LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Northbound lanes of I-15 are closed this weekend through the resort corridor, with southbound lanes scheduled to close next weekend, so Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) crews can put the finishing touches on one of the biggest freeway construction projects in the Las Vegas Valley over the last several years.
It'll be a busy couple of weekends for NDOT crews, but that means it's going to be a busy couple of weeks for drivers too, as we all have to endure more closures of I-15.
WATCH | What you need to know about the I-15 closures along the resort corridor
"Honestly, I'm pretty immune at this point," Parker Pernyak said.
Pernyak was born and raised in Las Vegas, so he's no stranger to road work.
"There are a lot of meme pages on social media where they say how Las Vegas always has traffic cones, and that's just part of the culture here," Pernyak said with a laugh.
Still though, this weekend's closure of northbound I-15 caught him off guard, as he and a buddy were heading to a store near the Strip on Saturday.
"I was honestly pretty confused by it," Pernyak said. "There was a highway patrol officer when we were trying to get off [off the freeway], it kind of impeded our destination, and we had to take the back way to get where we needed to go."
Here's what drivers are running into this weekend.
Northbound lanes of I-15 are closed from Russell to Flamingo until 5 a.m. Monday.
The suggested detour — believe it or not — is all the way to Decatur, which is a little bit smoother of a ride than Valley View or Arville.
Then next weekend, the southbound I-15 will be closed from Spring Mountain to Tropicana — once again, Decatur is the suggested detour.
But why are more closures necessary?
It's so NDOT can do some massive repaving and re-striping work on the section of I-15 that crews have been working on over the last few years for the I-15/Tropicana Project.
While all lanes of the 15 have been open for the last several weeks, drivers probably noticed the pavement was a little rough and lane lines might've been a little confusing.
NDOT spokesperson Kelsey McFarland tells Channel 13 that the work crews will be doing over the next two weekends will change that, adding clearer lane lines and using crumb rubber pavement, which will make it a smoother ride for drivers.
"This is a huge milestone for the I-15/Tropicana Project — in general, we are not going to have any more major closures," McFarland said. "Everything else with this project will likely be small punch-list items that may lead to some overnight lane restrictions, maybe an overnight ramp restriction, but when it comes to full weekend closures, this project will not have any more — we're getting closer to substantial completion."
McFarland says NDOT is grateful for the patience of valley drivers over the years, as crews have worked to prepare our infrastructure for decades more growth to come.
"We wanted to do it right," McFarland said. "We wanted to do it the most efficient way, and it's shaping up to be a beautiful project."
Channel 13 asked Pernyak how it feels to know that the I-15/Tropicana Project is actually almost done after years of ongoing work, and if he thought it was necessary to accommodate how much the valley's grown.
"I'll be pretty relieved," he said. "I think, too — with our city constantly growing–eventually we'll slow down and be able to enjoy the freeways. I love this city, I love that we're growing and I'm all about the culture here."
NDOT says substantial completion of the I-15/Tropicana Project is expected in August, after crews wrap up work on a stretch of Tropicana between Polaris and Valley View.
For more information on the current and upcoming closures to I-15, click here.
Have a question about traffic or infrastructure in your neighborhood? Email me at Guy.Tannenbaum@ktnv.com!
