LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Construction crews have begun taking down the controversial Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix temporary bridge on Flamingo Road over Koval Lane. This is the last temporary Formula 1 structure still standing from the 2023 Grand Prix.
Several business owners near the bridge said they're thrilled to see crews taking it down. They said ever since it went up, business has gone down.
"Ever since F1 was here, it wasn't really good for us. We lost a lot of business, a lot of money, a lot of customers have not been coming into here because of the bridge," Las Vegas Souvenir and Gifts Manager Simran Singh said.
Singh and her husband, Jimmy, manage the shop on Koval Lane. They said since the bridge went up, they've only been getting 10 to 15 customers per day.
"Usually, we have like, every day, 200-300 customers so we lose like 200 customers every day," Jimmy Singh said.
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There are several businesses claiming they've lost millions of dollars in revenue since the bridge went up. Some are seeking financial compensation from the county to cover the F1 losses.
Crews started tearing down the bridge Sunday night at 9 p.m. and it's expected to be fully broken down by Feb. 1 at 9 p.m. Through the entire 12-day construction project, crews will fully shut down all traffic on Koval Lane and Flamingo Road near the intersection. Traffic on the bridge itself is also blocked throughout the demolition process.
Officials said the temporary vehicle bridge was installed to alleviate traffic and it became the only entrance inside the track on race days. The county kept the bridge up after race ended to conduct a traffic study to see if this should be permanent.
Work around the bridge is not the only F1-related construction underway. Crews are already prepping for the 2024 F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. There are single lane closures on Koval Lane between Harmon Avenue to Westchester Drive Sunday night through Thursday, during the hours of 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., for utility work.
Some locals tell Channel 13 they're sick of seeing F1 construction around the valley.
"I think it's had quite a bit of an effect. Most people try to avoid this area for the most part," Las Vegas resident Caitlin Gonzalez said.
"It's really messed up with the cones and the construction still on the road. It's not even clear. It's hard for us to get in and I'm probably sure that the customer would be confused about that," Simran Singh said.
This is not the end of the temporary bridge in that location. It's expected to come back during the 2024 F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, which will take over Las Vegas Nov. 21 to Nov. 23. For all information on current F1-related closures, text F1LV to 31996.
