East valley road closures will disrupt traffic 24/7
Motorists in the East Las Vegas Valley should brace for major traffic disruptions as the continued upgrade of Nellis Boulevard moves forward.
Portions of Nellis near Bonanza Road will see 24/7 closures for multiple days twice over the next two weeks, the Nevada Department of Transportation announced. The pair of closures will allow crews to reconstruct the intersection with the least disruption possible.
The first series of round-the-clock closures will run Friday-Sunday on the east side of Nellis at Bonanza. Work during the closure will occur between 8 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction at the intersection as the work is done. East and westbound traffic will not be permitted across Bonanza.
Access to businesses as well as pedestrian access will be maintained. Drivers can expect traffic control and delays. Alternate routes are advised.
Work on the west side of Nellis Boulevard will occur the following weekend, between March 18-20. Travel won’t be allowed on the west side of Nellis during this time, with traffic being constricted to one lane at the Bonanza intersection.
NDOT suggests motorists use Washington or Stewart avenues to access Christy Lane or Lamb Boulevard to avoid traveling through the Nellis/Bonanza intersection.
This work is tied to NDOT’s revamp of a 10-mile section of north and southbound Nellis between Tropicana Avenue and Craig Road in Clark County. The project will remove and replace the existing pavement along the stretch.
The project also features other improvements, including the addition of two push-button activated pedestrian crossings with overhead rapid flashing beacons at Newton Avenue and one north of Cheyenne; new handicap-accessible ramps; and sidewalks and driveways that will be installed and tied into Intelligent Transportation System facilities.
In addition to the Bonanza intersection, NDOT completed a similar upgrade to the Sahara Avenue intersection at Nellis last month. The Charleston Boulevard intersection is also in line for full repaving with streetlight replacements and signage upgrades.
Mint 400 Festival closures
As participants and fans ready for the Mint 400, an annual desert off-road race, motorists can expect several street closures next weekend tied to the event’s kickoff.
The Mint 400 Off-Road festival that marks the beginning of the race will see 200 vendors from the industry congregate in the downtown area.
Road closures begin at 3 a.m. Wednesday and last until midnight Thursday. Major closures tied to the event include Fremont Street from Las Vegas Boulevard to 11th Street and 11th street from Fremont to Stewart Avenue. There will also be lane closures on Las Vegas Boulevard from Ogden Avenue to Fremont.
The event attracts passionate race fans from all over the world, leading to what should be an interesting time. As Hunter S. Thompson infamously wrote about the Mint 400: “This race attracts a very special breed.”
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter. Send questions and comments to roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com.
