I15SNEPA: DEVELOPMENT

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Project Development

Project Need: Improvements to Interstate 15 are needed to meet the ever increasing traffic demands on the freeway. This demand is driven by the growth of residential and commercial development in the southern part of the Las Vegas Valley. These factors along with the development of large hotels/casions in the area, also contribute to the need to improve Las Vegas Boulevard.

Project Purpose: The purpose of the I-15 South Project is to alleviate congestion within the corridor by increasing capacity and to improve regional connectivity, consistent with land use planning, by proving new freeway access points. The freeway capacity will be improved by the addition of travel lanes, collector distributor roadways, and new configurations of entrance/exit ramps to improve operations and reduce congestion. New access points to the freeway will be provided by the addition of four new interchanges.

Existing Conditions: The existing freeway is comprised of three travel lanes in each direction and Las Vegas Boulevard varies between three and two lanes depending on the location. Current improvements are underway for the first phase of the Blue Diamond Interchange (SR-160). Construction is scheduled to be completed in spring of 2007. Clark County Department of Public Works is scheduled to begin construction of the new Silverado Ranch Boulevard Interchange in the summer of 2006 with a target for completion in summer of 2007. Improvements to St. Rose interchange were recently completed. These new interchanges will provide additional freeway access to growing residential areas.

Traffic: Transportation planning methods are used to forecasts future travel demands for the I-15 freeway and Las Vegas Boulevard. These methods consider future local and regional development, community growth, and land uses to plan travel demands. These forecasts also consider travel demands generated from California visitors.

At the southern end of the corridor, just south of Sloan Road, average daily two-way traffic volumes on I-15 are forecast to increase from 42,000 vehicles in 2003 to 156,000 by 2030.

At the north end of the corridor, just north of Tropicana Avenue, average daily two-way traffic volumes are forecast to increase from 223,000 vehicles in 2003 to 430,000 in 2030.

Alternative Planning: Transportation planners are considering various potential roadway improvement alternatives that will increase capacity, reduce congestion, enhance safety, and provide new access to the corridor. The follow are key elements considered as part of this planning effort.

Adding additional travel lanes to the I-15 freeway to increase capacity.
The development of frontage road systems for local commuters.
Enhanced configurations of interchange entrances and exit ramps to improve traffic operations and reduce congestion including the use of ramp metering and ITS technology.
Alternatives that provide accommodations for future transit, high occupancy vehicle facilities and/or managed lanes.
Provide new freeway access at Sloan Road, Bermuda Road, Starr Avenue and Cactus Avenue
Provide local street connection between Las Vegas Boulevard on the east to Dean Martin Drive, on the west at Starr Avenue, Cactus Avenue, and Pebble Road
Add additional travel lanes to Las Vegas Boulevard to increase capacity.
Add signalized intersections to Las Vegas Boulevard where warranted.
Enhance the overall safety to the corridor.

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