NDOT planning to post I-11 shields on Boulder City Bypass & part of I-515

[roadfro]

Found this in a presentation given to the Nevada Board of Transportation Directors in March 2014:  NDOT is planning to post I-11 shields along the future Boulder City Bypass, and also resign existing I-515 as I-11 between the current southern terminus up to the I-215 interchange. This will all hinge on AASHTO & FHWA approvals--NDOT will seek AASHTO route numbering approval at their May meeting.

Note that the I-11 corridor within the Las Vegas area has yet to be selected, and it may use the eastern alternative which would not use any of the I-515 portion they plan to resign. Also note that this project is still several years down the road... EDIT: We're talking 2018 at earliest, after completion of the Boulder City Bypass phase 2...

[vdeane]

Any reason for leaving out the Hoover Dam bypass?  That and the rest of I-515 is the only bits of I-11 left in Nevada unless that Canamex pipe dream gets built.

[roadfro]

The presentation slide states I-11 would be designated from the Arizona state line to I-215 (so including the already-constructed Hoover Dam Bypass). Sorry I wasn't clear.

Note that the remainder of I-515 north of the beltway is not planned to be signed as I-11, so about 15-ish miles of I-515 will still be in existence. My thought is that NDOT would want I-11 to connect to a major freeway junction, while not wanting to resign the remaining miles all the way to I-15, in case they choose one of the alignment options that is not straight through downtown (along I-515/US 95).

[vdeane]

It will be interesting to see what happens with the casino directly on top of the exit 2 interchange of the bypass.

[swbrotha100]

So will the exits south of I-215 on current I-515/future I-11 be renumbered to reflect an I-11 through there? Or will the exit numbers be left alone for now?

[andy3175]

Note that the remainder of I-515 north of the beltway is not planned to be signed as I-11, so about 15-ish miles of I-515 will still be in existence. My thought is that NDOT would want I-11 to connect to a major freeway junction, while not wanting to resign the remaining miles all the way to I-15, in case they choose one of the alignment options that is not straight through downtown (along I-515/US 95).

Near as I can tell, the alignment of I-11 northwest of the I-215/515 junction could take three possible routes:

1. I-215 west to I-15 (and possibly further west along the beltway as far as the US 95 interchange)
2. I-515 northwest to I-15 and possibly as far northwest as the CR 215 beltway
3. A new eastern bypass leading north from the 215/515 interchange to meet I-15 somewhere northeast of downtown Las Vegas

I have not seen anything reaching a conclusion on this matter.

Notably, with the creation of I-11 once the Boulder City Bypass is complete, US 93 will become increasingly endangered. I am curious to see what Arizona plans for making application to designate new segments of I-11 east and south of Hoover Dam. I imagine we'll see a day when US 93 ends at I-15 rather than extend all the way to Wickenburg. While I am never a fan of truncating US highways, such a truncation would reduce the need to sign US 93 along I-15 and I-515 in Las Vegas.

[roadfro]

It will be interesting to see what happens with the casino directly on top of the exit 2 interchange of the bypass.

The casino is actually decently far away from proposed interchanges. The freeway will be realigned to the south in this area (well away from Railroad Pass Casino). This will make room for the current lanes to be reconstructed as a frontage road in part to serve the casino.

So will the exits south of I-215 on current I-515/future I-11 be renumbered to reflect an I-11 through there? Or will the exit numbers be left alone for now?

No talk about exit numbers. Most likely, the exit numbers will be left alone for now. The current exit numbers align with US 95 mileage, since that is the "through" route for the freeway mainline when crossing I-15 (not to mention US 95 exit numbering was in place well before I-515 was even signed).

[roadfro]

Near as I can tell, the alignment of I-11 northwest of the I-215/515 junction could take three possible routes:

1. I-215 west to I-15 (and possibly further west along the beltway as far as the US 95 interchange)
2. I-515 northwest to I-15 and possibly as far northwest as the CR 215 beltway
3. A new eastern bypass leading north from the 215/515 interchange to meet I-15 somewhere northeast of downtown Las Vegas

I have not seen anything reaching a conclusion on this matter.

Notably, with the creation of I-11 once the Boulder City Bypass is complete, US 93 will become increasingly endangered. I am curious to see what Arizona plans for making application to designate new segments of I-11 east and south of Hoover Dam. I imagine we'll see a day when US 93 ends at I-15 rather than extend all the way to Wickenburg. While I am never a fan of truncating US highways, such a truncation would reduce the need to sign US 93 along I-15 and I-515 in Las Vegas.

At this point, the primary alignment concepts for extending I-11 north from Las Vegas lean toward following US 95 north through Nevada, not US 93. Whether that is the fully following US 95 north to Oregon or jogging over to Reno and taking US 395 north from there remains to be seen.

In Las Vegas, the three alignments under primary consideration are:

1. West along I-215 to the northwest corner of the beltway (not quite to the US 95 interchange) and taking a short jog straight north to US 95.
2. Following current I-515/US 95 straight through town.
3. New eastern bypass alignment departing from current I-515 (south of the beltway interchange) following the east side of Frenchman/Sunrise Mountains (outside of the Valley and partially crossing Lake Mead NRA), reaching I-15 north of town, and generally using I-15 and CC 215 to cut back west to US 95.

(These were whittled down from several variations of these and other concepts.)

They are still in the feasibility study phase until later this year, so no announcements are forthcoming. I think some public meetings are coming up.


EDIT: <opinion> I get the sense that the third option is slightly more preferred. While it does not directly help the Las Vegas Valley with transportation, this does provide a more direct connection between existing pieces of the CANAMEX corridor. </opinion>

[andy3175]

At this point, the primary alignment concepts for extending I-11 north from Las Vegas lean toward following US 95 north through Nevada, not US 93. Whether that is the fully following US 95 north to Oregon or jogging over to Reno and taking US 395 north from there remains to be seen.

Agree. I should have been more specific in that my three alternatives for I-11 northwest of I-215/515 was within the Las Vegas Valley. In all three cases, I see them reconnecting at the US 95 and CR 215 interchange northwest of Las Vegas. As far as where I-11 goes from that interchange to continue northwest, who knows. I can see US 95 and perhaps US 395 closer to Reno being part of the route if it is ever built.

[Rover_0]

At this point, the primary alignment concepts for extending I-11 north from Las Vegas lean toward following US 95 north through Nevada, not US 93. Whether that is the fully following US 95 north to Oregon or jogging over to Reno and taking US 395 north from there remains to be seen.

Agree. I should have been more specific in that my three alternatives for I-11 northwest of I-215/515 was within the Las Vegas Valley. In all three cases, I see them reconnecting at the US 95 and CR 215 interchange northwest of Las Vegas. As far as where I-11 goes from that interchange to continue northwest, who knows. I can see US 95 and perhaps US 395 closer to Reno being part of the route if it is ever built.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: If routing I-11 along US-93 north of Las Vegas happens, I will be absolutely shocked. Sure, it would connect Las Vegas and Boise, but there's a lot of empty space (and therefore not a lot of traffic) between the two. Better to connect to Reno while we're at it.

Note that the remainder of I-515 north of the beltway is not planned to be signed as I-11, so about 15-ish miles of I-515 will still be in existence. My thought is that NDOT would want I-11 to connect to a major freeway junction, while not wanting to resign the remaining miles all the way to I-15, in case they choose one of the alignment options that is not straight through downtown (along I-515/US 95).

Near as I can tell, the alignment of I-11 northwest of the I-215/515 junction could take three possible routes:

1. I-215 west to I-15 (and possibly further west along the beltway as far as the US 95 interchange)
2. I-515 northwest to I-15 and possibly as far northwest as the CR 215 beltway
3. A new eastern bypass leading north from the 215/515 interchange to meet I-15 somewhere northeast of downtown Las Vegas

I have not seen anything reaching a conclusion on this matter.

Notably, with the creation of I-11 once the Boulder City Bypass is complete, US 93 will become increasingly endangered. I am curious to see what Arizona plans for making application to designate new segments of I-11 east and south of Hoover Dam. I imagine we'll see a day when US 93 ends at I-15 rather than extend all the way to Wickenburg. While I am never a fan of truncating US highways, such a truncation would reduce the need to sign US 93 along I-15 and I-515 in Las Vegas.

I, too, hate seeing US Routes truncated, but it's the best option. There's really nowhere to take US-93 when I-11 is complete...unless you wanted to take it down to Laughlin, Lake Havasau, and Parker to Quartzite AZ, but I would think that that's a long shot.

As for 515, the quick way is to make it 11, but NDOT seems to prefer the eastern plan. I still think that even if 515 became 11, this eastern route would still be built...maybe I-711 becomes a reality after all?

There's just one downside to I-11 being signed so soon - this means that I-19 won't be coming to Las Vegas after all, as I had hoped:



But I guess that maybe I-17 and I-19 could finally become one and the same, though that's Arizona's job to do:

[vdeane]

The casino is actually decently far away from proposed interchanges. The freeway will be realigned to the south in this area (well away from Railroad Pass Casino). This will make room for the current lanes to be reconstructed as a frontage road in part to serve the casino.

But not from existing interchanges.  I take it they're just gonna rip up the brand new pavement that was just put in when the Hoover Dam bypass opened?

[roadfro]

The casino is actually decently far away from proposed interchanges. The freeway will be realigned to the south in this area (well away from Railroad Pass Casino). This will make room for the current lanes to be reconstructed as a frontage road in part to serve the casino.

But not from existing interchanges.  I take it they're just gonna rip up the brand new pavement that was just put in when the Hoover Dam bypass opened?

Oh... You were talking about the Hacienda Casino. I was talking about the Railroad Pass Casino, the one on the other side of the BC Bypass project.

I haven't seen exact layouts, but my understanding is that the bypass is planned to curve southward right around this vicinity. So the casino can be spared, but yes some of that new pavement and ramps would need to be reworked.

[Henry]

I, too, hate seeing US Routes truncated, but it's the best option. There's really nowhere to take US-93 when I-11 is complete...unless you wanted to take it down to Laughlin, Lake Havasau, and Parker to Quartzite AZ, but I would think that that's a long shot.

As for 515, the quick way is to make it 11, but NDOT seems to prefer the eastern plan. I still think that even if 515 became 11, this eastern route would still be built...maybe I-711 becomes a reality after all?

There's just one downside to I-11 being signed so soon - this means that I-19 won't be coming to Las Vegas after all, as I had hoped:



But I guess that maybe I-17 and I-19 could finally become one and the same, though that's Arizona's job to do:

In the first picture, running I-19 to Vegas wouldn't work anyway because what you proposed would make it entirely west of I-17. And while I like the thought of a longer I-17 in the second picture, I'm thinking that it would be all I-19, if and when AZ decides to sign the Phoenix-Flagstaff route with one number entirely.

[Rover_0]

I, too, hate seeing US Routes truncated, but it's the best option. There's really nowhere to take US-93 when I-11 is complete...unless you wanted to take it down to Laughlin, Lake Havasau, and Parker to Quartzite AZ, but I would think that that's a long shot.

As for 515, the quick way is to make it 11, but NDOT seems to prefer the eastern plan. I still think that even if 515 became 11, this eastern route would still be built...maybe I-711 becomes a reality after all?

There's just one downside to I-11 being signed so soon - this means that I-19 won't be coming to Las Vegas after all, as I had hoped:



But I guess that maybe I-17 and I-19 could finally become one and the same, though that's Arizona's job to do:

In the first picture, running I-19 to Vegas wouldn't work anyway because what you proposed would make it entirely west of I-17. And while I like the thought of a longer I-17 in the second picture, I'm thinking that it would be all I-19, if and when AZ decides to sign the Phoenix-Flagstaff route with one number entirely.

Phoenix-Flagstaff? Isn't that already I-17?

You mean Nogales-Flagstaff, right?