State Route 659 - McCarran Boulevard

SR 659 is McCarran Boulevard, a mostly controlled access arterial that loops around the cities of Reno and Sparks. This 23 mile loop travels through a varying landscape, ranging from mountain foothills, industrial land populated with warehouses in Sparks, newer suburban development with subdivisions such as Caughlin Ranch, and by open areas of LNR Farms.

Prior to January 2010, the eastern half of McCarran Boulevard was designated as SR 650, and the western half was numbered as SR 651. Most of the southern half of the loop was locally maintained, while the northern half was state maintained. The route numbers changed at the north interchange (Exit 70) with U.S. 395 and to the south at the grade separation where I-580/U.S. 395 cross over the arterial. SR 650 and SR 651 were a part of the state wide route numbering in 1976. The last section of McCarran Boulevard completed was near Mayberry Street in 1990.

Nevada State Route 659 Guides

• McCarran Boulevard Inner Loop
• McCarran Boulevard Outer Loop

Outer Ring Road

Meant to address increasing traffic congestion between Sparks and Spanish Valley, Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) public hearings in 2000 favored both an outer ring road and upgrades to the Pyramid Way (SR 445) corridor. Both were proposed as six-lane expressways. The outer belt was projected to run west from SR 445 to the U.S. 395 freeway near Parr Boulevard and east to Sparks Boulevard and potentially Vista Boulevard. The controlled access highway might have used Disc Drive or a utility corridor near the vicinity of Satellite Drive and Vista Boulevard.¹

The outer ring road would have intersections or interchanges with U.S. 395 near Parr Boulevard, either at Sutro Street or North McCarran Boulevard and with the proposed Pyramid Expressway. Additional connections were proposed at Sun Valley Boulevard, Pyramid Way and Sparks Boulevard.¹ Neither project moved forward to actual construction.

Connect with:
Interstate 80
U.S. 395
U.S. 395 Business - Reno
State Route 445 - Pyramid Way

Page Updated 07-19-2017.