New bridge linking Laughlin, Bullhead City gets grand opening date

Las Vegas, NV (KXNT) – A second bridge spanning the Colorado River connecting the towns of Laughlin and Bullhead City will be open to use on Friday June 7th, according to Clark County.

The bridge is located 8 miles south of Laughlin’s only other bridge, which opened in 1987 and was paid for by Laughlin founder Don Laughlin.

“This second bridge spanning the Colorado River has been decades in the making,” said Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft, whose district includes Laughlin. “Its completion will facilitate the flow of traffic and commerce across the river, and I’m looking forward to celebrating this historic milestone with our residents.”

The 724-foot-long bridge rests 35 feet above the river and carries one lane of traffic in each direction along with a multi-use trail on the south side for bicyclists, runners and pedestrians. There are two overlooks on the bridge for users of the multi-use trail. If needed, the bridge can be restriped to accommodate four lanes of traffic and the multi-use trail.

A 3.5-mile road was constructed on the Nevada side that connects with Needles Highway just north of the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation. On the Arizona side, Bullhead Parkway was extended by half a mile to the bridge and was completed in October 2020.

The bridge has been sought for decades as a means to facilitate cross-river traffic, facilitate the flow of commerce and improve access for emergency vehicles.

There is a third, privately maintained bridge 6 miles south of the new structure that connects Fort Mohave, Ariz., via Aztec Road with the land at the Avi Resort & Casino on the Nevada side. It is called Veterans Bridge.