Dam Security
At one point during the recent road trip, we crossed over Hoover Dam. We came from the Arizona side and encountered a security check point on US 93 about 9 miles before reaching the dam. According to the “Tips for Crossing the Dam” document:
Any vehicle may be fully inspected before it is allowed to pass through the checkpoint and cross the dam. Certain types of vehicles (RVs, rental trucks, etc.) will always be inspected.
Indeed, we were asked to allow an officer to look in all our external compartments and to board the vehicle and look around. The officer did not seem to be concerned about our carrying firearms (good for him). I presume he was looking for explosives and the like.
The Nevada-side checkpoint was only a mile past the dam; when we passed by, there was a three-mile line of cars backed up to cross. Luckily, we did not have much of a delay in the northbound direction on US 93.
Clickable image: Hoover Dam from an Arizona-side overlook. Click here for a larger panoramic image posted on the family website.
UPDATE: Thanks to Liberty Sphere for the link.
UPDATE II: Some more (clickable) pictures
Trooper waving us into inspection area
New bypass road construction over old road.
4 Responses to “Dam Security”
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TheGunGeek on 06 Jan 2009 at 1205 #
Drove across the dam from AZ to NV almost a year ago in a little Hyundai packed to the gills with household stuff. They pulled us over for the checkpoint, but did almost no actual checking. I think they realized that a) we were two non-terrorists and that b) it would be like torture to have to repack anything taken out.
I’ve got to admit that’s quite an impressive bridge they’re building just to prevent people from driving on the dam.
Minstrel on 06 Jan 2009 at 1850 #
That is really quite a bridge. They still haven’t finished it (obviously). There is a sign that we passed that said something about ‘under construction from 2003 to 2007′ with the ‘7′ made into an ‘8.’ I told the better half that they should have made it a ‘9′ or ‘10.’
Glenn B on 08 Jan 2009 at 2220 #
I have not been that way in about 5 or 6 years now. Too bad about them building abridge to protect the dam; well what I mean is too bad that it is necessary to do so with the peckerwood terrorists we have in the world today.
Minstrel on 09 Jan 2009 at 1142 #
Sad but true, GB. Since 9/11 both American industries and government alike have been forced to spend billions (trillions maybe?) on trying to protect everything from terrorist assholes.