Former bighorn death zone, now safe?
If you have tried to visit Hoover Dam the last decade, you know it has been one huge traffic jam. However, the dam by-pass and a widened U.S. 93 is now complete and with what looks like great benefits to the desert bighorn sheep the inhabit the very rugged Black Mountains near the dam. Of course, the traffic will now increase.
Project gives bighorn sheep safe passage over busy highway. Las Vegas Sun. By Dylan Scott
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
We we lived at Grand Canyon Village we made dozens of trips to see friends that attended UNLV and worked in the city. US 93 may be one of the most dangerous roads in America – just ask Sam Kinnison (if you could). While I generally don’t care for creating more roads this project was worthwhile and I am glad they incorporated many environmental features in it. The road will probably only be somewhat safer though – too many drunks and sleepless drivers.
Yes. It is good that they took into factor the wildlife/nature portion in building something that betters mankind.
If you have not been here yet, it is one of the modern engineering feats in the world and a fantastic view. Well worth a diversionary drive if you are travelling between Nev-Ariz. I believe it is the largest single arch bridge in the US, possibly the world.
Now, I hate to spoil it for you all but it was built for the most part to push all the thru traffic off the dam for Homeland Security reasons…Bighorns just got lucky…