California, Utah motorists should brace for I-15 Labor Day weekend traffic

Emergency road work occurring in Southern California just south of the Nevada-California border should not impact Labor Day traffic, officials said Tuesday.

Crews are conducting emergency repairs on a bridge south of Nipton Road in Mountain Pass that was damaged due to floods during storms last week, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) noted on Twitter Monday.

That work is leading to traffic congestion on Interstate 15 southbound as traffic goes down to one lane in the area. That affected motorists heading back to Southern California from Las Vegas last weekend.

Caltrans doesn’t anticipate that work, which began on Aug. 24, to carry over into the busy travel holiday weekend.

“Caltrans anticipates reopening the bridge in advance of the Labor Day holiday weekend, with all lanes open by Thursday… if not sooner,” said Will Arnold, Caltrans spokesman. “Caltrans does not anticipate needing to continue work during Labor Day weekend.”

Nipton Road is about 11 miles south of the Nevada-California border. Traffic on I-15 southbound routinely backs up 20 miles or more from the state line when travelers head back to Southern California after holiday weekends in Las Vegas. The lane reduction 10 miles after that will only further traffic delays on the stretch of interstate following Labor Day weekend.

There are plans to add an additional lane that will be open to vehicles only during high traffic congestion. That will incorporate restriping shoulders from state line south into California to the agricultural checkpoint.

That said, it won’t be a breeze to return to Southern California following Labor Day weekend. As noted, traffic can back up over 20 miles at the Nevada-California border, so travelers should add extra time to their commute and pack water and other necessities. Motorists should also ensure their fuel tanks are filled before leaving Las Vegas. Temperatures are expected to be near 110 degrees this weekend in the area.

Motorists looking to skip the potential traffic headache can take U.S. Highway 95 from near Boulder City to Interstate 40 in California to I-15.

Utah travelers

Those traveling between Las Vegas and Southern Utah and beyond should brace for increased traffic congestion this weekend due to ongoing road work, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Those returning to Southern Utah will see the largest impact with an about 3-mile lane reduction on I-15 northbound between mile marker 110 and just past 112. Crews are conducting intelligent transportation systems trenching in the closed lane.

The southbound reduction is shorter, with drainage repair work resulting in an about 1,500-foot reduction at mile marker 110, NDOT spokesman Justin Hopkins said.

“What we’re anticipating that could be a trouble point for the weekend is the I-15-Mesquite project,” Hopkins said. “We do still have single-lane closures in both directions for at least a few more weeks.”

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.