515 Freeway?

[andy3175]

On the extension of I-515, does anyone have plans or a webpage link that shows how that would be done? It seems like the signal at Railroad Pass Casino would have to be removed in that instance.

Andy

[FLRoads]

Try this link, Andy: http://www.nevadadot.com/projects/reports/pdfs/2008_12_4thQtr.pdf

I looked on it and if you look on page 15 of the report it gives details on the phase I of the Boulder City bypass.  And from what it looks like on the picture in the upper right, they are going to go on new alignment to the west of Railroad Pass Casino.

[Alex]

Noooo! I don't want to have to reclinch it! 

[andy3175]

It stands to reason that I-515 would travel down US 95 rather than go toward the Hoover Dam bypass project since the freeway exits are numbered according to US 95 mileage. However, I expect that US 93 will  also be limited access from I-515 to the Hoover Dam bypass bridge. And that bridge, once complete, will be a reason to re-clinch US 93, Alex!

Andy

[Voyager]

Oh that's right, I forgot about the Hoover Dam bypass bridge...that should be an amazing project.

[roadfro]

The Boulder City Bypass website gives a decent overview of where the mainline routes for US 93 and US 95 will be.  From what I saw at NDOT, I-515 will be extended from its current terminus on the new alignment to the new junction of US 93 & US 95 (about a mile or so south of the current interchange).  I-515 is not slated to follow US 93 or US 95 any further south than that.  I would suspect, though, that existing US 93 may become a signed business route once the bypass is finished.

The current alignment of US 93/95 through the Railroad Pass area will be retained as a frontage road, providing access to the Railroad Pass Casino.  The frontage road is supposed to make a new connection with a city street in Henderson and will continue to tie into existing US 93 to maintain local access.  There will be a system interchange (complete with direct ramps and flyovers) at old US 93/frontage road, as well as the new US 95 interchange.

Unfortunately, I haven't found a publicly available source or drawings for all this.  I'm going off of a poster with preliminary design for phase 1 that I saw on a conference room wall at NDOT in Carson City several months ago.  So even still, this all could change.  Right now, I don't believe the US 93 bypass project (especially the second phase around Boulder City) has been fully designed or funded.

It stands to reason that I-515 would travel down US 95 rather than go toward the Hoover Dam bypass project since the freeway exits are numbered according to US 95 mileage. However, I expect that US 93 will also be limited access from I-515 to the Hoover Dam bypass bridge. And that bridge, once complete, will be a reason to re-clinch US 93, Alex!

As I mentioned above, I-515 isn't getting extended all that far.  NDOT did reconstruct US 95 to a divided highway, but that is only south to SR 163/Laughlin Hwy, where it turns back to two lanes before entering California.  Also, US 95 is still a 4-lane surface street through Searchlight.  If they did want to extend I-515, it stands to reason that Interstate traffic would be best served by extending I-515 along US 93 into Arizona rather than along US 95 to California.

Andy, you're right though in believing that US 93 will be limited access.  In addition to the interchanges I listed above, there will be an emergency access interchange near the BC airport, and another interchange with former US 93 east of the Hotel/Casino (Hacienda?) on the south/east side of BC.  The project will tie into the Hoover Dam Bypass near here, and another interchange is provided through that project to access old US 93 and the Dam.  I'm not sure whether the Dam bypass is being constructed to Interstate standards though (one would assume it is, but you can't be too sure).

-LJ

[Terry Shea]

I just vacationed in Vegas and checked out the Hoover Dam bypass and bridge being built.  It appears that it's going to be a 4 lane freeway.  There are at least 2 overpasses over the existing roadway and part of the bypass goes way down into the canyon below.  I've got some pics of the bridge and hopefully I'll be able to upload them and post them soon.  I believe both bypasses are going to be built to freeway standards so I imagine the entire route will be numbered I-515.  My only real question is how far they're going to extend the freeway into Arizona after it crosses the bridge.

[Voyager]

Only 4 lanes on the freeway?

[AZDude]

I think 4 lanes is good enough for the Hoover Dam Bypass, and probably for the Boulder City Bypass as well.

[brad2971]

In answer to the question about how far AZ will extend the freeway, ADOT just recently had a study meeting in Kingman on a system interchange @I-40:

http://www.azdot.gov/highways/districts/kingman/PDF/PublicMeetingHandout_InfoSheet_111308.pdf

ADOT is narrowing the study range down to upgrading the current US93 and I-40 Interchange, and building a new US93/I-40 Interchange just a mile to the east. It's a difference between $204 million for the former versus just $51 million for the latter

And I'm guessing once ADOT picks the obvious choice , ADOT will take the cheapest route possible in freewayizing the rest of US93 to the bypass bridge.

[roadfro]

I just vacationed in Vegas and checked out the Hoover Dam bypass and bridge being built.  It appears that it's going to be a 4 lane freeway.  There are at least 2 overpasses over the existing roadway and part of the bypass goes way down into the canyon below.  I've got some pics of the bridge and hopefully I'll be able to upload them and post them soon.  I believe both bypasses are going to be built to freeway standards so I imagine the entire route will be numbered I-515.  My only real question is how far they're going to extend the freeway into Arizona after it crosses the bridge.

Both the Hoover Dam Bypass and the Boulder City Bypass (whenever NDOT finds funding for it) will be 4-lane freeway-grade facilities--not necessarily Interstate standard.

As I mentioned above, I-515 will be extended only slightly, to the new US 93/95 junction west of Boulder City.  To my knowledge, NDOT doesn't have any interest in extending that designation any further than that.

[Voyager]

I think they're going to run into more troubles than they'd need to have with a full freeway if they're going to make this just an expressway configuration. The population around that area is growing so fast that I don't think even a 4 lane freeway would be useful for very long, let alone an expressway.

[brad2971]

The only way a 6-lane or above freeway could be justified at this point and time is if the pre-housing bust plans for 180K homes between Hoover Dam and Kingman commence right now. It's more likely in the next 5-10 years that there will be 18K homes in that corridor

The current expressway (including the last 17 miles ADOT is widening right now) is more than adequate.

[Terry Shea]

Believe me, it's a miracle that they can even configure a 4-lane freeway through the Hoover Dam area.  There just simply isn't any room to operate through much of it.

[Terry Shea]

I just vacationed in Vegas and checked out the Hoover Dam bypass and bridge being built.  It appears that it's going to be a 4 lane freeway.  There are at least 2 overpasses over the existing roadway and part of the bypass goes way down into the canyon below.  I've got some pics of the bridge and hopefully I'll be able to upload them and post them soon.  I believe both bypasses are going to be built to freeway standards so I imagine the entire route will be numbered I-515.  My only real question is how far they're going to extend the freeway into Arizona after it crosses the bridge.

Both the Hoover Dam Bypass and the Boulder City Bypass (whenever NDOT finds funding for it) will be 4-lane freeway-grade facilities--not necessarily Interstate standard.

As I mentioned above, I-515 will be extended only slightly, to the new US 93/95 junction west of Boulder City.  To my knowledge, NDOT doesn't have any interest in extending that designation any further than that.

Yeah, if it's going to be a freeway all the way down US 93 to I-40 it would probably be too long of a spur to be called I-515, and in fact wouldn't really be a spur.  And there aren't really any 2-digit interstate #s available for the area unless the multiplex I-17 along I-40 and then run it up US 93.  Or I suppose they could call it I-13 since it would run west of most of I-15.

I don't think certain segments not meeting interstate standards would be an issue though.  I think AASHTO would forgive not being able to have a wide enough median and smaller (or perhaps no) shoulders through short stretches.

[AZDude]

I was under the impression that if U.S. 93 were upgraded to freeway in AZ it would be I-11.

[roadfro]

Believe me, it's a miracle that they can even configure a 4-lane freeway through the Hoover Dam area.  There just simply isn't any room to operate through much of it.

Part of the reason its taken so long is that the route is in a canyon area, necessitating lots of environmental review.  The bypass route tends to sit higher in elevation than the existing US 93 roadway (crossing over it in at least two separate locations).  It also goes through and takes out a significant portion of Sugarloaf Mountain near the bridge site; the mountain is/was somewhat of a sacred symbol to some Indian tribes of the area, so there was some contention there when the route was approved.

Yeah, if it's going to be a freeway all the way down US 93 to I-40 it would probably be too long of a spur to be called I-515, and in fact wouldn't really be a spur.  And there aren't really any 2-digit interstate #s available for the area unless the multiplex I-17 along I-40 and then run it up US 93.  Or I suppose they could call it I-13 since it would run west of most of I-15.

Technically, it would all still be east of I-15 (in the southern U.S., at least), and so I-17 would make more sense.  Vegas area officials would never concur with a "bad luck" number like 13 on a major highway into the area.

I don't think certain segments not meeting interstate standards would be an issue though.  I think AASHTO would forgive not being able to have a wide enough median and smaller (or perhaps no) shoulders through short stretches.

I think AASHTO's leeway on Interstate design standards is greater on pre-existing roadways that form a logical connection to the Interstate system.  Since a freeway would be essentially new construction, they may not be as tolerant.  They do, however, make reasonable allowances for smaller shoulders/medians in mountainous areas.

I was under the impression that if U.S. 93 were upgraded to freeway in AZ it would be I-11.

Many roadgeeks have thrown out several Interstate numbers if this were to be upgraded.  17, 13, 11, and 7 (ignoring the numbering scheme) seem to be most popular ideas I've seen...


EDIT 4/7/09: Forgot "never" in that statement

[Terry Shea]

The Boulder City Bypass website gives a decent overview of where the mainline routes for US 93 and US 95 will be.

Strange.  The website shows phase 1, phase 2 and phase 3, but the only place I saw any evidence of work going on was on phase 3.  In fact phase 3 looks nearly complete except for the bridge and that's well on its way.

[roadfro]

Strange.  The website shows phase 1, phase 2 and phase 3, but the only place I saw any evidence of work going on was on phase 3.  In fact phase 3 looks nearly complete except for the bridge and that's well on its way.

The actual Boulder City Bypass only has two phases.  What you've referred to as "Phase 3" is actually the Nevada approach of the Hoover Dam Bypass.

Thanks for this message, though.  It brought my attention to the Boulder City Bypass website, which appears to have been given a major update for the first time in at least a year.  I'll repost if there's any breaking news there.

[Terry Shea]

Strange.  The website shows phase 1, phase 2 and phase 3, but the only place I saw any evidence of work going on was on phase 3.  In fact phase 3 looks nearly complete except for the bridge and that's well on its way.

The actual Boulder City Bypass only has two phases.  What you've referred to as "Phase 3" is actually the Nevada approach of the Hoover Dam Bypass.

Thanks for this message, though.  It brought my attention to the Boulder City Bypass website, which appears to have been given a major update for the first time in at least a year.  I'll repost if there's any breaking news there.

I must have been seeing things.  I could have sworn the yellow section was labeled phase 3 yesterday.

[Terry Shea]

Here are some pics of the bridge
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v375/TerryShea/?action=view&current=P1100054.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v375/TerryShea/?action=view&current=P1100057.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v375/TerryShea/?action=view&current=P1100058.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v375/TerryShea/?action=view&current=P1100060.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v375/TerryShea/?action=view&current=P1100067.jpg

[roadfro]

Nice pics, especially the last one showing the proximity to the dam (it seemed further away in the simulations).  I haven't been out there lately to see the progress.