$246 million project eases I-15 traffic

It took more than a half million tons of gravel and asphalt, more than two years of work and almost a quarter billion dollars, but six miles of traffic jams on Interstate 15 south have become mostly smooth sailing.

Transportation officials gathered Wednesday morning to celebrate the completion of the project, which re­designed and remade the freeway from Tropicana Avenue to Silverado Ranch Boulevard.

Sound walls and access roads were added, the freeway was widened, five interchanges were redone, express lanes were lengthened, and 26 new bridge sections were built.

"After 29 months of construction, we no longer have to dodge the orange traffic cones," said Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak, one of a handful of officials on hand Wednesday morning to celebrate the project's completion.

The project cost $246 million. It was funded by room taxes the Legislature diverted from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to pay for transportation projects.

LVCVA President and CEO Rossi Ralenkotter said the changes will help make it easier for visitors to access the city's entertainment corridor. "Transportation is the key to our success," he said.

He said 7.5 million visitors use I-15 annually.

Corey Newcome with contractor Las Vegas Paving said it was the largest project the company had ever done.

For drivers, the changes should mean an easier commute.

Nevada Department of Transportation officials said the addition of access roads will take merging traffic out of the main travel lanes. There are also wider ramp lanes at Tropicana, Russell Road, the interchange with Interstate 215, Blue Diamond Road and Silverado Ranch.

In addition, the bridge at Warm Springs Road was reconstructed, a new bridge was added at Sunset Road, the Russell Road bridge was widened, and a new flyover was built at Blue Diamond.

Express lanes - the lanes at the far left designed for drivers who will not be exiting soon - were lengthened to extend past the busiest part of the freeway.

Traffic engineers said collisions have already decreased, though they did not have numbers readily available Wednesday. Safety was a theme repeated again and again.

"We can all expect a streamlined and safer route along I-15," Gov. Brian Sandoval said.

The project also includes landscaping and artwork designed to incorporate southwestern themes.

Contact reporter Richard Lake at rlake@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0307.