Front lobby Harrah's Laughlin * Laughlin, Nevada * 702-298-2345

Inside Hoover Dam's hydroelectric power plant; this view shows the generators on the Arizona side of the dam. Turbines (unseen, and below the generators) are forced by water pressure to spin, creating motion energy that is converted here into electricity. The power plant consists of 17 main Francis turbine generators and two Pelton
Waterwheel station service units (one for each plant wing).  The total plant capacity is 2,079 MW. Hoover Dam (on the Colorado River, between Arizona and Nevada).

Traffic flows on the Nevada side of Highway 93 toward Hoover Dam through a maze of high voltage power lines and the remains of the elaborate aerial cableway system that was used during the dam's construction in the 1930's. Hoover Dam and Lake Mead are seen in the background. Hoover Dam (on the Nevada side of the Colorado
River that |separates Arizona and Nevada).

View of the down-stream side of Hoover Dam, a gravity arch dam. This view from above the power plant is on the Arizona side of the Colorado River.

• The Colorado River Bridge project remains on schedule for completion in the fall of 2010.
• The opening of the Bypass to public traffic will follow completion of the Colorado River Bridge by approximately two months; i.e. the Hoover Dam Bypass will be open to traffic in late fall 2010.
• Completion of the Bridge’s twin concrete arches is nearing. This activity; however, is not a singular or specific action such as placing a keystone in a stone arch. Completion of the arches entails forming and placement of the final concrete, in addition to approximately five to seven weeks of systematic removal of the supporting cable stay system and temporary towers. The following dates and activities are planned:
° Second or third week of August – Placement of the final concrete is planned, depending on continued progress and weather. Significant work remains to form and stabilize the opposing legs of each arch. This work will take several weeks. In addition, significant work remains to remove the traveling forms and clear the abutting faces of each arch for the connecting formwork. A specific date for this activity will not be set nor is it readily visible as it will occur at night as has all of the arch concrete. The forms will remain in place following concrete placement for several weeks, so a clear view of the connected arches will not be apparent for several weeks following arch placement.

° September and beyond – The arch will remain supported by the cable stay system following placement of the concrete. The cable stay system will be removed systematically throughout the month of September at a minimum. The arches will be self-supporting and free standing once the cable stay system is fully removed.

° Erection of the precast spandrel columns on the arch. This is an extremely meticulous activity as great care is required to place and align these columns on the arch structure. These precast columns will be similar to the columns that are now-visible on the approach spans of the bridge.

° Following the placement of the spandrel columns and connecting caps, the steel tub girders will be erected that support the roadway deck. The steel tub girders will be similar to the now-visible girders on the approach portions of the bridge.

° Placement of the concrete deck, edge, and median barriers will follow the steel girders.

° Final grooving and striping will then complete the Bridge.

• Following completion of the Bridge, the temporary cable crane system will be removed and the approximate quarter-mile of roadway on each side will be completed with hot asphaltic concrete pavement.

• U.S. Highway 93 will then be connected on each end of the Bypass, thus opening the Bypass to the public.

• Opening of the Bypass in fall 2010 will be a significant event for the public and stakeholders. Details for this event will be provided as the 2010 opening date approaches.

Laughlin Adventure Tours ™
* 2900 S. Casino Dr. Harrah's * Laughlin, NV 89029