Hoover Dam Bridge opened this morning.

two-niner · 10-20-2010, 12:27 PM

Without great fanfare, the new bridge has opened for traffic.

This information is from the Las Vegas Review Journal reporter Addriane Packer.

If this is posted elsewhere, sorry.

Kerry

The dam will only be accessable from the Nevada side. The Arizona road is closed. What a great break for us RV'ers...time..fuel..big savings.
The authorities are considering bungee jumping like in West Virginia. Man, I can't wait!!!!

**Route 66** · 10-20-2010, 12:37 PM

Quote:

The authorities are considering bungee jumping like in West Virginia. Man, I can't wait!!!!

To jump, watch, or just cross?

two-niner · 10-20-2010, 12:40 PM

Do I look like a fool?? To JUMP, of course. Love it.

Kerry

TXiceman · 10-20-2010, 06:10 PM

Jumping off of a perfectly good bridge is like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.....Won't find me in line at either place.

Ken

D in Davie · 10-20-2010, 06:15 PM

I'd love to hear form someone who drove over it in their MH. I hear the winds can be a problem and the bridge had to be designed with that in mind.

Ray,IN · 10-20-2010, 06:30 PM

Durn_ I was hoping you meant politicians would be jumping. I was gonna start selling bungee cords to them, made in China ( by trailer tire mfgrs of course).

I really do want to walk and drive the bridge, but DW says I'm on my own, she's not going. Walking is the only way to see the dam from atop the bridge, they have a barricade to prevent "rubbernecking while driving" the news report stated.

two-niner · 10-21-2010, 03:13 PM

You will be able to park and walk over the bridge. The parking area is still being worked on, but will open shortly.
Depending how they stripe the parking spaces I'm not sure if RV's w/towed can park there. To be determined.
I remember when Circus Circus had a bungee jump. Was watching one fine day and the jumper "inhaled" 6 Miller Genuine Drafts before going over, all the while screaming like a little girl.
Me and the bridge? DW has pruchased one dozen adult diapers, so I'll be okay.

Kerry

scenic route · 10-22-2010, 07:20 PM

At the start of our 'summer 5 month tour' we drove the RV over the New River Bridge in W Va. Didn't stop 'cause didn't know if the lot would accept a RV and toad, but it was like any other bridge crossing except for the distant view...could not see the bottom of the gorge up close.

Just before heading back East from NV., we stopped to do the Hover Dam tour. The bridge there is just as impressive as the dam but suspect the bridge drive is going to be as exciting as the drive across the dam...can't see the base of the dam downstream so it was no big whoop.
Hanging over the side of either bridge would be another matter...the view would probably shrink hemorrhoids without surgery! At any rate, I'll not be jumping off either bridge any time soon. BTW, the heat was quite impressive as well...115 deg. F. We left as a cold front move in...104! Yeah, I know it's a "dry" heat, but HOW do folks live out there??? It's GOOD to be back in Florida, where it's cool!

Bob

Romeo · 10-22-2010, 08:18 PM

Ya aint seen nuttin 'til youve seen IRT, the new driving the Deadliest Roads series, or drive the Road to the Sun. It scares me just watching IRT.

Reminds me of driving the Road to the Sun in Glacier park. It scared me driving the mini-van. Would never be able to handle it in the motorhome. My recollection is that they dont allow motorhomes because of the narrow lanes and tight turns.

IRT Deadliest Roads — History.com Videos

CJ7ole · 10-23-2010, 05:27 AM

Quote:

The authorities are considering bungee jumping like in West Virginia

Common misconception. We just spent 3 days there (New River Gorge bridge), we even walked the catwalk under the bridge. They have not allowed bungee jumping almost since it was opened. Only a few have ever bungee jumped there. Although they did bungee the GMC truck off that bridge for the ad years ago. This weekend is bridge day there, where they do have over 400 people scheduled to BASE jump (skydive) off the bridge for a total of over 800 jumps. The reason given is that bungee jumping is very time consuming (they have to haul them back up) whereas the BASE jumpers can go one after another.

Driving over the new Hoover Dam bridge is on my list, as is driving over the dam itself if that is still allowed. I have been over the Glen Canyon dam bridge back in 1962 (when I was 16) while the dam was under construction. Pretty cool.

two-niner · 10-23-2010, 03:46 PM

Since I've lived in the great southwest for almost twenty years I wasn't aware of the situation at the New River Gorge Bridge.
Googled it and found out there has been no bungee jumping since 1993, when a bunge jumper hit the rocks.
However, I remember the southbound lanes being closed (In the early nineties) and many hundreds watching the jumping.... Guess things change. Misconception?

Kerry

DriVer · 10-23-2010, 04:07 PM

Are you folks talking about; Mike O'Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge? I did not know there was a Hoover Dam Bridge.

RUFINIT · 10-23-2010, 09:27 PM

We crossed bridge this morning our way from Las Vegas to Tempe, AZ. You hardly knew you were crossing a bridge. The walls on the edge of the bridge are high so you can't see down. The shoulder is also wide. When on it, it really didn't seem very long. As for parking and walking there were signs that you could not park for two miles about a mile before the bridge. The parking area is not done yet, so they totally restrict stopping near the bridge.

The amazing thing is that it was completed on time and on budget with two states and the feds involved. Under $300 million.

I think it saved us almost an hour of time today. In the past, it could be a slow go down the hill to the dam, then a stop for 15 minutes or more at the check point for an agent to go thru your coach. Then the slow go up the hill on the AZ side of the dam.