EDC set to pack Las Vegas roadways and speedway
With over 170,000 people expected to attend Electric Daisy Carnival each night this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, festivalgoers and residents alike should brace for traffic congestion on roads leading to and from the event.
The annual electronic music festival takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, beginning each night at 5 p.m. and running through 5:30 a.m. the following day. As attendees make their way to and from the event, heavy traffic can be expected, mainly on Interstate 15, U.S. Highway 95 and North Las Vegas Boulevard.
The heaviest traffic heading to the speedway each day on I-15 northbound is expected to occur between 3 and 10 p.m., according to the Nevada Department of Transportation, with the most traffic congestion tied to those leaving the event on I-15 southbound each morning expected between 4 and 11 a.m. Extra traffic should also be expected on Las Vegas Boulevard before and after EDC.
That means Sunday’s finale of the three-day party will lead to a hangover on the roads, with Monday morning’s commute expected to be additionally jammed due to EDC attendees making their way back to their hotels or heading home to Southern California.
Looking to ensure traffic flow to and from the event is as smooth as possible, major road projects in the area will be halted over the weekend, according to Justin Hopkins, NDOT spokesman.
“This includes, but is not limited to, the I-15 north widening project, the I-15/Tropicana project and the U.S. 95/Charleston project,” Hopkins said in an email. “Beginning Friday morning and continuing until Monday evening, we will suspend as many operations and remove as many restrictions as possible to prioritize ingress and egress of attendees to the festival.”
NDOT also plans to work with organizers and law enforcement to reverse traffic on some lanes of Las Vegas Boulevard, when possible, to assist with traffic flow to and from the event.
“NDOT has actively participated in EDC traffic planning meetings over the past several months,” Hopkins said. “These discussions involved key stakeholders such as EDC organizers, Clark County, the cities of Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, Metro Police, the Nevada State Police, and other relevant agencies.”
Parking
Onsite parking for each day of the festival is already sold out. Those who park at the speedway must leave with their vehicle each day or be subject to having their vehicle towed at the owner’s expense, according to event organizer Insomniac.
Insomniac reminds festivalgoers that the following activities are strictly prohibited in the parking lot:
Tailgating
Sleeping in a vehicle
Buying or selling tickets
Vandalism and loitering
Drinking alcohol
Illegal drug use
Carpool and ride services
Event organizer Insomniac recommends attendees carpool or use ride-hailing services to minimize the number of vehicles on the road, in turn reducing travel times.
Insomniac also operates a shuttle service from multiple hotel sites to and from the event. EDC attendees hoping to use the shuttles must have already purchased passes, as those have already sold out for the weekend.
Helicopter rides
For those fans who want to skip driving to and from EDC, Maverick Helicopters is again offering its flight service.
Starting at $650 one-way or $950 round trip per person, fans can take a 15-minute flight that includes views of the Las Vegas Strip to and from the speedway. Private charter rides for up to seven passengers are also offered for $4,400 one-way and $6,500 round trip.
Helicopter trips originate at Maverick’s private terminal at Harry Reid International Airport, which is located off South Las Vegas Boulevard, near the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. Festivalgoers will be dropped off and picked up just outside the speedway.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.