The Las Vegas Review-Journal surveys the status of the 215 Beltway and finds that, although work on the interchange with U.S. 95 will begin in the spring, most of the northern leg will continue to be just four lanes with traffic signals for the foreseeable future:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/road-warrior/slow-progress-beltway-upgrades
QuoteTony Illia, a Nevada Transportation Department spokesman, said there are no current plans to upgrade the Beltway to freeway standard between Cheyenne and Hualapai or to eliminate the traffic lights.
... Some community leaders have told me that they’d like the Transportation Department to explore the possibility of moving the Beltway tie-in to I-15 a little farther north — like north of the Speedway.
I had just read this article and was going to post it here.
This isn't a complete surprise. The original beltway plans called for ultimate build-out in 2020. Even with the fast-track "interim beltway" plan that the county switched to after completing most of the southeast leg (using frontage roads in the south and using interim 4-lane roadways in the north), the target date wasn't that much sooner for ultimate build-out (2017?).
The fact remains that the portions of the 215 that aren't currently freeway standard are the least traveled, so they can stand to not be upgraded for a while. (I believe the northwest corner, around the future Lone Mountain and Ann Road interchanges, was projected to be the last upgrade.) The recent conversion & interchange work around north Jones and north Decatur gives freeway status to more than half the northern leg (US 95 "interchange" not withstanding).
NDOT *is* building the interchange at 215/US 95, though. However, that is one part of the greater multi-phase US 95 Northwest corridor project–the construction taking place in spring is only the first of five sub-phases for that interchange. NDOT probably won't move as quickly on the other aspects of this interchange, as I-11 and Project Neon seem to be higher priority projects on for them in Las Vegas.
One thing that I found interesting in the article though, was talking to the NDOT spokesperson. The beltway is a Clark County highway and it's county tax revenue that has paid for most of the existing beltway construction. Outside of the ultimate interchanges with I-15 and I-515 (and the 2-mile segments of 215 maintained by NDOT near those interchanges), NDOT hasn't built anything on the beltway. Surely NDOT has worked with the county through general planning and design issues (NDOT is supposed to eventually take over the beltway anyway), but it would have made more sense to interview a Clark County Public Works spokesperson on the viability of future upgrades based on county tax revenue projections...
I find it interesting that they went the way of the county building the road and signing as an Interstate and county highway, where Phoenix's loop roads, which were funded primarily via sales taxes in Maricopa County, are all state routes. Is NDOT that dysfunctional that Clark County residents wouldn't trust them with the money to build out their freeway system? Or is there some political reason that prevents county funds from being applied by the state to the county in question?
Quote from: dfwmapper on December 15, 2014, 02:49:20 AM
I find it interesting that they went the way of the county building the road and signing as an Interstate and county highway, where Phoenix's loop roads, which were funded primarily via sales taxes in Maricopa County, are all state routes. Is NDOT that dysfunctional that Clark County residents wouldn't trust them with the money to build out their freeway system? Or is there some political reason that prevents county funds from being applied by the state to the county in question?
Yes, it is interesting to sign the non-Interstate portion as C-215 instead of NV 215. And I suspect that NDOT is constantly balking at providing the necessary funds to complete the freeway loop, because Las Vegas.
The difference is Phoenix is the State Capital and the Center of Population at the same time.
In Nevada, the capital is way up near Reno (Carson City) but most of the people live at the extreme south end of the state (Clark County). So there's a constant political battle between the northern part of the state (which is historically where everyone lived because, before A/C, Las Vegas was essentially inhabitable) and the southern part. Almost everything pits North versus South, and usually North wins those fights.
Quote from: Henry on December 15, 2014, 11:50:57 AM
Quote from: dfwmapper on December 15, 2014, 02:49:20 AM
I find it interesting that they went the way of the county building the road and signing as an Interstate and county highway, where Phoenix's loop roads, which were funded primarily via sales taxes in Maricopa County, are all state routes. Is NDOT that dysfunctional that Clark County residents wouldn't trust them with the money to build out their freeway system? Or is there some political reason that prevents county funds from being applied by the state to the county in question?
Yes, it is interesting to sign the non-Interstate portion as C-215 instead of NV 215. And I suspect that NDOT is constantly balking at providing the necessary funds to complete the freeway loop, because Las Vegas.
It wasn't an NDOT dysfunctional issue. The initial idea of building the beltway came primarily from Clark County and/or the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, not the state. Clark County's 1990's "Question 10" voter-approved transportation funding initiative included (among other things) a modest gas tax increase which was specifically dedicated to fund the Las Vegas Beltway construction--a similar Question 10 circa 2006 extended/increased this funding. This was funding that NDOT would not have been able to obtain as easily, especially when taking into account needs elsewhere in Las Vegas and in the rest of the state. Also, IIRC, they were able to save some steps/time in the planning stages by the county building it, since the funding source was primarily county and not state (or federal)--I think (but don't quote me) it had to do with less stringent/complex environmental impact studies since FHWA wasn't directly involved.
I could also speculate that a political reason for NDOT not building all of the beltway would have been that an increase in the state gas tax or some other measure would have been required in order for NDOT to take that on. Northern and rural Nevada would likely not have been keen on a tax increase that would likely not have benefited their transportation infrastructure whatsoever. At that time with the growth boom in Southern Nevada, NDOT was already spending more money/resources in the Las Vegas Valley than anywhere else statewide.
NDOT isn't necessarily balking at funding the completion of the beltway. It's just that their funds have been somewhat spread thin amongst other capacity project priorities on roadways that they currently control: Multiple I-15 widening projects in Las Vegas, US 95 widening in Las Vegas, I-580 extension, I-80 in Reno, US 50 & US 50 Alt in northwest Nevada, etc. And keep in mind that primarily NDOT, not Clark County, built the existing beltway interchanges at I-15 and I-515 in the south.
Quote from: admtrap on December 16, 2014, 01:16:28 AM
The difference is Phoenix is the State Capital and the Center of Population at the same time.
In Nevada, the capital is way up near Reno (Carson City) but most of the people live at the extreme south end of the state (Clark County). So there's a constant political battle between the northern part of the state (which is historically where everyone lived because, before A/C, Las Vegas was essentially inhabitable) and the southern part. Almost everything pits North versus South, and usually North wins those fights.
Actually, the reason for Nevada being mostly settled near the Reno/Carson City area before Las Vegas was explorers went through northern Nevada first (en route to the Gold Rush), and northern/western Nevada was where all the gold and silver mines were first found in the mid 1800s. People lived in Las Vegas well before air conditioning was mainstream.
The state is politically charged between the north and the south, but I wouldn't necessarily say that the north always wins those fights--there's a lot more legislatuive representation from the south, so some would argue that things tend to skew in favor of the south more often than not.
Quote from: roadfro on December 16, 2014, 03:43:20 PM
The state is politically charged between the north and the south, but I wouldn't necessarily say that the north always wins those fights--there's a lot more legislatuive representation from the south, so some would argue that things tend to skew in favor of the south more often than not.
Is the political representation in Nevada split based on population? It seems to me that if there's greater representation in the south then there would be more funding heading there too. I would also mention that local funding for a project such as the beltway is common ... it is comparable to how Phoenix and San Diego built their freeway networks with local sales taxes.
Upthread, someone mentioned that the Las Vegas situation is odd because the county retained ownership after the county built it. California State Route 56 was partially built via the local agencies, but it was turned over to Caltrans as a state highway upon its completion even though local funds were used to build the central piece of it. I wonder if Nevada has a unique arrangement whereby the state won't take over such a large piece of infrastructure such as the LV Beltway until certain standards are met (such as when the Beltway becomes an Interstate standard freeway). But I think Clark County just wanted to hold onto the Beltway for the time being ... and who knows, maybe it will keep the Beltway under its jurisdiction permanently. After all, it's possible to have an Interstate highway operated and maintained by another entity aside from the state DOT.
That's why I brought it up in the first place. Phoenix's loop system was largely funded by a 1/2 cent general sales tax enacted as Proposition 300 in Maricopa County in 1985, and extended as Proposition 400 in 2004 (obviously that's a boatload of money and only part of it went to the freeways, with the rest building bike lanes, light rail, park&rides, adding new bus lines, and other jerkoff transit projects). But, all that freeway work was done by ADOT, with MAG (Maricopa Association of Governments) just directing where they want the money going like any other regional COG in the country. For that matter, cities in Arizona regularly pass bonds to provide upfront cash to ADOT for construction of important projects years in advance of the planned schedule, to be paid back over time by sales tax revenues. I get that Nevada has more of a dichotomy with the state government up north, but Clark County has more than twice the population of the rest of the state combined, so it seems like they ought to be able to make the decision to tax themselves and pass that money to NDOT for use on local projects without really touching the distribution of statewide funds. Is there that much distrust of the state government in Nevada? Arizona had a long history of the county being the most important form of government when it comes to roads (ADOT's Arizona Transportation History (http://azdot.gov/docs/media/read-arizona%27s-transportation-history-in-its-entirety-.pdf?sfvrsn=0) report is a good read for road history geeks), but it's been the state at the forefront for many decades now.
Quote from: andy3175 on December 17, 2014, 12:15:08 AM
Is the political representation in Nevada split based on population? It seems to me that if there's greater representation in the south then there would be more funding heading there too.
Yes, state assembly and senate representatives are based on population, so the majority of precincts are in the Clark County area.
Quote from: andy3175 on December 17, 2014, 12:15:08 AM
I wonder if Nevada has a unique arrangement whereby the state won't take over such a large piece of infrastructure such as the LV Beltway until certain standards are met (such as when the Beltway becomes an Interstate standard freeway). But I think Clark County just wanted to hold onto the Beltway for the time being ... and who knows, maybe it will keep the Beltway under its jurisdiction permanently. After all, it's possible to have an Interstate highway operated and maintained by another entity aside from the state DOT.
The original plan with the beltway was that the county would turn it over to NDOT once the entire route was constructed to Interstate highway standards. As far as I know, that is still the plan.
This part is my own conjecture, albeit reasonable: I assume that NDOT will look to do an highway ownership swap as part of the deal in taking ownership of the beltway. There are still several arterial roads in the Vegas area that are under NDOT control, and it would make sense from a roadway management control standpoint for these roads to be owned by the county. There is some recent precedent for this (see below).
Quote from: dfwmapper on December 17, 2014, 02:31:29 AM
That's why I brought it up in the first place. Phoenix's loop system was largely funded by a 1/2 cent general sales tax enacted as Proposition 300 in Maricopa County in 1985, and extended as Proposition 400 in 2004 (obviously that's a boatload of money and only part of it went to the freeways, with the rest building bike lanes, light rail, park&rides, adding new bus lines, and other jerkoff transit projects). But, all that freeway work was done by ADOT, with MAG (Maricopa Association of Governments) just directing where they want the money going like any other regional COG in the country. For that matter, cities in Arizona regularly pass bonds to provide upfront cash to ADOT for construction of important projects years in advance of the planned schedule, to be paid back over time by sales tax revenues. I get that Nevada has more of a dichotomy with the state government up north, but Clark County has more than twice the population of the rest of the state combined, so it seems like they ought to be able to make the decision to tax themselves and pass that money to NDOT for use on local projects without really touching the distribution of statewide funds. Is there that much distrust of the state government in Nevada?
The approach of a local government implementing its own tax for road improvements is not unheard of for Nevada. There is currently a local gas tax (increase above the standard state gas tax amount) that applies in Carson City, which is dedicated specifically to transportation funding. That amount has been turned over to NDOT for the express purpose of constructing the I-580 Carson City Bypass, which has had some phases open sooner than planned due to that funding. Part of the agreement with the city was that NDOT turn over ownership of several state highways in Carson to city control in exchange for expediting work on parts of the bypass
I don't know for sure why the county decided to build the beltway instead of having the state do it. I can only speculate reasons. My uninformed hunch is that it has to do with specifics on the legislation of the gas tax and possibly bonding capacity of the county versus the state. Whatever the case, I sincerely doubt there's the distrust in state government that you inquire about.
Quote from: andy3175 on December 17, 2014, 12:15:08 AM
Is the political representation in Nevada split based on population? It seems to me that if there's greater representation in the south then there would be more funding heading there too.
It's a constant battle Andy. A common recent refrain (ie http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/oct/27/one-more-roads/ (http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/oct/27/one-more-roads/)) has been that NDOT and the Legislature had no problem building a vanity bridge (paraphrasing others on that description) at Galena Creek to connect Carson City and Reno, but they're pinching pennies to build a freeway bypass around Boulder City to connect Las Vegas and Phoenix.
The NDOT board has 3 members from Western Nevada, 3 from Southern Nevada and one from Winnemucca.
Speaking of NDOT and Las Vegas-area road issues, has there been any attempt by NDOT to give, say, Charleston Blvd (SR159) from I-15 to the Beltway to Las Vegas in exchange for Summerlin Parkway? It simply amazes me that Las Vegas can maintain a freeway that it did not build while letting NDOT continue to own long-since built urban streets like Jones and Rainbow Blvds.
Quote from: NickCPDX on December 30, 2014, 06:20:20 PM
Quote from: andy3175 on December 17, 2014, 12:15:08 AM
Is the political representation in Nevada split based on population? It seems to me that if there's greater representation in the south then there would be more funding heading there too.
It's a constant battle Andy. A common recent refrain (ie http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/oct/27/one-more-roads/ (http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/oct/27/one-more-roads/)) has been that NDOT and the Legislature had no problem building a vanity bridge (paraphrasing others on that description) at Galena Creek to connect Carson City and Reno, but they're pinching pennies to build a freeway bypass around Boulder City to connect Las Vegas and Phoenix.
The NDOT board has 3 members from Western Nevada, 3 from Southern Nevada and one from Winnemucca.
And it is worth saying that there is bias on both sides of the issue...
For example, that opinion article does blast NDOT for building I-580 extension the way they did, but its supposition that US 395 could've been widened to interstate in the valley (as opposed to the mountainside) is laughable, considering the way it has built up since I-580 was first discussed in the 1970s. For the record, both I-580 and the U.S. 93 Boulder City bypass cost a hell of a lot more than they could have due to alignments selected in response to NIMBYism. That piece also makes it sound like the north has had far more transportation money spent up there, but there has probably been more large scale projects completed in southern Nevada in the last five years than the north has seen in the last ten. Although it could certainly be argued that projects in the south have a greater benefit per capita than those in the north.
With the population density disparity between north and south, nobody will ever see the distribution of transportation dollars as fair...the rural towns tend to get even shorter ends of the stick, but they don't have nearly the voice as Vegas vs Reno/Carson.
Quote from: brad2971 on December 30, 2014, 06:57:17 PM
Speaking of NDOT and Las Vegas-area road issues, has there been any attempt by NDOT to give, say, Charleston Blvd (SR159) from I-15 to the Beltway to Las Vegas in exchange for Summerlin Parkway? It simply amazes me that Las Vegas can maintain a freeway that it did not build while letting NDOT continue to own long-since built urban streets like Jones and Rainbow Blvds.
NDOT formed a policy back in the 90s about trying to offload local and arterial roadways, and identified multiple routes statewide for relinquishment to local authorities. While a few of these have been carried out in the last 20ish years, this program hasn't taken off nearly as fast as NDOT a would've liked. The only major example of highway ownership exchanges lately has been in Carson City--most of the state highways in Carson have been relinquished to the city in exchange for the state slightly fast tracking parts of the Carson City Bypass.
I haven't come across any discussion of NDOT assuming control of Summerlin Parkway in a maintenance swap. To me though, it makes perfect sense for the state to take over a high-profile freeway like that (I'd make it SR 195). In exchange, they should offload some of the less important arterial highways in the city that it no longer makes sense for NDOT to own and maintain (such as N Jones Blvd/SR 596, or the couple blocks of Casino Center Blvd/unsigned SR 602 in downtown). SR 159 is not a likely candidate for relinquishing, since it is a primary state highway that actually goes somewhere outside of the Vegas valley.
It is worth mentioning that the original plan for the 215 beltway was for NDOT a to take it over once the county finished freeway buildout along the entire length. As far as I know, this is still planned. However, I make the assumption that NDOT takeover of the beltway will include as a condition the relinquishment of several state-maintained urban arterial roads within unincorporated Clark County jurisdiction.
Bumping this with some news...
The very next week's Road Warrior article briefly touches on the point I made at the bottom of my first post in this thread, and also reports that design work is underway to convert the northwest corner to freeway standards.
Western 215 Beltway plans a nice holiday surprise. Richard Velotta, 12/20/2014
http://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/road/-warrior/western-215-beltway-plans-are-nice-holiday-surprise
Quote
But that's where the holiday joy comes in. Even though NDOT has no plans to upgrade that tired traffic-signal issue, the county does.
"Clark County has maintenance responsibility over the majority of the CC-215 Beltway with the exception of the southern section where it is Interstate 215 – Interstate 15 to Warm Springs and from just east of Stephanie Street to U.S. Highway 95 which is maintained by NDOT," county spokesman Dan Kulin explained.
He said design plans are about 90 percent complete on the Beltway section between Craig Road (which doesn't have an intersection with the Beltway) to Hualapai Way (which has a full freeway interchange).
Kulin said the project should go to bid early next year, probably by the end of January or early February.
It'll have an estimated cost of $100 million, but it will include replacing the traffic signals at Lone Mountain and Ann with interchanges.
This is interesting to me, because this northwest corner was originally projected to be the last leg to be upgraded to freeway. However, in the early 2000s, this area of the valley likely wasn't projected to grow as much as it did--the North Las Vegas stretch between North 5th and I-15 was going to happen sooner, but much of the home/business growth projected out that way didn't materialize as soon as anticipated due to the economic downturn. So now, it apparently makes more sense to close the freeway gap as much as possible--this means NDOT needs to try and step it up on the phases of the US 95 interchange.
Bumping again...
Construction on the northwest corner of the Las Vegas Beltway is underway, and expected to be completed in late spring 2018.
Northwest Beltway construction to run until spring 2018 (http://www.reviewjournal.com/view/centennial/northwest-beltway-construction-run-until-spring-2018)
Las Vegas Review-Journal, 3/10/16
Quote
As the northwest area continues to grow, so does its Beltway.
Construction on the 215 Beltway from Craig Road to Hualapai Way is set to turn 3 miles of the heavily traveled roadway into a fully functioning freeway to ease traffic congestion and create a safer environment.
...
"This project is critically important," Brown said. "With the growth in the northwest, anyone that uses this area of the Beltway knows that Lone Mountain and Ann Road are currently signalized intersections, and the line of traffic during the morning and evening goes back 30 to 40 cars. The project won't just focus on efficiency but on safety as well."
The county began building out the northwest portion of the Beltway in September. Currently, earth work is being done on the west side of the Beltway between Lone Mountain and Ann roads, laying groundwork for the new freeway alignment.
Construction of the Lone Mountain interchange has also begun with excavation and forming of the bridge footings. The intersection of the Beltway and Ann Road has shifted east to a detour alignment, making room for construction of the new interchange bridge and ramps.
Construction crews also plan to transform two former gravel pits at Lone Mountain Road into stormwater detention basins.
In addition, the project includes new interchange exits at Lone Mountain and Ann, an extension of the western Beltway bicycle-pedestrian trail, major flood control improvements and a new bridge to carry Centennial Parkway traffic over the Beltway.
...
This is welcome news! Hopefully the whole thing will become I-215 when the full freeway conversion is complete.
Quote from: Henry on March 11, 2016, 01:38:35 PM
This is welcome news! Hopefully the whole thing will become I-215 when the full freeway conversion is complete.
That is still the plan, as far as I'm aware. As sections of the beltway are upgraded, they are using full Interstate standards.
This project will give the beltway full freeway status from the southern terminus at I-515/US 93/US 95 in Henderson to the US 95 interchange in NW Las Vegas (about 37 miles), and then again from US 95 to N 5th St in North Las Vegas (about 8 miles). That will just leave the US 95 interchange (slowly being upgraded to a full system interchange over the next decade by NDOT) and the final 5 or so miles to connect to I-15 (uncertain completion timeline) as not built to freeway standards.
Once the freeway is complete, and Clark County 215 becomes Interstate 215, 215 in Nevada and 215 in Utah will be twins.
Here is an update on the CC 215 by Rockersk08 as of 2018 now the Northwest corridor is under construction to be a freeway up to centennial bowl.
BUMP
The freeway conversion of CC 215's northwest corner between Craig Road and Hualipai Way is nearing completion. The new freeway lanes between were to have opened earlier this week.
New sections of Northwest Beltway opening to traffic this week (https://www.reviewjournal.com/traffic/new-sections-of-northwest-beltway-opening-to-traffic-this-week/), Las Vegas Review-Journal, 4/29/18
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on March 15, 2016, 03:26:58 PM
Once the freeway is complete, and Clark County 215 becomes Interstate 215, 215 in Nevada and 215 in Utah will be twins.
Hadn't thought of that before -- but there aren't that many "3/4" beltways around -- and to have 2 with the same number in adjacent states is indeed unusual. The Vegas version simply shifts the thing clockwise 45 degrees (the missing STL NE corner is analogous to the missing LV east side).
BUMP
A project to upgrade the remaining non-freeway portion of the Las Vegas Beltway's northern will be kicking off next week.
Improvements coming to 215 Beltway in North Las Vegas (https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/north-las-vegas/improvements-coming-to-215-beltway-in-north-las-vegas/),
Las Vegas Review-Journal, 7/20/18
Quote
<...>
The $70 million project calls for building the road into a full freeway between North Fifth Street to the Union Pacific Railroad line just west of Range Road, county spokesman Erik Pappa said.
<...>
The entire segment should be completed by April 2020, Pappa said.
With this project, that will bring the entirety of the 215 beltway up to freeway standard, with the exception of the mainline at the northern US 95 interchange and the very end at the northern I-15 interchange.
The US 95 Centennial Bowl interchange is slowly being upgraded with the various ramps and such via a multi-phase sub-project of a US 95 northwest corridor improvement project. The next phase is planned to start soon as well–making the beltway mainline into a freeway through the Centennial Bowl interchange is the final aspect of that project. (That is discussed further in the Centennial Bowl thread (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=16212).)
The I-15 northern beltway interchange is also planned to be upgraded to a freeway-to-freeway interchange as well. NDOT has this as a sub-phase of their I-15 north corridor improvement. Most of that project is done (mainline widening to Speedway Blvd just finished). Not sure on the timeline for this interchange though.
Quote from: roadfro on May 05, 2018, 04:53:45 PM
BUMP
The freeway conversion of CC 215's northwest corner between Craig Road and Hualipai Way is nearing completion. The new freeway lanes between were to have opened earlier this week.
New sections of Northwest Beltway opening to traffic this week (https://www.reviewjournal.com/traffic/new-sections-of-northwest-beltway-opening-to-traffic-this-week/), Las Vegas Review-Journal, 4/29/18
The new Tropical Parkway spurring east from the north end of CC 215 appears to be near completion. The arterial was already striped when we passed by it a week ago.
Quote from: Alex on July 22, 2018, 11:05:39 AM
The new Tropical Parkway spurring east from the north end of CC 215 appears to be near completion. The arterial was already striped when we passed by it a week ago.
It opened yesterday.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/traffic/road-opens-to-industrial-area-rising-near-las-vegas-motor-speedway/
QuoteA small stretch of road that opened Thursday morning could pave the way to North Las Vegas' future as a hub for industry and commerce.
Motorists can now exit Interstate 15 and travel about a half-mile east on Tropical Parkway toward distribution centers for Amazon, Sephora and other companies moving into a 1,100-acre industrial area rising near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
(https://res.cloudinary.com/stephens-media/image/upload/v1533252943/RJ/TROPICAL-INTERCHANGE-AUG03-18.jpg)
Would this new roadway inhibit any possibility of making 215 a full beltway around Las Vegas? That is, if such a concept were ever proposed?
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on August 03, 2018, 05:57:28 PM
Would this new roadway inhibit any possibility of making 215 a full beltway around Las Vegas? That is, if such a concept were ever proposed?
That ship sailed years ago. The east side of the Las Vegas Valley being the most built up by the time the beltway was being planned is what inhibited a full beltway.
All the ROW acquisition through established residential and commercial areas made it prohibitively expensive. I recall seeing (but haven't been able to find since then) a feasibility study or something generated circa 2004 that estimated something like a $1 billion price tag to build an eastern leg.
Quote from: Kniwt on August 03, 2018, 05:08:39 PM
Quote from: Alex on July 22, 2018, 11:05:39 AM
The new Tropical Parkway spurring east from the north end of CC 215 appears to be near completion. The arterial was already striped when we passed by it a week ago.
It opened yesterday.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/traffic/road-opens-to-industrial-area-rising-near-las-vegas-motor-speedway/
Another good tidbit from the end of that article:
Quote
The Nevada Department of Transportation plans to fill the gap between Range Road and I-15 with a system-to-system interchange that calls for replacing the current set of stop signs with several flyover ramps that will someday link I-15 and the Beltway.
The $90 million interchange is about 60 percent designed, with construction expected to start next year, said Tracy Larkin-Thomason, an NDOT deputy director.
That's the first I've heard of a specific date for the northern system interchange. It's been in NDOT major project planning for a while (as one phase in the multi-phase I-15 north improvements project that has been ongoing), but nothing that definitive that I've seen.
Looks like the full system interchange at I-15 and the north end of CC-215 is going to get underway this year:
https://www.reviewjournal.com/traffic/new-interchange-near-las-vegas-motor-speedway-will-smooth-traffic-1599367/
QuoteThe interchange project for Interstate 15 and the 215 Beltway, slated to cost up to $110.5 million, is expected to get underway later this year near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation.
The work won't be complete until 2022.
(https://www.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/11802653_web1_I-15_215_Interchange_NLV_-NorthernView-2.jpg)
Do they have any plans to upgrade the County 215/US 95/future Interstate 11 interchange in the near future? That interchange will definitely need an upgrade in order for Clark County 215 to offically become Interstate 215.
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on February 18, 2019, 03:03:09 PM
Do they have any plans to upgrade the County 215/US 95/future Interstate 11 interchange in the near future? That interchange will definitely need an upgrade in order for Clark County 215 to offically become Interstate 215.
Yes. Phased improvements initially began back in 2015, with another phase just recently breaking ground. More info can be found in the US 95 and County 215 Centennial Bowl Interchange (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=16212.0) thread on this board.
Posting some of the progress of the future interchanges along the northern section of the CC-215 beltway on my trip there last week...
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/west/cc-215-e-exit-047.jpg)
Traveling east on the approach to Losee Road (Exit 47). Photo taken 03/03/19.
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/west/cc-215-e-exit-048.jpg)
Overpass construction at the future Pecos Road interchange (Exit 48). Photo taken 03/03/19.
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/west/cc-215-w-exit-049.jpg)
Westbound approach to Lamb Boulevard (Exit 49). Photo taken 03/03/19.
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/west/cc-215-w-exit-047.jpg)
Looking south showing the future westbound lanes between Pecos Road and Losee Road. Photo taken 03/03/19.
Since it's been brought up in this thread previously, a short article updating on the I-15/CC 215 northern interchange project...
NDOT gets $27M boost for North Las Vegas freeway project (https://www.reviewjournal.com/traffic/ndot-gets-27m-boost-for-north-las-vegas-freeway-project-1870631/),
Las Vegas Review-Journal, 10/14/2019
Quote
The Nevada Department of Transportation secured almost $27 million in federal dollars to go toward the Interstate 15-215 Beltway interchange project in North Las Vegas.
The money is from the Federal Highway Administration's year-end funds, allowing NDOT to underwrite the $100 million northern beltway interchange project, the department announced Monday.
The project, set to go to bid next month, includes designing new ramps, flyovers and street connections to complete a system-to-system interchange where I-15 meets the 215 Beltway in North Las Vegas.The project's scope includes constructing I-15 southbound ramps for the Tropical Parkway interchange.
Other work on the northern beltway interchange includes reconstructing portions of Centennial and Tropical parkways and widening a small portion the 215 Beltway. Construction is expected to begin before year's end and is slated for completion in 2022.
According to Google Maps and OpenStreetMap, all of the interchanges between US 95 and I-15 on the north side are finished and open. Is this true?
Quote from: X99 on June 21, 2020, 10:32:45 PM
According to Google Maps and OpenStreetMap, all of the interchanges between US 95 and I-15 on the north side are finished and open. Is this true?
I don't live down in Vegas so haven't seen it in person. But given the timeline of construction and progress documented in photos posted to this thread, I'd guess the project would have been completed by now.
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on August 03, 2018, 05:57:28 PM
Would this new roadway inhibit any possibility of making 215 a full beltway around Las Vegas? That is, if such a concept were ever proposed?
Massive housing development east of LV has, for all intents and purposes, rendered a beltway configured as a continuation/connector of the present one a non-starter; instead, an outer "bypass" running between Railroad Pass on I-11 and I-15 between the northern 215 and US 93 interchanges has been periodically suggested. But that would in part impinge upon the Lake Mead recreational area, so any such plans are still up in the air -- although it
has been floated, along with the northern part of the 215 bypass, as an alternate I-11 alignment if the US 95 city-center route isn't chosen (although it seems with the passing of time that US 95 will be the ultimate selection).
This video: https://youtu.be/CzC2UE7r3H0 shows the CC-215 North Beltway nearly complete. It's dated in April 2020, but I don't know when it was shot. I believe only 1-2 interchanges are left, and US 95/CC-215.
Quote from: Ryctor2018 on June 22, 2020, 10:46:52 PM
This video: https://youtu.be/CzC2UE7r3H0 shows the CC-215 North Beltway nearly complete. It's dated in April 2020, but I don't know when it was shot. I believe only 1-2 interchanges are left, and US 95/CC-215.
I found a more-updated video of the CC-215 beltway in LV that was taken about a month ago...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOfkBT3JNpQ
Bumping this old thread for an update on the I-15/CC-215 interchange project:
New I-15/215 Beltway flyover connector in North Las Vegas set to open (https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/traffic/new-i-15-215-beltway-flyover-connector-in-north-las-vegas-set-to-open-2571096/),
Las Vegas Review-Journal, 5/3/2022
Quote from: Mick Ackers, LVRJ
A new Interstate 15 and 215 Beltway connection in North Las Vegas is set to open this week.
Beginning at noon Thursday, a new flyover ramp will allow motorists to access the 215 westbound while traveling south on I-15, the Nevada Department of Transportation announced Tuesday. The ramp is part of the nearly $100 million I-15/215 northern interchange project.
The addition of the ramp will allow traffic to flow without stopping at the stop-sign controlled intersection at Tropical Parkway.
In addition to the new flyover ramp, motorists will see changes to surface streets in the area including local access to Range Road north, Belt Road and Centennial and Tropical parkways.
The project is set to be completed in the fall, with additional flyover ramps from the 215 westbound to I-15 northbound and I-15 northbound to 215 eastbound.
I-15 SB to CC-215 WB is the first of three new freeway-to-freeway ramps being built for this project to open, but I wouldn't call it a flyover (most of the ramp, save its crossing of a new surface street connection) is built on elevated fill...
I drove through the project area less than a week ago (albeit at night), and it looks like they're making significant progress on the actual flyovers (15 NB > 215 WB and 215 EB > 15 NB). The bridges over Range Road are nearly done (or at least the WB one was), and the new surface connections appeared to be taking shape.
I drove the whole route today.
Only temaining traffic signal between the endpoints is near the 95.
Quote from: dbz77 on May 14, 2022, 09:12:04 PM
I drove the whole route today.
Only temaining traffic signal between the endpoints is near the 95.
Oso Blanca?
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on May 15, 2022, 02:49:49 PM
Quote from: dbz77 on May 14, 2022, 09:12:04 PM
I drove the whole route today.
Only temaining traffic signal between the endpoints is near the 95.
Oso Blanca?
As of a couple weeks ago, the Oso Blanca signal had been deactivated. The last remaining signal is on the other side of US 95, at the temporary intersection that provides access to Sky Pointe and US 95 north (the actual 215/Sky Pointe bridge will be aligned slightly to the east of this).
Quote from: roadfro on May 16, 2022, 11:34:30 AM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on May 15, 2022, 02:49:49 PM
Quote from: dbz77 on May 14, 2022, 09:12:04 PM
I drove the whole route today.
Only temaining traffic signal between the endpoints is near the 95.
Oso Blanca?
As of a couple weeks ago, the Oso Blanca signal had been deactivated. The last remaining signal is on the other side of US 95, at the temporary intersection that provides access to Sky Pointe and US 95 north (the actual 215/Sky Pointe bridge will be aligned slightly to the east of this).
Thanks
Bump, to report that another ramp (an actual flyover this time) at the I-15/CC-215 interchange is complete. The NB 15 to WB 215 ramp opened on Nov 17th.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/traffic/new-i-15-215-beltway-northern-interchange-ramp-opens-2678460/
Quote
<...>
The Nevada Department of Transportation opened a flyover ramp linking northbound I-15 to the 215 westbound Thursday, marking the second of four flyovers planned to open as part of the $139 million project. The first ramp, the I-15 southbound to 215 westbound ramp, opened earlier this year.
<...>
By the end of the year, the 215 eastbound to I-15 northbound and 215 eastbound to I-15 southbound ramps will open to traffic, marking the substantial completion of the over-two-year project.
<...>
https://twitter.com/nevadadotvegas/status/1593026548072058880?t=r4zDHrgQB4DMRRUvxgiaqA&s=19
Nice. That was one ugly cloverleaf ramp it replaces.
Quote from: skluth on November 26, 2022, 02:27:55 PM
Nice. That was one ugly cloverleaf ramp it replaces.
You're thinking of the Centennial Bowl, which still has two years left for full completion. This is the I-15/215 interchange near Nellis AFB. This is replacing a diamond interchange, as the traffic patterns finally warranted build-out.
Quote from: brad2971 on November 26, 2022, 02:38:29 PM
Quote from: skluth on November 26, 2022, 02:27:55 PM
Nice. That was one ugly cloverleaf ramp it replaces.
You're thinking of the Centennial Bowl, which still has two years left for full completion. This is the I-15/215 interchange near Nellis AFB. This is replacing a diamond interchange, as the traffic patterns finally warranted build-out.
Thanks for the correction. Though this looks good too. It seems stupid to exit the freeway and hit a stop at Range Road when the rest of the highway is now nonstop.
Here is an update on the Las Vegas Beltway as of 2024.
Quote from: bing101 on May 10, 2024, 04:47:03 PM
Here is an update on the Las Vegas Beltway as of 2024.
Very nice looking freeway.
One thing I've always wondered (in general), why not stripe the max number of lanes when the pavement is already ready for it? Last part of the beltway appears to be built with 3 lanes in each direction in mind. The space inside the left lane even appears as the same material as the inside lanes so it could definitely be striped as 3 lanes from the start in this case.