The present route of U.S. 93 uses the top of Hoover Dam to cross the Colorado River. U.S. Highway 93 is the major commercial corridor between the states of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah; it is also on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) route between Mexico and Canada. U.S. 93 has been identified as a high priority corridor in the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995. The traffic congestion caused by the inadequacy of the existing highway across the dam imposes a serious economic burden on the states of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. Other alternative four-lane commercial routes between Arizona, Nevada, and Utah are through California, an additional 250 miles.
The traffic volumes, combined with the sharp curves on U.S. 93 in the vicinity of Hoover Dam, create a potentially dangerous situation. A major catastrophe could occur, involving innocent bystanders, millions of dollars in property damage to the dam and its facilities, contamination of the waters of Lake Mead or the Colorado River, and interruption of the power and water supply for people in the Southwest.

By developing an alternate crossing of the river near Hoover Dam, through-vehicle and truck traffic would be removed from the top of the dam. This new route would eliminate the problems with the existing roadway--sharp turns, narrow roadways, inadequate shoulders, poor sight distance, and low travel speeds. Ultimately, this project will present solutions to: .

  • Remove a major bottleneck to interstate and international commerce in the West
  • Replace an inadequate federally owned highway river crossing
  • Significantly reduce traffic congestion and accidents on a major commercial route between Phoenix and Las Vegas
  • Protect the dam, its facilities, and the waters of Lake Mead and the Colorado River from potential spills of hazardous cargo
  • Enhance the visitors' experience in the Hoover Dam area
For these reasons, a government agency partnership was formed to address the need for improved roadway access around Hoover Dam. This partnership, comprised of Federal and State agencies, will solicit input from local governments, businesses, citizen groups, and the general public, to develop and implement a solution.

Page last updated December 8, 1997