LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix will be disrupting traffic on and near Las Vegas Boulevard.
Traffic flow will change depending on what day it is and what time it is.
RELATED: How cold track, warm track, and hot track procedures will work in Las Vegas
What do drivers need to know?
There are three separate traffic management plans that will be in place: cold track, warm track, and hot track.
Starting on Nov. 11, Koval Lane will be closed between Rochelle and Harmon Avenue. It will remain closed through Nov. 25 so vendors and suppliers can get things for the pit area to stage on the west side of Koval Lane. Koval Lane, north of Rochelle, will be one lane in each direction.
If you're traveling near I-15, Nevada Department of Transportation officials said several changes will be in place from Nov. 8 through Nov. 19 including:
- Northbound I-15 will be returned to five lanes between Tropicana Avenue and Flamingo Road
- Movement from northbound I-15 to westbound Tropicana Avenue will be closed. No left turns will be allowed at I-15 and Tropicana
- One additional lane of westbound Tropicana Avenue (total of three) from I-15 to Polaris
- One additional lane of eastbound Tropicana Avenue (total of three) from I-15 to New York New York
Warm track procedures will be put in place from Nov. 14 through Nov. 19. They'll be in effect between race events.
Hot track procedures will be put in place from Nov. 15 through Nov. 18 from 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. each day. That includes closures at the I-15 ramp at Spring Mountain, the I-15 ramp at Flamingo, Sands Avenue, Koval Lane, and Harmon Avenue.
RELATED LINK: How will employees get to work during Formula 1's Las Vegas Grand Prix?
How will drivers know where they can and can't go?
According to race officials, there will be about 180 flaggers located around the circuit to help drivers go where they need to go. There will also be message boards that are being installed, starting on Saturday.
"The blue message boards have to be up at least 72 hours before the event to tell drivers and vehicles what to expect," said Terry Miller from Miller Project Management. "The red indicates a hard stop meaning drivers have to turn right or left and can't come any further into the circuit. Green is for Uber, Lyft, and taxis. The light aqua color is really the credentialed areas."
How long will traffic delays be?
While officials couldn't give an estimate on how long it will take to get from place to place, officials from the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada said they will be monitoring traffic conditions 24/7 so they can look at things like traffic signal timing.
"We will have 18 control room and traffic signal timing employees on a 24-hour rotating schedule to make traffic signal adjustments and coordinate with event staff," said Theresa Gaisser, Traffic Director for RTC. "All 1,100 traffic cameras will be available for us to view what's on our roadways and message it out as well as access our 1,600 traffic signals in Southern Nevada where we can remotely change traffic signal timing at intersections. We will coordinate with event traffic management and monitor signal timing inside and outside of the circuit."
According to Gaisser, RTC, Clark County Public Works, and NDOT officials all worked together and decided to pause certain construction projects around the track circuit during race week so traffic could flow easier.
What if I'm staying at a resort in or near the circuit?
According to Miller, race officials have added several drop-off and pick-up locations that can be accessed while hot track closures are in place.
"Hotel guests can get picked up at the airport and get dropped off at a remote parking lot. Then, they get on a shuttle that comes over the Flamingo bridge and does a loop around those properties," Miller said.
When asked about taxi pricing, Miller said guests are "at the mercy of their fares as they move into this event."
Last week, the Taxicab Authority Board approved a temporary Formula 1 surcharge of $15, which will be added to all fares that originate or end in existing tiered flat rate zones that operate along the airport/resort corridor.
Zone 1 is from Sunset North to Tropicana and would cost $37. Zone 2 is from Tropicana North to Flamingo and would cost $41. Zone 3 is from Flamingo North to the STRAT and would cost $45.
That surcharge is scheduled to be in place from Wednesday, Nov. 15 at noon through Tuesday, Nov. 21 at noon.
What if I'm traveling to or from the airport?
Airport officials are asking travelers to use the "4-3-2-1" plan.
- 4 hours before flight leaves - Drop off rental car
- 3 hours before flight leaves - Check bags
- 2 hours before flight leaves - Get in line at the security checkpoint
- 1 hour before flight leaves - Be at the gate and ready to board your flight.
What if I ride the bus?
RTC officials said the five routes that service that Las Vegas Strip have been greatly impacted by not only Formula 1 activity but also, the amount of construction projects in the valley.
"Since October, we've seen 38% of buses are on-time on these routes, impacting over 7,100 passengers," said Sabrina Glenn, the Senior Director of Transit for RTC. "Although we have added buses to this route to help riders during peak times, riders are experiencing about double the amount of time to get to work."
When asked if there are more resources that can be used, RTC officials said they're already using everything they have.
"We're running every bus that's in service. The five routes that are failing our transit customers, we're doing the best we can but we're stuck in traffic. That bus gets stuck in traffic just like a car does," said M.J. Maynard, CEO of RTC of Southern Nevada. "We have 400 buses. We use all of them. We hear from our customers every single day that they're not happy."
During race week, there will be new detours and modified service to Harry Reid International Airport.
"All bus traffic from Terminal 1 will be rerouted to Terminal 3. These changes are impacting nearly 27,000 passengers a day. [The detours] were designed to provide some consistency and dependability for our riders," Glenn said. "These specific detours will also connect our routes with the Convention Center and the MGM monorail stops so that employees can connect to properties in the race interior and provide access to the Park MGM tram and remote parking lots on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip."
According to RTC officials, all of this information is posted on their website. There are also flyers on multiple stops and stations throughout the valley. They add there will also be about 60 employees located at various stops to help riders get to where they need to go. Their call center will also be available to help riders plan their routes.
Where can I find the latest travel information?
For the latest up-to-date information on Formula 1 traffic, you can learn more here. For the latest on RTC information and which routes are being affected, you can learn more here.
