I-515 Recommended Alternatives

Looking for maps of the recommended alternative? Click here.

Click here for an index of figures from the Study Recommendations section.

**THIS IS AN EXERPT FROM THE I-515 CORRIDOR STUDY FINAL DOCUMENT. MAPS AND FIGURES MAY HAVE BEEN UPDATED SINCE PUBLICATION.
CONTACT PUBLIC OUTREACH (598-4636) IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

Street Widening within Existing Right-of-Way

Widening of existing streets to provide capacity to meet projected demand is proposed for 16 streets to relieve future congestion. Since right-of-way would not be required and impacts would be minimal, this action is recommended.

Transit

The transit alternatives involve implementing bus rapid transit on three routes, Boulder Highway , Sahara Avenue and Flamingo Road . The proposed transit improvements would decrease vehicular demand, improve air quality and provide a transportation mode alternative, increasing mobility. Since existing right-of-way is proposed for express bus lanes, there would be no adverse environmental effects. The implementation of Bus Rapid Transit on three routes, Boulder Highway , Sahara Avenue and Flamingo Road is, therefore, recommended for further study.

Intelligent Transportation Systems and High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes

• Intelligent Transportation Systems

ITS is being deployed on Las Vegas freeways including I-515 , I-15 and US-95. In addition, NDOT has undertaken a study to expand the ITS program throughout the Las Vegas Valley. Construction of ITS facilities on I-515 in the City of Las Vegas as currently planned and expansion along the entire I-515 Corridor would be expected to improve freeway operating efficiency. NDOT is currently undertaking a Valley Wide ITS Study. In order to maintain consistency of ITS facilities through the Valley, it is recommended that ITS facilities be incorporated into I-515 freeway improvements in accordance with the recommendations of the Valley Wide ITS Study.

• High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes

High Occupancy Vehicle lanes are likely to be only marginally effective for I-515 . This is because I-515 is used for only a portion of most commuter trips. However, there are potential benefits that may occur if I-515 HOV lanes were part of a greater network of HOV lanes in the entire Valley. Therefore, it is recommended that this be studied further as part of an overall valley wide HOV network as part of the Valley Wide ITS Study.

Super Arterials

The proposed super arterials provide an additional level of desired mobility by providing alternate routes with reduced delay. However, they provide additional capacity which is greater than the minimum required to meet demand in the Study Area through the year 2025.

The Sahara Avenue Super Arterial would provide an existing alternative to the downtown section of I-515 and would somewhat reduce traffic on the downtown section of I-515 . It also provides improved access to and across the Resort Corridor. Of the three alternative super arterials under consideration, the Sahara Avenue Super Arterial would have the least adverse impacts and a mid-range cost.

The Desert Inn Road Super Arterial would provide an alternative route to and across the Resort Corridor, serving Clark County independent of I-515 . Its central location and the completed portion of the super arterial make it a highly desirable route. While it would provide the greatest benefits at the least cost, it also would have nearly 200 residential displacements and approximately 50 business displacements.

The Lamb Boulevard Super Arterial would provide an alternative access to the northeast region and an alternative to the Spaghetti Bowl Interchange. It would also reduce traffic on the downtown portion of I-515 . However, with over 300 residential displacements and rapidly developing vacant land abutting Lamb Boulevard , the potential impacts are much higher than for the other super arterials.

It is recommended that the super arterials be studied further as a means of increasing mobility. Each super arterial would improve regional mobility in a different manner so that it is difficult to make a direct comparison. However, given the high cost of super arterials, it is unlikely that all three could be constructed. While the Sahara Avenue Super Arterial would be the most constructable and the Lamb Boulevard Super Arterial the most expensive with the greatest potential impacts, all three should be evaluated further.

Recommended Transportation Improvements

Table 13-2 lists the transportation improvements recommended by this study. The recommended transportation improvements represent a balanced program of freeway, arterial street, super arterial and transit enhancements intended to meet the purpose and need for transportation in the Study Area.

It is recommended that each project be subjected to project level evaluation and NEPA evaluation and documentation as appropriate. It is also recommended that these projects be added to the Regional Transportation Plan.

• Recommended I-515 Improvements

For the I-515 Freeway, the following improvements to I-515 are recommended for project level evaluation, comparison and NEPA documentation:

• widening of I-515 to 10 lanes plus auxiliary lanes from I-15 in the City of Las Vegas to I-215 in the City of Henderson ,

• construction of collector-distributor roads within the City of Las Vegas including reconstruction of portions of the Downtown Viaduct,

• construction of auxiliary lanes along I-515 from I-215 to Horizon Drive in the City of Henderson ,

• reconstruction of ramps and streets approaching existing I-515 interchanges to facilitate the flow of traffic to and from the freeway,

• a new interchange at Sahara Avenue in Clark County ,

• a new interchange at “F” Street in the City of Las Vegas ,

• a new interchange at Galleria Drive in the City of Henderson , and

• Intelligent Transportation Systems.

Table 13-3 shows the estimated time frame when widening of I-515 would be necessary to accommodate increased traffic. The time frame was developed by estimating the date when traffic growth would be expected to exceed the capacity of the existing freeway. Assuming a linear growth of traffic from year 2003 PM peak hour volumes to year 2030 PM peak hour volumes, the capacity of the existing I-515 freeway would be exceeded in the years and in the locations shown on Table 13-3 based on a theoretical freeway capacity of 1984 vehicles per hour per lane at level of service D for a freeway with a 70 mph design speed. (Highway Capacity Manual).

ESTIMATED YEAR WHEN FORECAST TRAFFIC ON I-515 WILL EXCEED EXISTING FREEWAY CAPACITY

Location on I-515	Year 2003 Peak Hour Traffic		Project Year 2030 Peak Hour Traffic		Estimated Year When Peak Hour Traffic will Exceed Capacity
	NB	SB	NB	SB

I-15	3,117	3,128	5,900	6,400	2010
Las Vegas Boulevard	4,917	5,669	8,072	10,125	2005
Eastern Avenue	4,350	5,327	7,435	9,672	2007
Charleston Boulevard	3,903	4,357	6,652	8,688	2013
Boulder Highway	4,534	4,845	7,602	10,004	2009
Flamingo Road	5,119	5,443	7,634	10,126	2006
Tropicana Avenue	3,638	4,846	7,199	9,995	2009
Russell Road	3,474	4,512	7,699	10,507	2009
Sunset Road	2,672	3,818	6,956	8,391	2015
Auto Show Drive	3,188	3,818	6,642	8,586	2015
Lake Mead Drive	1,770	2,274	3,708	5,892	2030+
Horizon Drive	1,765	1,877	4,531	5,045	2030+
College Drive	1,749	1,194	4,434	4,665	2030+
Wagon Wheel Drive	1,455	1,043	3,783	3,781	2030+

Three interchanges are recommended for project level evaluation and NEPA documentation:

- “F” Street Interchange,

• Sahara Avenue Interchange, and

• Galleria Interchange.

The Galleria Interchange is recommended as an Early Action Item to accommodate growth in the City of Henderson and relieve congestion at Sunset Road. The “F” Street and Sahara Avenue Interchanges should be considered for construction in conjunction with the widening of I-515 .

Intelligent Transportation Systems are recommended for implementation in conjunction with the widening of I-515 , and in accordance with the recommendations of the Valley Wide ITS Study.

High Occupancy Vehicle lanes are recommended for further analysis in conjunction with the Valley Wide ITS Study.

13.8.2 Recommended Arterial Street Improvements

The Pecos-McLeod Extension and the Green Valley-Nellis Connector are recommended for further study and project level evaluation. In addition, 16 arterial streets are recommended for project level evaluation to widen within existing right-of-way. Table 13-4 shows the time frame when each of the proposed widenings would be needed to accommodate projected traffic.

13.8.3 Recommended Transit Improvements

Three bus rapid Transit (BRT) routes are recommended for further study and project level evaluation, the Boulder Highway , Sahara Avenue and Flamingo Road routes.

• Recommended Super Arterial Improvements

Three super arterial alternatives were evaluated in this report. Each provides substantially different mobility benefits, but also represents substantial cost and substantial potential disruptions. Together, the Sahara Avenue , Desert Inn and Lamb Boulevard Super Arterials would cost an estimated $787 million. Considering that it may not be practical to undertake all three projects, they are each recommended for further study and project level analysis before one or more are adopted.

• Estimated Costs of Recommended Improvements

As shown in Table 13-2, the total estimated capital cost of the recommended improvements range from $1,755 million to $1,936 million plus $10.8 million per year in operating and maintenance costs. Most of this cost, $1,051 million, would be for the widening of I-515 for approximately 15 miles from I-15 in Las Vegas to Horizon Drive in Henderson .

PROPOSED TIME FRAME FOR Arterial and Collector Street Enhancements
( widen within existing right of way)

S – Short Term (2004 – 2010)

I – Intermediate Term (2011 – 2020)

L – Long Term (2021-2030)

Time Frame Description

Jurisdiction

S - Widen Charleston Blvd. from Maryland Pkwy. to Pecos Road

from 5 to 6 lanes

City of Las Vegas

L - Widen Pecos Road from Charleston Blvd. to Bonanza Road

from 4 to 6 lanes

City of Las Vegas

S - Widen Flamingo Road . from I-515 to Jimmy Durante Drive

from 4 to 6 lanes

Clark County

L - Widen Harmon Avenue from Eastern Avenue. to Jimmy Durante Drive from 2 to 4 lanes

Clark County

L - Widen Russell Road from Eastern Avenue to Mountain Vista Street

from 4 to 6 lanes

Clark County

I - Widen McLeod Drive from Patrick Lane to Sunset Road Widen

from 2 to 4 lanes

Clark County

L - Widen Pecos/McLeod Interconnect from Flamingo Road to Vegas Valley Drive from 4 to 6 lanes

Clark County

I - Widen Pecos Road from Pebble Road to Hacienda Avenue

from 4 to 6 lanes

Clark County ,

City of Henderson

L - Widen Nellis Blvd. from Russell Road to Flamingo Road

from 4 to 6 lanes

Clark County

L - Widen Cabana Drive from Flamingo Road to Vegas Valley Drive

from 2 to 4 lanes

Clark County

L - Widen Jimmy Durante Drive from Stephanie Street to Flamingo Road

from 2 to 4 lanes

Clark County

I - Widen Stephanie Street from Russell Road to Boulder Highway

from 2 to 4 lanes

Clark County

L - Widen Sunset Rd from Gibson Road to Boulder Highway

from 4 to 6 lanes

City of Henderson

L - Widen Sunset Road from Boulder Highway to Lake Las Vegas Drive

from 4 to 6 lanes

City of Henderson

I - Widen Auto Show Drive from Gibson Road to Eastgate Road

from 2 to 4 lanes

City of Henderson

S - Widen Stephanie Street from Horizon Ridge to Warm Springs Road

from 4 to 6 lanes

City of Henderson

TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES COMPARISON MATRIX

I-515 Freeway Widening

Interchanges

New Street Connections

Super Arterials

City of Las Vegas

Clark County

City of Henderson

LVB

Pecos

Sahara

Galleria

Pecos -

Green Valley -

Hollywood -Lake Las

Hollywood

Street

Sahara

Desert Inn

Lamb

Alt. 1

Alt. 2

Alt. 3

Alt. 4

Alt. 5

Alt. 1

Alt. 2

Alt. 1

Interchange

McLeod Ext.

Nellis Conn.

Vegas Conn.

Extension

Widenings

Transit

ITS/HOV

Super Arterial

Public Support

Meets Purpose & Need

Jurisdiction: NDOT

City of Las Vegas

Clark County

City of Henderson

RTC

Residences Potentially Displaced

Las Vegas: Single Family Homes

Multifamily Units

150

160

Mobile Homes

225

Clark County: Single Family Homes

140

Multifamily Units

150

115

Mobile Homes

100

Henderson: Single Family Homes

Businesses Potentially Displaced

Community Resources Potentially Displaced

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

None

2 churches

None

Desert Wetlands Park

None

2 churches

None

Potential Impacts

Minority/Low Income Populations

Air Quality

Noise

Hazardous Waste Sites

Natural Resources

Cultural/Historic Resources

Visual

Estimated Cost ($ Millions) NDOT

$422

$638

$668

$456

$672

$261

$301

$152

City of Las Vegas

$28

$78

$13

$24

$60

$90

Clark County

$90

$21

$11

$32

$10

$23

$160

$166

$311

City of Henderson

$25

$11

$15

RTC

$435

TOTAL

$422

$638

$668

$456

$672

$261

$301

$152

$28

$78

$90

$25

$34

$22

$32

$10

$42

$435

$24

$220

$166

$401

Overall

Legend: ++ very positive and/or very beneficial

(1) Las Vegas Senior Center

(2) Las Vegas Senior Center

(3) Las Vegas Senior Center

(4) Las Vegas Senior Center

(5) Bicycle Trail

+ beneficial and/or no potentially adverse impacts

Dula Gymnasium

- unfavorable and/or potentially adverse impacts

Municipal Pool

(6) Grapevine Springs Park

-- very unfavorable

Fire & Rescue Headquarters

Bicycle Trail

Municipal Courts Building

Municipal Courts Buildilng

Municipal Courts Building

Las Vegas Housing Authority

City Engineers Office

(7) Bicycle Trail

Admissions & Section 8 Housing

City Hall Parking Garage

E.O.B. Hollyhock Adult Day Care

Las Vegas Housing Authority

Buddhist Temple

Admissions & Section 8 Housing

Bicycle Trail

E.O.B. Hollyhock Adult Day Care

Buddhist Temple

Bicycle Trail

RECOMMENDED TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS

($ Millions)

I-515 Improvements	NDOT	City of Las Vegas	Clark County	City of Henderson	RTC	Total

Widening of I-515 in the City of Las Vegas	$638					$638
Widening of I-515 in Clark County	$261					$261
Widening of I-515 in the City of Henderson	$152					$152
Subtotal Widening of I-515	$1,051					$1,051

Las Vegas Boulevard Interchange Reconstruction	$28					$28
Sahara Ave. Interchange			$90			$90
Galleria Interchange				$25		$25
ITS/HOV	$24					$24

Arterial Streets

Pecos-McLeod Ext.		$13	$21			$34
Green Valley-Nellis Connector			$11	$11		$22
Widening streets within existing ROW (Table 10-13)		$4	$23	$15		$42

Transit

Boulder Hwy. , Sahara Ave. & Flamingo Rd. BRT					$219 plus $10.8/year 1	$219 plus $10.8 year 1

Super Arterials

Sahara , Desert Inn or Lamb Boulevard	______	$60-$90	$160-$311	___	_________	$220-$401

TOTAL	$1,103	$77 - $107	$305 - $456	$51	$219 plus $10.8/year 1	$1,755 to $1,936 plus $10.8/year 1

1 $10.8 annual O&M, reduces to $7.5 with fare box recovery

I-515 CORRIDOR STUDY FINAL REPORT

The widening of I-515 to provide:

• 10 lanes plus auxiliary lanes from I-15 to I-215, and

• auxiliary lanes from I-215 to Horizon Drive

is necessary to provide the transportation capacity required to meet the purpose and need of the project. Specific recommendations for widening each segment of the I-515 Freeway are discussed below and summarized in Section 13.9.

• Widening of I-515 in the City of Las Vegas

Five alternatives for widening I-515 through the City of Las Vegas were evaluated.

Alternatives 1 and 4 would each provide a straightforward widening by adding lanes to the outside of the existing freeway. Alternatives 1 and 4 only differ with the configuration of the ramps in the downtown core. With Alternatives 1 and 4, I-515 would be symmetrically widened except from Las Vegas Boulevard to Bruce Street where I-515 should be widened on the north side only to reduce potential displacement of Las Vegas Housing Authority facilities. With Alternatives 1 and 4, the option of reconstructing the downtown section of the viaduct from the UPRR to Las Vegas Boulevard should be considered to extend the useful life of the structure and upgrade substandard geometry. Alternative 1 would construct ramps between I-515 and I-15 in accordance with previously approved plans for the reconstruction of the Spaghetti Bowl Interchange. Unfortunately, with the previously approved Spaghetti Bowl plans:

• traffic patterns in Downtown Las Vegas would substantially change since access to I-515 (US-95) northbound from 4th Street would be prohibited, and

• increased traffic volumes would make it impossible for the Las Vegas Boulevard Interchange to accommodate projected traffic.

Therefore, it is recommended that Alternative 1 be eliminated from further consideration.

Alternatives 2 and 3 provide collector-distributor roads from I-15 to Eastern Avenue and differ only in the alignment in the downtown core. Alternatives 2 and 3 increase the footprint of the freeway, increasing the area of direct impact. Alternatives 2 and 3 are more expensive than Alternative 4, but would have substantially reduced conflicts with traffic during construction.

Alternative 5 is the most expensive alternative. As a double deck, it would have the greatest potential impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods. It is also the only alternative for widening I-515 in the City of Las Vegas which is not supported by the majority of the public. It is, therefore, recommended that Alternative 5 be eliminated from further consideration for these reasons.

Alternatives 2, 3 and 4 have substantially different costs and potential impacts in the downtown core area. In addition, each represents a very complex system of ramps and C-D roads to accommodate traffic to and from five interchanges in the short distance (1-1/2 miles) between I-15 and Las Vegas Boulevard . Therefore, prior to finalizing recommendations for further evaluation, NDOT held a Design Workshop ( July 8-9, 2004 ) to specifically address design problems with Alternatives 2, 3 and 4. To facilitate the workshop, CORSIM modeling was performed for Alternatives 2, 3 and 4 in the City of Las Vegas . The results of the CORSIM analysis are summarized as follows:

• Alternative 4 would be expected to operate at level of service E or F in the PM peak hour for most of the distance from I-15 to Charleston Boulevard in both the southbound and northbound direction,

• The express lanes of Alternatives 2 and 3 would be expected to operate at level of service C and D in both the southbound and northbound directions from I-15 to the merge or divergence with the local lanes. From the merge or divergence with the local lanes to Charleston Boulevard , the level of service would be expected to deteriorate to E, and

• The local lanes of Alternatives 2 and 3 would be expected to operate in both the southbound and northbound direction at level of service D or better in the AM peak hours, but would deteriorate to level of service E or worse in the PM peak hour.

Measures to address these design deficiencies were evaluated in the Design Workshop.

For Alternative 4, numerous alternatives to improve the level of service by eliminating design deficiencies were evaluated. With each alternative, the large number of lanes and ramps added to eliminate weaves and improve operating conditions erased the potential cost savings associated with Alternative 4 and increased potential impacts. It was concluded that Alternative 4, including substantial improvements to eliminate extensive design deficiencies would not provide a cost effective solution or result in lesser impacts compared to Alternatives 2 and 3.

For Alternatives 2 and 3, numerous alternatives to improve the level of service by eliminating design deficiencies were also evaluated.

With Alternatives 2 and 3, additional lanes and ramps required to improve the level of service and operating conditions of the freeway increase the footprint of the freeway in the downtown core. As a result, Alternative 3 would displace the Fire and Rescue Headquarters, the Municipal Pool, the Dula Gymnasium and the Las Vegas Senior Center on the north side of I-515 in addition to displacing community facilities on the south side of I-515 . Even though the footprint of Alternative 2 would increase, it would not displace additional community facilities. Since Alternative 2 would not displace community facilities on the south side of I-515 in the downtown core while both Alternatives 2 and 3 would displace the community facilities on the north side of I-515 in the downtown core, Alternative 2 would result in fewer impacts and is preferred. It is, therefore, recommended that Alternative 2 in the City of Las Vegas be studied further and that the other alternatives be eliminated from further consideration.

The Municipal Pool, the Dula Gymnasium and the Las Vegas Senior Center are Section 4(f) Resources. Following thorough examination of alternatives and operational analysis, it is the conclusion of this study that there is no practical alternative to the displacement of these facilities if I-515 is to be improved to accommodate projected traffic.

Section 13.9 presents a proposed refinement of Alternative 2 in the City of Las Vegas as a recommended configuration for the improvement of I-515 .

• Widening of I-515 in Clark County

Two alternatives for widening I-515 in Clark County were evaluated.

Alternative 1 would provide a symmetrical widening while Alternative 2 would widen selectively on one side of the freeway.

Between Charleston Boulevard and the Boulder Highway , Alternative 2 would cost substantially more than Alternative 1 because it would be necessary to replace the Charleston Boulevard and Sahara Avenue Bridges with Alternative 2. Since both Alternatives 1 and 2 could be designed to avoid residential displacements (Alternative 1 with retaining walls and Alternative 2 with realignment), the higher cost of construction and the potential disruption of traffic with Alternative 2 make Alternative 1 the better alternative.

Between the Boulder Highway and Russell Road , realigning I-515 to the east with Alternative 2 would reduce displacements without increasing the construction cost and, therefore, would be the better alternative.

Summarizing, based on both minimum cost and minimum potential impacts, it is recommended that one alternative be studied further for the widening of I-515 in Clark County and that the alternative to be studied further include widening of I-515 in Clark County in accordance with Alternative 1 from Charleston Boulevard to Boulder Highway and in accordance with Alternative 2 from Boulder Highway to Russell Road.

• Widening in the City of Henderson

Only one alternative for widening I-515 in the City of Henderson was evaluated because a straightforward widening on the outside in each direction provides the least cost alternative with the minimum potential impact. Accordingly, Alternative 1 for the widening of I-515 in Henderson is recommended for further study.

I-515 Interchange Alternatives

I-515 Interchange Alternatives

• Reconstruction of the Las Vegas Boulevard Interchange

Reconstruction of the Las Vegas Boulevard Interchange is necessary to accommodate projected traffic. Of the alternatives considered, widening of Las Vegas Boulevard would be the most straightforward and have the least impact on existing facilities. However, widening of Las Vegas Boulevard to provide six through lanes, dual left turns and free right turns at I-515 would require a transition from 6 lanes to 10 lanes approaching I-515 and could conflict with the proposed expansion of city facilities between I-515 and Stewart Avenue . A single point urban interchange at I-515 could actually lengthen the transition in order to provide additional queuing increasing the potential conflict.

Constructing one-way frontage roads from Las Vegas Boulevard to 7 th Street along both sides of I-515 and providing additional access to I-515 with a 6 th Street / 7 th Street one-way couplet could be considered as an alternative to reduce freeway traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard and reduce the size of the interchange at Las Vegas Boulevard .

• Pecos Road Interchange

At least one interchange is necessary to relieve congestion at the Charleston Boulevard Interchange. Pecos Road and Sahara Avenue are alternative sites for an interchange to relieve Charleston Boulevard .

An interchange at Pecos Road would provide new access to the area served by Pecos Road north of I-515 and provide an alternative to Charleston Boulevard . Unfortunately, construction of an interchange at Pecos Road would displace approximately 300 residences, primarily mobile homes, in an area with above-average low income and minority populations. Avoiding residential displacements would require encroachment into the Desert Pines Golf Course, a Section 4(f) Resource, and is not recommended given the availability of alternatives. In addition, an interchange at Pecos Road would be located near and conflict with the confluence of the express and local lanes on I-515 with Alternative 2, the preferred alternative for widening and reconstructing I-515 in the City of Las Vegas . An interchange at Pecos Road is, therefore, not recommended.

• Sahara Avenue Interchange

An interchange at Sahara Avenue would provide access to the area served by Sahara Avenue east of I-515 and provide an alternative to Charleston Boulevard .

Although an interchange at Sahara Avenue would displace approximately 55 residences and 2 churches, the magnitude of the potential displacement is much lower than at Pecos Road , with lower potential for impacts to low income and minority populations. Therefore, an interchange at Sahara Avenue is recommended for further study. In addition, an interchange at Sahara Avenue is recommended in conjunction with either the Sahara Avenue Super Arterial or the Lamb Boulevard Super Arterial.

• “F” Street Interchange

An interchange on I-515 at “F” Street in the City of Las Vegas was previously approved. Additional studies are necessary to incorporate an interchange at “F” Street into the proposed freeway widening and ramp reconstruction in the downtown core area.

• Galleria Interchange

An interchange on I-515 at Galleria Drive in the City of Henderson is recommended as an Early Action Item.

New Street Connectors

• New Street Connections

• Pecos-McLeod Extension

The Pecos-McLeod Extension would provide additional north-south capacity complementing I-515 , would provide an alternative to I-515 and would improve regional and local traffic flow. Despite a high number of potential residential displacements, the traffic benefits make this a desirable project. It is recommended for further study.

Green Valley-Nellis Connector

The Green Valley-Nellis Connector would also provide an alternative to I-515 and would improve regional and local traffic flow. High traffic benefits and minimal impacts make this a desirable project. It is also recommended for further study.

• Hollywood-Lake Las Vegas Connector

The Hollywood-Lake Las Vegas Connector would decrease travel times in the extreme eastern part of the Study Area. However, it does not provide necessary capacity, does not reduce traffic on I-515 , could have substantial environmental impacts and is not supported by the Whitney, and Sunrise Manor Town Boards, or Clark County . It is, therefore, not recommended for further study.

Should the BLM ever decide to release or dispose of the land north of the Desert Wetlands Park, the Hollywood-Lake Las Vegas Connector could be reconsidered in the future as a means to access those lands.

• Hollywood Extension

Located on the extreme east side of development in Clark County , the Hollywood Extension would not be expected to carry high traffic volumes and could have substantial environmental impacts by displacing both wetlands and recreational facilities in the Desert Wetlands Park . It is, therefore, not recommended for further study.

Street Widening within Existing Right-of-Way

Recommended Transportation Improvements

Recommended Improvements to I-515

13.9 Recommended Improvements to I-515

Figure 13-1 shows the alternative for widening I-515 recommended by this study. The major features of the recommended alternative are described below.

The recommended alternative would convert the existing I-515 Freeway in the City of Las Vegas to a system of mainline express lanes and local access collector-distributor roads. A total of 6 lanes would be provided in each direction, 3 express lanes and 3 local lanes. The express and local lanes would be separated by a median barrier. With the recommended alternative, new construction would be on the north side of the existing alignment within the City of Las Vegas .

The existing I-515 Freeway between Las Vegas Boulevard and Pecos Road would be modified so that:

• the existing southbound freeway continues to operate as it does today, providing local access to the Las Vegas Boulevard and Eastern Avenue Interchanges, and

- the existing northbound freeway would be converted to serve 3 express southbound lanes which do not allow access to or from any existing interchanges.

On the north side of the existing I-515 Freeway, 6 additional new lanes would be constructed, with 3 northbound local lanes providing access to the Las Vegas Boulevard and Eastern Avenue Interchanges and 3 express lanes bypassing these interchanges.

In the downtown area, the existing viaduct would be fully reconstructed and realigned between the UPRR and Las Vegas Boulevard . The reconstructed section would provide 3 express lanes in each direction from US-95 at I-15 to Las Vegas Boulevard and would provide 3 local freeway lanes providing access to the I-15, Casino Center/4 th Street and Las Vegas Boulevard Interchanges.

With the recommended alternative, traffic to and between I-15, Casino Center/4 th Street, Las Vegas Boulevard and Eastern Avenue would use the outside, local lanes designed as collector-distributor roads. Traffic wishing to bypass the Downtown Las Vegas area, traveling between US-95 west of I-15 and I-515 south of Eastern Avenue , would utilize the inner, express lanes.

“F” Street, where a future half interchange has been approved, and Martin L. King Boulevard would be provided with access from the express lanes. Access would be provided by linking the Martin L. King Boulevard and F Street with connection ramps and relocating the existing Martin L. King Ramps eastward to serve both Martin L. King Boulevard and F Street . An on ramp from Eastern Avenue to the northbound express lanes would avoid the necessity of ramps from the northbound local lanes to the northbound express lanes in the Spaghetti Bowl.

Additional ramps within the Spaghetti Bowl Interchange would allow movements between the I-515 southbound express and local lanes

With the recommended alternative, traffic northbound on I-515 passing the Charleston Interchange would select the outside, local lanes to access Eastern Avenue, Las Vegas Boulevard or I-15 and would select the inside, express lanes to continue northbound to US-95 or to access “F” Street or Martin L. King Boulevard.

Similarly, with the recommended alternative, traffic southbound on US-95 passing through the I-15 Interchange would select the outside, local lanes to access Casino Center Boulevard, Las Vegas Boulevard and Eastern Avenue and would select the inside, express lanes to bypass the downtown area and proceed south on I-515 to Charleston Boulevard or beyond.

Traffic between I-15 and I-515 would use the local lanes.

With the recommended alternative, additional right-of-way would be required on the north side of I-515 in the downtown core area to accommodate additional roadway width and to construct new ramps on the northbound side of the freeway. Specific facilities which would potentially be displaced include the following:

• the Steel Engineers industrial property,

• the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Headquarters,

• the Municipal Pool,

• the Robert Dula Memorial Gymnasium,

• the City of Las Vegas Senior Center ,

• the Las Vegas Housing Authority Admissions Building ,

• four Las Vegas Housing Authority Section 8 Apartment Buildings,

• the Economic Opportunity Board's Hollyhock Adult Daycare Center

• a Buddhist Temple

• approximately 100 single family residences,

• approximately150 multi- family residences, and

• approximately 30 mobile homes.

Within the City of Las Vegas , it is assumed that:

• public facilities located beneath the I-515 Freeway would not require relocation, and

• that retaining walls could be constructed to avoid displacing the City of Las Vegas Municipal Golf Course and the City of Las Vegas Corrections Department Detention Center.

In Clark County, the recommended alternative would widen I-515 to provide 10 through lanes (5 lanes in each direction) plus auxiliary lanes between consecutive interchanges from the Charleston Boulevard Interchange to the Boulder Highway Interchange by symmetrically widening I-515 by adding lanes to the outside of the existing freeway in both directions. The existing freeway would be widened by approximately 26 ft. to 38 ft. in each direction in order to accommodate 2 or 3 additional lanes of traffic in each direction. Ramps would be modified to match the new freeway cross-section.

From the Boulder Highway Interchange to Russell Road in Clark County, the recommended alternative would widen I-515 on the east side to provide a total of 10 lanes plus auxiliary lanes.

With the recommended alternative, the I-515 Freeway would be shifted eastward from the Boulder Highway to Russell Road to avoid displacing single family residences on the west side of the freeway and avoid impacts to Chaparral High School, the Southern Nevada Water Authority Reservoir and the Grapevine Springs Park on the west side of the freeway. South of Tropicana Avenue, the recommended alternative would encroach into the power line corridor on the east side of the freeway to avoid residential displacements on the west side of the freeway.

With the recommended alternative, a total of approximately 100 single family residences would be displaced within Clark County . However, approximately half of those displacements could be avoided with the installation of approximately 20 ft. high embankment retaining walls immediately adjacent to the residences.

Within the City of Henderson, the recommended alternative would widen I-515 to provide 10 through lanes (5 in each direction) from Russell Road to I-215. Auxiliary lanes are also proposed in each direction between the Russell Road Interchange and the Galleria Interchange. From I-215 to Horizon Drive , I-515 would be widened by adding an auxiliary lane in each direction from the I-215 Interchange to the Horizon Drive Interchange.

I-515 would be widened by symmetrically adding approximately 26 ft. to 38 ft. to the outside of the existing freeway from Russell Road to I-215 and by symmetrically adding approximately 12 ft. to the outside of the existing freeway from I-215 to Horizon Drive.

With a right-of-way width of approximately 300 ft. available, encroachments onto properties abutting the I-515 Freeway in the City of Henderson would be minor. Encroachment into developed properties could be avoided with minor retaining walls.

Figure 13-2 shows the projected year 2030 AM and PM peak hour traffic with the recommended alternative for I-515 .

The Las Vegas Boulevard Interchange should be reconstructed to improve its operational characteristics. Widening of Las Vegas Boulevard approaching I-515 is desirable. However, two additional options should be considered:

- construction of frontage roads along I-515 from Las Vegas Boulevard to 7 th Street , and

- operational changes or realignment of Bonanza Avenue at Las Vegas Boulevard .

Frontage roads on either side of I-515 from Las Vegas Boulevard to 7 th Street , coupled with a conversion of 6 th and 7 th Streets to a one-way north-south couplet could reduce traffic at Las Vegas Boulevard .

Due to the proximity of the Bonanza Road Intersection to the existing and planned northbound ramp terminals at Las Vegas Boulevard , substantial improvement to the Bonanza Road/Las Vegas Boulevard Intersection is needed. One option would be to selectively restrict movements at the intersection.

Another option would be to realign Bonanza Avenue at Las Vegas Boulevard . Figure 13-3 shows one of several alternatives which could be considered for realigning Bonanza Road . As shown in Figure 13-3, as many as 50 single family residences, as well as several business and multifamily apartments fronting Las Vegas Boulevard could potentially be displaced by realigning Bonanza Road, so that more detailed analysis is required before selecting an alternative.

Table 13-5 presents a cost estimate for the recommended improvements to I-515 shown in Figure 13-1. Table 13-6 presents a cost estimate for the alternative to relocate Bonanza Road at Las Vegas Boulevard shown in Figure 13-3. Cost estimates for interchange improvement alternatives are provided in Section 10.

STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS

The conclusions and recommendations presented in this section are based upon the technical evaluations provided in this report and public and public agency input obtained during public information meetings, project management team meetings, design workshops, citizen advisory board meetings and other forums facilitated by the public outreach office for this study. Technical evaluations included the evaluation of transportation alternatives, traffic analyses, cost and benefit analyses and the preliminary evaluation of potential environmental effects.

Table 13-1 provides a comparison matrix for the improvement alternatives as discussed below.