October 20, 2010

Arizona motorists can now get to Las Vegas without passing over Hoover Dam.

Highway officials on Tuesday night opened the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which promises to shorten the drive time from Phoenix to Las Vegas by an hour. The journey can be made in five hours, but the bypass eliminates the uncertainty of long delays caused by heavy tourist traffic.

Federal officials unveiled to huge fanfare last week the $240 million Hoover Dam bypass, which includes the new concrete arched bridge over Black Canyon. The six-mile bypass was opened to traffic, including big rigs, at about 9 p.m. Tuesday.

The Arizona approach to Hoover Dam is closed. People wanting to visit the dam must cross the bridge, take Exit 2 on the Nevada side and turn right onto the old highway.

The Arizona Department of Transportation continues its work to widen the 15 miles south of the bypass until the end of the year. Travelers can expect construction delays in the area and through Boulder City, Nev.

Online: www.hooverdambypass.org/