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Better Than A Bridge By A Dam Site!


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Mga707 mentioned in another post several dams that used to have roads across them in Arizona, and a couple still do. Most however have been replaced by bridges.

 

I am racking my well seasoned mind to remember those in the Northwest. Where are there some others?

 

I can’t think of a single example in Oregon or Washington where you can still drive across a dam. You used to be able to do that at Grand Coulee, and I think at Bonneville, and I suppose at some smaller dams. I suppose there are small irrigation dams and the like where the road crosses at the dam, but those are pretty insignificant structures, as dams go.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Mga707 mentioned in another post several dams that used to have roads across them in Arizona, and a couple still do. I am racking my well seasoned mind to remember those in the Northwest. Where are there some others?

I drove over one a couple of years ago, US 191 at Flaming Gorge in Utah: 40.914988,-109.421672

 

Chris

 

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I frequently drive over the Markland Dam on the Ohio River near Vevay, Indiana, and there are smaller examples around, too. Markland isn't in a a class with Hoover but it is pretty good sized.

 

Denny,

 

It is interesting in Google because it shows the water sort of piled up on one side of the dam with the road across. Another site to mark on the map for a visit one day.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road

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Denny,

 

It is interesting in Google because it shows the water sort of piled up on one side if the dam with the road across. Another site to mark on the map for a visit one day.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road

Apparently you found it just by the name. I get N38° 46.5712' W84° 57.8768' for the coordinates. It's one of the dams that contols river depth to keep the river navigable for barges. Those are locks along the south bank. On Google maps, if you follow the north shore a little over half a mile west of the dam, you'll see the imaginary (trust me;-) Benedict Road. One reason I cross Markland Dam now and then is that a buddy and I own the empty plot of land just west of the "road". You are, of course, welcome to stay when you come for a visit. Bring Your Own Tent. :lol:

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One reason I cross Markland Dam now and then is that a buddy and I own the empty plot of land just west of the "road". You are, of course, welcome to stay when you come for a visit. Bring Your Own Tent. :lol:

 

It’s always good to know a rich landowner or two, especially in tough times. Riverfront property is usually a good place to spend awhile, and when the landowner has invited you, it isn’t trespassing. The wife and I are packing the trailer with some belongings as I write! We are forwarding our mail to 101 S. Benedict Road, and inviting a few friends for Memorial Day and the 4th of July. You are of course invited to drop in. How’s the fishing on the river?

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Mga707 mentioned in another post several dams that used to have roads across them in Arizona, and a couple still do. Most however have been replaced by bridges.

 

I am racking my well seasoned mind to remember those in the Northwest. Where are there some others?

 

I can’t think of a single example in Oregon or Washington where you can still drive across a dam. You used to be able to do that at Grand Coulee, and I think at Bonneville, and I suppose at some smaller dams. I suppose there are small irrigation dams and the like where the road crosses at the dam, but those are pretty insignificant structures, as dams go.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

 

US 1 goes over the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River in Maryland.

 

Most of the reservoir dams north of NYC have roads, but they were all closed after 9-11. Even the satellite views on Google are now blurred. I used to cross the Kensico Dam almost every day. It was a pretty major local short cut. I also used to cross it a lot on foot as a kid. I crossed the Croton Dam and the Cross River Dam a few times also, but they saw almost no traffic since the approach roads were dirt.

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I crossed the Croton Dam and the Cross River Dam a few times also, but they saw almost no traffic since the approach roads were dirt.

That Croton Dam is rather beautiful.

 

I had forgotten the Taylorsville Dam near Vandalia, Ohio on US 40!

 

Chris

 

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That Croton Dam is rather beautiful.

 

I had forgotten the Taylorsville Dam near Vandalia, Ohio on US 40!

 

Chris

I had the same thought about the Croton Dam.

 

Taylorsville is one of the National Road's Dam Dents (American Road, Autumn 2007). The other is Englewood a half dozen miles to the west. Between the two, you can see Dixie Drive which was, of course, once the Dixie Highway. The intersection of the DH & the NR wears a "Crossroads of America" sign and certainly has a legitimate claim. I'm guessing that's a fairly new Google image. It's sure better than I remember.

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  • 1 month later...

No dam road at Davis Dam near Bullhead City, AZ.

 

Heading north my maps showed a road across Davis Dam. When I got to the turn off

it a sign said "Road Closed", had a time getting turned around.

 

Dale

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No dam road at Davis Dam near Bullhead City, AZ.

 

Heading north my maps showed a road across Davis Dam. When I got to the turn off

it a sign said "Road Closed", had a time getting turned around.

 

Dale

 

Yes, the road across the dam was closed either at the time of or shortly after the Laughlin/Bullhead City bridge across the Colorado (AZ SR68/NV SR163) was opened in the 1990s. The road on the AZ side of Davis Dam continues northward to several coves/boat launch sites on Lake Mohave (the lake formed by the dam), but the road on the NV side goes no further than the dam.

 

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I had the same thought about the Croton Dam.

 

Taylorsville is one of the National Road's Dam Dents (American Road, Autumn 2007).

 

Dam dents????? Where I'm originally from we call 'em dam potholes!!!! :D

 

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

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  • 3 months later...

There are several in Texas, including FM 455 at Lake Ray Roberts (Near Sanger), and Fairway Dr at Lake Grapevine (Near the city of Grapevine.) Now for a really interesting one. There is and abandoned highway (Old SH 24) across the abandoned Lake Dallas Dam in the middle of Lake Lewisville. The Lake Dallas Dam was completed in the Late '20's. The Lewisville Dam was completed in 1955, rendering the Lake Dallas Dam obsolete. In 1957, The Lake Dallas Dam was intentionally breached, joining the two lakes. The old roadway is severely eroded, and the spillway bridge was removed leaving only the supports.

 

Here's a Google View of it. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=U...mp;t=h&z=17[/img]

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  • 5 months later...

Though the elevation is not so impressive, the old Lake Bistineau Dam in NW Louisiana was a neat drive. That is, until they built a 100% character-free bridge next to it and removed most of the original road from the top of the dam. At least they left a portion over the spillway gates for fishing purposes. It was an extremely long wooden deck girder bridge carrying LA-154 across the dam. The bridge was elevated 10 or so feet above the top of the dam, and the brave and daring could take their boats underneath it, provided the water wasn't over the spillway - that would be suicide.

 

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=pcn9v...lvl=2&sty=b

 

 

 

 

I also remember the Hungry Horse Reservoir dam in the Flathead Nat'l Forest as being quite impressive when I was a kid. At the time it was driveable - I assume it still is?

 

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=48.34...vl=15&sty=h

 

Happy Trails!

Wes

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  • 4 years later...

I found a dam road today in Idaho. North of Jackpot, Nevada about 15 miles is Rogerson, ID, go west of it 7 miles and there is a dam making Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir. There is a narrow one lane road crossing the old dam.

 

I forgot how to post photos here, plus Photobucket changed how you capture a link.

 

 

Dale

Edited by DaleS
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Dale,

 

Interesting!! And your post revived my recollection of a dam crossing I did this spring, and it has a fairly good story behind it.

 

But before I digress, I went looking for your dam on Google Earth. I went to Jackpot but got distracted. There just northeast of Jackpot is Idavada...a "clever" combination of the states' names. But Idavada is just a field, not even a mud hole. I am now the Mayor of Idavada and until I am renounced by authority,, send your donations directly to me for the renovation of the Idavada Home for Wayward Travelers! .OK, skip the nonsense if you like....

 

Dale's dam crossing is on Jarbidge Road (or1520 N Road), northwest of Jackpot 16 miles as the crow flies. And there is some kind of development there that resembles an RV park, but not much else. Plug in 42.211463°, -114.734779° for a closer look.

 

Now to my story....oh, and BTW, good to see you posting...

 

Last April I decided to follow the lost Yellowstone Trail. I have detailed the story on their Forum here, which I admit I operate. But because I don't seek to redirect you away from this great forum, I will retell the story here in summary.

 

This story leads to my crossing the Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River, followed by an armed guard, after crossing through a check point,and finally being allowed to exit after the guard unlocked the second checkpoint at the other end of the dam. Bet dale didn't get that kind of attention!!

 

The 1917 Yellowstone Trail Route Folder in my collection shows Pomeroy, Washington as on the Yellowstone Trail. It also shows the Pennewawa Ferry as the crossing point for the Snake River. In brief, it was illogical to cross the Snake at Pennewawa and then travel miles out of the way to go toward Dayton and Walla Walla via Pomeroy. Either you didn't go to Pomeroy, or you didn't cross the Snake at Pennewawa.

 

So suppose that the Yellowstone Trail really did go through Pomeroy, as the official guide clearly stated (and it even cites a local representative in Pomeroy). Then the crossing of the Snake was on the Almota Ferry (not the Pennewawa), and the route really went via Pomeroy, Marengo, and Covello.

 

The story of Marengo is here, but this is a summary, so in summary I drove to the site of the Almota Ferry crossing, where now stands the Lower Granite Dam, in the middle of nowhere. And it is a mighty structure. I drove up a long ramp to the top of the dam, and to my surprise was greeted by a strong-point with an armed, but friendly guard in his station. I explained my purpose, and for some reason he asked if I was going to come back. I assured him that as far as I knew, I would never cross his path again.

 

So after showing him my driver's license and getting explicit instructions not to stop, take pictures, or otherwise misbehave, the gate rolled open, and I bravely started across. This being a dam, there were no road signs, and it might seem self evident they weren’t needed. But the road has a detour!! On top the dam, you turn to follow the fish ladder.

 

As I proceeded slowly, taking no pictures, I looked in the rear view mirror, and there was the guard following me in a pickup! There is something otherworldly about being on top a massive structure, with the hum of huge electrical equipment drowning out the other sounds, driving between massive cranes and the like, with a guard following you. This is a real dam crossing!!

 

I didn't get lost and made it to the other side, where I was confronted by the second checkpoint, which was of course locked and barricaded. I had no directions as to how to proceed, but I reasoned that when the guard in the pickup caught up, I would be set free. And that is what obviously happened. He unlocked the barrier, and I drove into the countryside, not even stopping to take a picture until I was well away from the dam.

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Nice that he let you cross it, even if no pictures.

 

As an update to my earlier post a few years ago about NYC closing the roads across their dams after 9/11/01. About a year ago, for the first time in almost 20 years, I headed to the Kensico Dam at the northern end of the Bronx River Parkway. While the plaza at the base of the dam is a county park, I expected access to the actual structure to be heavily restricted now. I was pleasantly surprised that not only was I still allowed to walk across the top of the dam (which I must say is A LOT nicer with no cars), but there weren't even any restrictions on photography. (I have strong opinions on whether governments in the US can legally restrict photography in public places, but I don't need to go into that here.) My reason for visiting was finally, after 20 years of procrastination, getting a website up about the construction of the dam (pretty fascinating stuff) and the village that had been behind it. oldkensico.com if anyone's interested in learning about it.

 

As a side note (not for this topic, but since I'm already here), I begin the drive along US 50, Ocean City to Sacramento, this weekend. I'm sure some of it is still two-lane.

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Robert,

 

I read every word and viewed every photo of your old Kensico site. Nice job, and well worth anyone's time to visit the site. The old foundations were certainly evocative! Your effort should be much appreciated in the future.

 

I can very vagely enjoy a feeling for the ara as I spent a couple of weeks at White Plains many years ago when I was with IBM. It was winter and I was a California boy....quite an experience.

 

Thanks for the reflections!!

 

Dave

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Hey Dave, that is a BLM campground near the Salmon Falls Creek Dam, you can also park for free by the boat ramp. We stayed in the CG as it was only $3 with a S/A pass.

 

I bet that the guard at the dam though you looked like the kind of guy who would blow it up, ha ha.

 

Bad news, the International Café in Austin might have change owners. An old man was the waiter, he couldn't my order right, The prices are a lot higher and the food gave my wife the runs all night long.

 

Dale

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Hey Dave, another bit of bad news. The piece of 1913 Lincoln I ride my bike on south of Hickison Summit had survey stakes for a new road to cut across it in a few places. No body knows or uses it??

 

Dale

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Dale,

 

I count it as your good fortune to have enjoyed it, and ours that you shared it with us. We are both of such tender years as to recognize that things change. We enjoy them, have the privilege of sharing our experiences, and value our great memories. Keep all of us in the loop. Your experiences are appreciated and we get to enjoy them through your eyes!

 

Dave

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  • 2 weeks later...

While these dams are not the massive structures that most are probably thinking of, there are examples of roadways on dams in Ohio and neighboring states. Here are a few examples:

 

Greenup, Kentucky - A bridge on top of the Greenup Locks and Dam that crosses the Ohio River. This is a true multipurpose structure - its primary function is to maintain water levels in the river for navigation, and it also provides a highway bridge and generates electricity.

 

Waverly, Ohio - Ohio 104 is built on top of the Lake White dam.

 

Powell, Ohio - Glick Road on top of the O'Shaughnessy Reservoir dam near the Columbus Zoo.

 

Delaware, Ohio - An unnamed road built on top of the Delaware Dam across Norris Run to form Delaware Lake. The road is 1-1/2 miles south of the main entrance to Delaware State Park on US 23.

 

Russell's Point, Ohio - Ohio 366 built on top of the Indian Lake dam.

 

Fort Loramie, Ohio - Ohio 362 built on top of the Lake Loramie dam.

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