Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge

After nearly eight years and $240 million worth of work, the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge will officially open next week. This bridge is a 1,900-foot engineering wonder perched 890 feet above the Colorado River. This bridge is expected to drastically cut travel time along the main route between Las Vegas and Phoenix.

Officials said the bridge contains some 16 million pounds of steel, 30,000 cubic yards of concrete and 2 million feet of cable — enough to stretch well past Phoenix from Las Vegas. The $240 million price tag includes costs to build roads and smaller bridges leading to the picturesque span.

The bridge is named for former Nevada Gov. Mike O'Callaghan and Pat Tillman, the former NFL player who quit the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army Rangers and died under friendly fire in Afghanistan. Mike O'CallaghanPat Tillman Memorial Bridge is the longest bridge built with concrete arches in the western hemisphere, according to the Transportation Department. The arches measure 1,060 feet.