine are all crap compared to most pics I see on Dgin).

    [Click the pics for sull-size versions]

    th2009-04-17_097.jpg
    th2009-04-17_098.jpg
    th2009-04-17_209.jpg
    th2009-04-17_223.jpg
    What I said when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time: "The wide ain't wide enough and the zoom don't zoom enough!"
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited December 30, 2009
    Thanks, Neal and Chris.

    Will, I love your shots. I should have taken more telephotos. The one of the tram is really neat.

    Ok, the short story on the original. I was driving home from Vegas at dusk, and saw the welders, and my heart started palpitating picturing the shot. Up until that point, I'd never bothered to stop and photograph the dam before (sad, I know.) You cannot stop on the dam, as you know. So I drove up to the first parking area on the left (missing the closer one on the right), grabbed my camera and tripod, and went trotting down to the dam in the 105F heat. I get down to the dam, and there's a sign that says no pedestrians after dark. And it was pretty dark by that time. But... I entered the dam anyway. Took a few bracketed shots, before the Federal cops drove up and asked me very politely to leave.
  • Jack'll doJack'll do Registered Users Posts: 2,977 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2009
    Howdy Joel

    All of these shots are simply outstanding. The massiveness of the whole project is awesome. I am particularly blown away by #2 (and of course by the night shot). bowdown.gif

    Jack
    (My real name is John but Jack'll do)
  • adbsgicomadbsgicom Registered Users Posts: 3,615 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2009
    Joel, thanks for the update. Love that second shot looking down the dam and catching the bridge as well. thumb.gif That's a pretty amazing engineering project going there.
    - Andrew

    Who is wise? He who learns from everyone.
    My SmugMug Site
  • Nikonic1Nikonic1 Registered Users Posts: 684 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2009
    That bridge is mind-boggling. Being a project manager in the construction industry, projects like this really put things in perspective. What an awesome feat of engineering and construction.

    bowdown.gifbowbowdown.gif

    Nice images too!
  • GSPePGSPeP Registered Users Posts: 3,728 Major grins
    edited January 4, 2010
    Great pictures thumb.gif

    I see they made some progress since I was there in October.
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited January 4, 2010
    Thanks, guys. It's been a marvel to watch the progress on this bridge. Driving over the bridge at night has been like something from outerspace. Just surreal.

    Once the bypass is done, it will be an entirely new experience for us Arizona folks to drive up to Vegas. nod.gif

    Cheers,
    -joel
  • WillCADWillCAD Registered Users Posts: 722 Major grins
    edited January 4, 2010
    kdog wrote:
    Thanks, guys. It's been a marvel to watch the progress on this bridge. Driving over the bridge at night has been like something from outerspace. Just surreal.

    Once the bypass is done, it will be an entirely new experience for us Arizona folks to drive up to Vegas. nod.gif

    Cheers,
    -joel

    It'll be a new experience to get from Vegas to Hoover Dam without a 30-90 minute backup!
    What I said when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time: "The wide ain't wide enough and the zoom don't zoom enough!"
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited January 4, 2010
    WillCAD wrote:
    It'll be a new experience to get from Vegas to Hoover Dam without a 30-90 minute backup!

    Yes, and on a holiday weekend we're talking even longer than that. Hours this will save. This bridge is going to put Kingman on the map. deal.gif
  • WillCADWillCAD Registered Users Posts: 722 Major grins
    edited January 5, 2010
    Dude, Kingman is already on the map...

    <iframe id="map" src="http://www.bing.com/maps/embed/?v=2&amp;cp=35.22234399290381~-114.07482127294924&amp;lvl=10&amp;sty=r&amp;emid=182e370c-1c0a-fe78-29a0-e87b4766f295&quot; scrolling="no" width="500" frameborder="0" height="400"></iframe>View Larger MapDriving Directions
    What I said when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time: "The wide ain't wide enough and the zoom don't zoom enough!"
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited January 5, 2010
    WillCAD wrote:
    Dude, Kingman is already on the map...View Larger MapDriving Directions

    My street isn't. ne_nau.gif
  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited January 5, 2010
    Wow, not sure how I missed this thread. What an amazing feat of engineering. Great shots Joel.
  • WillCADWillCAD Registered Users Posts: 722 Major grins
    edited January 5, 2010
    kdog wrote:
    My street isn't. ne_nau.gif

    That's as good as having an unlisted phone number. And you don't even have to pay extra for it!
    What I said when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time: "The wide ain't wide enough and the zoom don't zoom enough!"
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