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[andy3175]

I didn't see this mentioned elsewhere... Last Thursday, August 6, 2015, a groundbreaking was held for the expansion of the US 95 and Clark County 215 interchange northwest of downtown Las Vegas. This project will provide additional high speed ramps and will factor into eventual creation of a full-access, high-speed interchange between the two freeways. Due to eventual growth in this area, this interchange is anticipated to be among the Las Vegas metro area's busiest.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/traffic-transportation/centennial-bowl-interchange-project-starts

(The interchange project that broke ground on August 6 represents the) $46.7 million third phase of the Centennial Bowl project in northwest Las Vegas.

The project will add two of four direct-connection ramps at the intersection of U.S. Highway 95 and the 215 Beltway. The phase that began Thursday will develop ramps from northbound U.S. 95 to the eastbound Beltway and the westbound Beltway to southbound U.S 95.

The latter ramp will be the highlight of the entire project, a two-lane 2,365-foot flyover bridge that will climb 60 feet high. Construction of the big bridge structure won't occur until about a year from now, but workers will begin drilling 10 80-foot holes to build the steel-reinforced concrete columns that will support the bridge sections. ...

Several agencies are contributing money to the project. It's being built with $19.5 million in federal funding, $6.4 million each from the state and the Regional Transportation Commission and $14.4 million from the Clark County Regional Flood Control District.

The Flood Control District's contribution is paying for construction of a drainage culvert network beneath the road system and will be in the initial portion of construction.

About 107,500 vehicles use the ramps and Beltway daily at the interchange today, but by 2036, based on population projections and local residential development, the number is expected to climb to 160,000 vehicles a day.

That would make the Centennial Bowl interchange the second busiest in the state behind the Spaghetti Bowl, but ahead of the 215 Beltway-U.S. 95 interchange in Henderson, the U.S. 95-Summerlin Parkway and Reno's Interstate 80-Interstate 580 interchange.

When will the remaining flyover ramps – northbound U.S. 95 to the westbound Beltway and southbound U.S. 95 to the eastbound Beltway – be built?

That's going to depend upon the availability of funding and it gave Ross the opportunity to present a hard sell on a vote to extend fuel revenue indexing in 2016.

The fuel revenue indexing program enables the Regional Transportation Commission to impose up to a 10-cents-a-gallon tax over a three-year period. Next year, voters will consider whether to extend the program by 10 years.

Ross said if the program is approved, the Centennial Bowl interchange could be completed within four years. If it isn't, the outlook is completion within 16 years.

[roadfro]

The article I think is mistaken a bit, where it says this phase of the project Will add two of four direct connection ramps. There will be eight direct connection ramps between the two freeways (allowing movements in all directions between the two freeways), where currently only the eastbound 215 to southbound 95 ramp exists (albeit not currently in its final configuration but is mostly complete). This project will add the two ramps that I would guess have the greatest travel demand--NB to EB is probably the next easiest ramp to construct and is currently the most indirect existing movement, while WB to SB will be the most challenging ramp to build.


A side note: The groundbreaking ceremony announcement was the first mention I've seen of the "Centennial Bowl" name for this interchange. I guess NDOT decided to put a formal name on this interchange. The other 215 beltway interchanges don't really have names (officially-recognized by NDOT or colloquial) -- it's just the Spaghetti Bowl downtown with a formal name, and the "Rainbow Curve" (US 95/Rainbow/Summerlin Pkwy) interchange informal name that has gradually become more official in NDOT usage over many years.

[Kniwt]

Resurrecting this thread to note that the first ramp of the new interchange -- US 95 north to CC 215 east -- opened today.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/first-portion-centennial-bowl-interchange-opens

Nevada Department of Transportation crews opened a ramp that will move traffic from northbound U.S. Highway 95 to the eastbound 215 Beltway late Friday afternoon.

It’s the first portion of a freeway interchange that is expected to become the second busiest in the state behind the Spaghetti Bowl crossing of U.S. 95 and Interstate 15. Transportation officials say about 107,500 motorists use the Centennial Bowl every day.

The new ramp gives motorists heading east on the Beltway an easier and faster route. Eastbound traffic has been required to exit at a ramp connecting to Buffalo Drive and Sky Pointe Drive near the Centennial Crossroads Plaza shopping center.

... The second big piece of the interchange is still several months away from completion. A large portion of a flyover ramp that will take westbound Beltway traffic to southbound U.S. 95 is built, but completion isn’t planned until early 2017.

[Desert Man]

Las Vegas has HUGE traffic issues, not just the fast-growing number of year-round residents, the tourists! The edges of the Las Vegas area spells further and further outward. But, 16 years to complete? C'mon...they can do that quicker.

[roadfro]

Las Vegas has HUGE traffic issues, not just the fast-growing number of year-round residents, the tourists! The edges of the Las Vegas area spells further and further outward. But, 16 years to complete? C'mon...they can do that quicker.

I don't really know that NDOT can do this quicker... Much of NDOT's construction money in the Las Vegas area will be tied up in Project Neon over the next several years. That is a much more high priority project that serves way more traffic daily. Clark County built the initial facilities without NDOT money.

If the current Fuel Revenue Indexing program is extended (the three-year pilot is set to end this December, if Clark County voters don't vote to extend it in November), then the future phases of the Centennial Bowl project will likely proceed faster. This phase got underway a bit earlier than planned, due to an infusion of FRI funds. (FRI funding is also what got NDOT & RTC going on the Boulder City Bypass/future I-11 project now–NDOT was going to be much slower in getting started on the second half that RTC picked up responsibility for.)

[roadfro]

While work continues on the Centennial Bowl project Phase 3A–NB US 95 to EB CC 215 (open); WB CC 215 to SB US 95 flyover and SB collector-distributer still in progress–NDOT is apparently scoping work on another ramp at the interchange.

Plans begin for next phase of Centennial Bowl project in northwest Las Vegas
Las Vegas Review Journal, 7/11/16

The Nevada Transportation Department’s board on Monday agreed to start looking for a consultant who willsolicit bids from construction companies to design and build a ramp connecting southbound U.S. Highway 95 to the eastbound 215 Beltway.

The article makes it sound like this ramp construction will be contingent upon voters extending Clark County's Fuel Revenue Indexing program.

This is one of two movements that is not currently accommodated in some fashion directly at the interchange (the other being US 95 SB to CC 215 WB). This is one of several ramps that was proposed for construction in Phase 3C.

[roadfro]

Updates:

The WB 215 to SB 95 flyover ramp is expected to open on July 4th. Also, due to the FRI funding initiative being retained by voters in November 2016, the next phase of the Centennial Bowl construction (several new direct connection ramps) will continue the design phase and move to construction next year (sooner than originally anticipated).

Phase 1 of Centennial Bowl project set to end with July 4 flyover bridge opening
Las Vegas Review-Journal, 3/13/17

The Nevada Department of Transportation’s board of directors on Monday approved a $1.5 million boost to an existing engineering contract with HDR to complete design checks for three additional ramps connecting the 215 Beltway and U.S. Highway 95.
<...>
NDOT is currently designing the next phase of the Centennial Bowl, with construction expected to start by spring 2018.

The $55 million project calls for construction of a flyover ramp carrying vehicles from northbound U.S. 95 to the westbound Beltway, a ramp connecting southbound U.S. 95 to the eastbound Beltway and a third ramp linking the westbound Beltway to northbound U.S. 95, spokesman Tony Illia said.

In the near term, NDOT officials are expected to complete the $47 million current phase of the Centennial Bowl on July 4 with the opening of a 60-foot-tall, 2,500-foot-long flyover bridge linking the westbound Beltway to southbound U.S. 95.

Construction of the Centennial Bowl began in summer 2015, and the initial phase was completed last year with the opening of a ramp linking northbound U.S. 95 to the eastbound Beltway.

[roadfro]

Looks like a slight delay from the previous update. The WB-to-SB flyover will open July 12th.

New flyover ramp at the Centennial Bowl interchange opens July 12
Las Vegas Review-Journal, 6/12/17

Vehicles finally will be zooming across a new $47 million flyover bridge in northwest Las Vegas on July 12, when construction wraps up on the current phase of the Centennial Bowl freeway interchange, the Nevada Department of Transportation said Monday.

NDOT officials plan to hold a dedication ceremony before drivers are allowed to access a 60-foot-tall, 2,500-foot-long flyover bridge linking the westbound 215 Beltway to southbound U.S. Highway 95, NDOT Deputy Director William Hoffman said during the agency’s board meeting.

NDOT is also doubling down on starting the next phase of this interchange in 2018...

Next year, construction resumes with a $55 million project that calls for construction of a flyover ramp carrying vehicles from northbound U.S. 95 to the westbound Beltway, a ramp connecting southbound U.S. 95 to the eastbound Beltway and a third ramp linking the westbound Beltway to northbound U.S. 95, NDOT spokesman Tony Illia said.

Those three ramps are expected to be completed by 2020.

[roadfro]

The WB-to-SB flyover is now open!

Centennial Bowl flyover bridge opens in northwest Las Vegas, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 7/12/17

The article includes pictures, and a video of a county vehicle driving all the way along the about-to-be-opened ramp.

[compdude787]

Are they going to build a ramp from eastbound CC 215 to NB US 95? Seems like that's quite a missing movement, especially for traffic bypassing Las Vegas to head to Reno.

[roadfro]

Are they going to build a ramp from eastbound CC 215 to NB US 95? Seems like that's quite a missing movement, especially for traffic bypassing Las Vegas to head to Reno.

Yes.


Improvements at the Centennial Bowl Interchange are considered "Phase 3" of NDOT's multi-phase US 95 Northwest Corridor Improvements project. Opening of the WB>SB flyover represents the completion of Phase 3B (which also included the NB>EB direct ramp completed previously).

Phase 3C begins construction in 2018 with the next three ramps mentioned previously: NB>WB flyover, SB>EB flyover (a movement not currently accommodated at the interchange), and WB>NB.

Phases 3D/3E of the overall project will complete the remaining movements without freeway-to-freeway ramps: EB>NB, EB>SB (a repurposing of the existing southbound on ramp from Oso Blanca Road), and SB>WB (also not currently accommodated at the interchange). The 215/Sky Pointe Drive intersection will be reconstructed to an interchange, and the road will be connected to its existing segment south of the beltway for the first time. Oso Blanca Road will also be reconnected under 215 to its stub at Centennial Center Blvd, and will be connected to Sky Pointe via new beltway frontage connections over 95. Phase 3E consists primarily of the final build out of 215 to at least 3 lanes each direction.


Two points, for the record:

(1) The EB to NB movement is not currently missing, it's just indirect. This traffic can turn left at the Sky Pointe Drive intersection, and follow the Sky Pointe frontage road to the US 95 North on/off ramps at the intersection with Buffalo Drive. (The movement is signed "TO North US 95" from EB 215.) As things stand now, the EB>NB movement is the only ramp in the final configuration that will be built as a loop (and will end up with a cloverleaf-style weave pattern with the existing NB 95 off-ramp to Buffalo/Sky Pointe–that's an indication of the lack of demand for that movement.

(2) I don't know of any traffic that would use 215 to "bypass" Las Vegas to head north to Reno, such that they'd end up on EB 215 at this interchange... Assuming this supposed traffic originated from south of Las Vegas, a more effective bypass would be to use SR 160 to go completely around Las Vegas (and if such traffic were to come from southern California, there's no need to head through Las Vegas if Reno is the final destination).

[roadfro]

It looks like NDOT is ready to award the contract for Phase 3C of the Centennial Bowl to start this fall, but the cost of the project is higher than originally anticipated...

Trump’s steel tariffs may be driving up costs of road projects, Las Vegas Review-Journal[/url], 7/9/18

President Donald Trump’s steel tariffs may be driving up costs for state road construction projects, as displayed during a recent round of bids for the next phase of the Centennial Bowl interchange in northwest Las Vegas, the Nevada Department of Transportation said Monday.

NDOT had estimated it would cost $49 million to $59 million to build the next three ramps linking U.S. Highway 95 and the 215 Beltway, but Las Vegas Paving submitted a lone bid of $61.5 million to complete the project by 2020, NDOT Director Rudy Malfabon said.

The higher-than-anticipated bid was attributed to Trump’s order this year to impose a tariff – or tax on imported goods – of 25 percent for steel and 10 percent for aluminum.
<...>
Work is scheduled to start by fall on the next phase of the Centennial Bowl, which calls for building a flyover ramp carrying vehicles from northbound U.S. 95 to the westbound Beltway, a ramp connecting southbound U.S. 95 to the eastbound Beltway and a third ramp linking the eastbound Beltway to southbound U.S. 95.

It looks like NDOT is changing up the construction a bit. The original Phase 3C plan was to do NB>WB flyover, SB>EB flyover, and WB>NB ramp. They're not doing the WB>NB ramp, and doing EB>SB instead.

This makes some sense because (a) the majority of the final EB>SB ramp has been constructed for years already, and (b) it'll probably make the final phases a bit easier by having the US 95 south access maintained when they punch the Oso Blanca frontage road through below this same spot. Also, building the WB>NB ramp now would have involved creating a new temporary intersection for the Sky Pointe Dr/95 north access that would've been ripped out to put a new beltway interchange at Sky Pointe in at the same spot (which I always thought was kinda silly anyway).

[sparker]

Unless SoCal-originating traffic is doing a "grand tour" of NV population centers, there is only a small chance that NB I-15 traffic will end up on US 95 north; it would have more than likely utilized US 395 (if heading directly to Carson City or Reno) or even possibly CA 127/NV 393 to access US 95 in the west-central part of the state.  The 215 LV loop, when completed as a 3-quadrant facility, will potentially expedite traffic on US 95/I-11 or I-15 in the process of bypassing central LV; most of that traffic will likely be of the commercial variety needing a peak-hour bypass of the central city core -- or general traffic from AZ heading directly to Reno or other northern NV points (or even beyond).  But it is likely that the 215 loop will serve more as a local distributor than an actual bypass; its convoluted  (except for the northern tier) alignment seems intended to serve as much of the western suburban region as possible.  Its role as an actual bypass appears to be more incidental than primary; development has largely subsumed its corridor (again, except for the E-W segment between US 95 and I-15/US 93 NE of NLV, which remains largely undeveloped except for a few nascent commercial ventures).           

[roadfro]

Just to be clear, the 215 was never envisioned as a regional bypass. It was always meant to be a local route to help relieve traffic on I-15 and US 95.

Had an eastern beltway leg been built, that would have been the most effective Vegas bypass (essentially would have shifted US 93 and CANAMEX corridor traffic out of downtown Vegas to the east).

[sparker]

Just to be clear, the 215 was never envisioned as a regional bypass. It was always meant to be a local route to help relieve traffic on I-15 and US 95.

Had an eastern beltway leg been built, that would have been the most effective Vegas bypass (essentially would have shifted US 93 and CANAMEX corridor traffic out of downtown Vegas to the east).

Ironic, isn't it!  The one quadrant that would have made an effective regional bypass was the one that wasn't built!  A cynic might opine that LV interests never really wanted -- or envisioned -- a bypass in the first place; just a peripheral route that can move folks from the western 'burbs to their places of employment in the central and eastern metro sectors.  Its role as a "relief route" for both I-15 and US 95 is thus largely coincidental. 

[Kniwt]

KLAS-TV reports (video at the link):
https://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/local-news/next-phase-of-centennial-bowl-project-begins-it-reduces-traffic-congestion-improve-mobility/1717585627

Reducing confusion and improving safety: That's the goal of the Nevada Department of Transportation's Centennial Bowl project, which just broke ground Tuesday on its next phase.

Three new ramps will be added where the 215 beltway meets U.S. 95.  The lanes will connect eastbound 215 to U.S. 95 southbound -- connect southbound U.S. 95 toward eastbound 215 -- and connect northbound U.S. 95 to westbound 215.

[bing101]

We have Rockersk08 take a tour on the CC-215 near US-95 recently.

[bing101]

InterstateKyle did something similar on the US-95 drive too to see the changes on that route.

[roadfro]

Bump to share this YouTube video from NDOT's channel, which is showing some of the construction taking place on the NB 95 > WB 215 and SB 95 > EB 215 ramps.

Apparently, one of these ramps (likely NB>WB) will be the second longest bridge in the state of Nevada when completed. The current longest bridge in the state is also at this interchange, the WB>SB ramp constructed in the previous phase.

[roadfro]

The second longest bridge in Nevada is at the halfway point of construction

Nevada’s 2nd-longest bridge halfway complete in northwest Las Vegas, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 12/6/19

Construction on Nevada’s second-longest bridge is at the 50-yard line.

The 2,635-foot-long flyover will connect U.S. Highway 95 northbound to the 215 Beltway westbound in northwest Las Vegas. The bridge is part of the $73 million Centennial Bowl interchange project, which broke ground in January.
<...>
The bridge work is employing up to 150 tradesmen and is scheduled to be finished in November.

[Plutonic Panda]

The NB 95 to WB 215 flyover finally opens on the 28th!!!

https://www.nevadadot.com/Home/Components/News/News/6454/395?fsiteid=1&fbclid=IwAR3NBFsmk7jHCtyi_Z-hrAibKy-xRUK8dECVzTG7Q1WS0ylkmbKxTmr5C7A

[Plutonic Panda]

The flyover is open

https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/traffic/nevadas-2nd-longest-bridge-opens-to-traffic-in-northwest-las-vegas-2132167/

[Kniwt]

The R-J updates the progress: $155M final phase kicks off in Las Vegas
https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/news-columns/road-warrior/centennial-bowls-155m-final-phase-kicks-off-in-las-vegas-2248960/

Crews will break ground Monday on the $155 million final phase of the Centennial Bowl interchange project where U.S. Highway 95 and the 215 Beltway meet, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation.

When this third and final phase is complete in early 2024, it will mark the end of the nine-year project that cost nearly $300 million.

The final phase will build out the remaining three ramps needed to finish the system-to-system interchange that first began construction in 2015.

... Additionally, the U.S. 95 northbound to 215 eastbound ramp will be widened to two lanes, a half-mile section of the 215 will be increased to a six-lane divided freeway, and a service interchange at the 215 and Sky Pointe Drive will be built with one way slip ramps to and from Oso Blanca Road.

[roadfro]

As part of the final phase of construction, Oso Blanca Road will be closing at CC-215 later today for the next three years.

Portion of Oso Blanca Road closing in northwest Las Vegas Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2/05/2021

Oso Blanca from the 215 Beltway to just south of Deer Springs Way will shut to traffic at 9 p.m. Sunday and remain closed for up to three years in order for the $155 million final phase of the Centennial Bowl project to finish, the Nevada Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.

When the project is finished, Oso Blanca will no longer intersect the beltway directly. It will go underneath the 215 and will finally be reconnected to Centennial Center Blvd (a connection severed about a decade ago to make way for what is now the EB 215's ramp to US 95 SB). New slip ramps from Oso Blanca will connect to a new interchange at CC 215 & Sky Pointe Drive, providing indirect beltway access.

[roadfro]

Haven't reported much new news about this project in a while. But came across this press release today via NDOT's US 95 Northwest Improvements project website:

Centennial Bowl Ramp Closure Begins June 24 (PDF), 6/22/22

Las Vegas, NV — The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) will close the ramp from southbound U.S. 95 to Centennial Center Blvd., Ann Rd., and Rancho Dr. for approximately 90 days beginning at 1:00 a.m. on June 24. Traffic will be temporarily detoured onto the new ramp from southbound U.S. 95 to westbound CC-215, to N. Durango Dr, and to Centennial Center Blvd. The mainline lanes of U.S. 95 are not affected by this detour.

The closure is necessary for construction of a bridge over U.S. 95 for a multi-use recreational trail. The trail is being added along the north side of the 215 Beltway from Grand Montecito Parkway to Tenaya Way, along with several miles of new bike lanes and sidewalks. The bridge is one of 20 new spans within the Centennial Bowl Project in northwest Las Vegas.

The unannounced news there is that the new US 95 SB to CC 215 WB ramp is complete and open, as it's part of the detour for the SB exit 91 closure.