Today, a single bridge over the Colorado River provides the only link between the communities of Laughlin and Bullhead City, which in many ways rely on and complement each other.  Bullhead City provides a large majority of Laughlin's workforce and the resorts drive more than $1 billion in local economic impacts through tourism.  After more than 15 years of discussion and study, a location for the proposed joint Laughlin-Bullhead city second bridge project has been identified.  Known as the Riverview Drive site because of its alignment to an established roadway in Bullhead City, it will be the subject of more extensive, required environmental study.

The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada gave an update on the environmental process to the Laughlin Town Advisory Board and the Bullhead City Council earlier this year. The RTC and the Interdisciplinary Development Team (IDT) identified the Riverview Drive location as the preferred site; however, the team will also continue to study the remaining two locations, Rainbow Drive and Bullhead Parkway.

 In years past, up to 10 sites have been considered and approximately eight locations received more thorough reviews. Commissioned studies examined many angles of viability including safety impacts, wildlife and cultural restrictions, costs for the bridge structures and any needed connecting roads, displacement of residents and businesses, overall relationships to infrastructure and impacts to the flow of regional traffic. 

The federally mandated environmental process began in 2007.  The IDT examined the three locations and found that the Riverview Drive alignment appears to be the optimal location. That recommendation is necessary to complete the Environmental Assessment, a process that is required for the use of federal funds and to obtain permits to construct the project.  Once the document is complete, it will be submitted to the federal and state transportation agencies for approval and subsequently published.

Currently, the preferred alternative analysis evaluation criteria includes:

• Traffic
• Wetlands/Waters of the U.S.
• Emergency Access
• Sensitive biological resources
• Costs
• Noise
• Land Use Conformity
• Engineering
• Cultural Resources
• Native American Consultation

The reasoning behind the elimination of certain sites (and information about the entire process and project) is available on the Laughlin Town Manager’s Office WebPages.

If constructed, the proposed bridge would provide another vehicular crossing over the Colorado River, linking the townships of Laughlin, NV and Bullhead City, AZ. This will reduce current traffic, estimated by Arizona and Nevada Departments of Transportation to be no less than 45,000 vehicles carrying approximately 150,000 people each day, on the current Laughlin Bridge.

The public had an opportunity to comment on the proposed locations during a formal public comment period in 2007. The public will be invited to comment again when the final environmental document is published, distributed and presented at a location/design hearing near the end of 2008. The recommendations of the Environmental Assessment will also be presented to local governing bodies for resolutions of support.

The Environmental Assessment, public comments and responses, together with resolutions of support from local governing bodies will then be submitted to the federal government for consideration.  A final federal decision is expected in 2009. The project has so far achieved more than $20 million in federal funds, which will be encumbered during this process. More funding will be needed as preliminary cost estimates total as much as $65 million.

 Federal, state and local agencies are working together on the project and comprise the IDT. They include: Nevada and Arizona offices of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), Town of Laughlin, Clark County, NV, Mohave County, AZ and the City of Bullhead City.

The RTC is the lead agency on the project. It is also the transit authority and the Metropolitan Planning Organization for Southern Nevada. Along with the environmental studies needed for the project - required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Other technical reports consist of:

• Traffic Demand-Model and Crash Analysis
• Toll Bridge Feasibility Analysis
• Biological Resources and Biological Assessment
• Waters of the U.S. Jurisdictional Determination
• A Class III Cultural Resources Survey
• Air Quality
• Noise
• Preliminary Geotechnical and Geomorphological
• Preliminary Engineering

The purpose of a second bridge is to improve access across the Colorado River between Laughlin and Bullhead City. The goal is to accommodate present and future traffic demand; improve access and delivery of emergency services and the distribution of traffic on Arizona SR 95; provide an improved level of service to traffic, and enhance regional connectivity.

The existing bridge is less than 2,000 feet wide and frequent vehicle crashes interfere with traffic flow across the bridge and often result in complete closures and lengthy delays. Emergency medical, fire and other services are compromised and public safety is affected when the existing bridge is blocked due to accidents, stalled vehicles or substantial traffic jams.

For more information about the project, log onto: www.accessclarkcounty.com and click under L for the Laughlin Town Manager’s Office where the “Second Bridge Project” button is featured. 

Tentative Project Schedule

2004 through 2007
Planning & Preliminary Environmental Work

2007 through 2009
Environmental Assessment & Preliminary Engineering

2009 through 2010
Final Design, Rights-of-Way & Permitting

2010 through 2012
Bid Process & Construction

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