LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The next phase of Dropicana closures along Interstate 15 will commence at 10 p.m. and last for three full days until Monday morning.
UPDATE: Temporary driving pattern, 'diverting diamond' set for Tropicana over the I-15
The main north and southbound lanes of I-15 will shut down for the weekend while the Nevada Department of Transportation works to replace the Tropicana bridge.
Previously, all east and westbound lanes on Tropicana were closed from Dean Martin Drive to New York, New York — in addition to the closures of all southbound off-ramps on the I-15 and the main flyover to Las Vegas Boulevard.
According to NDOT's spokesperson Justin Hopkins, Friday night's closure will be the main impact on traffic in the Las Vegas valley.
"This is the big show — the full closure of the I-15, which will cause the biggest impacts we'll see during this project," Hopkins said. "At 10 p.m., I-15 will be closed in both directions between Flamingo and Russell — no access north or southbound. This is to take down the north half of the Tropicana bridge, which will happen over the weekend. Once that reopens on Monday, all of the traffic on Tropicana will be pushed over to one side of the bridge, so there will be significantly reduced capacity."
As you drive past, you'll notice that a big chunk of the Tropicana bridge is missing. Hopkins says the bridge will be replaced for several reasons.
"So, there are a number of reasons. It needs to be taller. It no longer meets federal height requirements and gets hit frequently," Hopkins said. "It also needs to be wider, so we're adding additional lanes for a bigger capacity. It also needs to be longer, and it's the last lynchpin for the widening of I-15 through the resort corridor."
There will also be additions intended to make the area more pedestrian-friendly, Hopkins said.
"We know that on any given day — especially game days at Allegiant Stadium or T-Mobile Arena — there could be thousands of pedestrians that walk across Tropicana, so the sidewalks are being widened from 5 feet to 10," he said. "There'll be better lighting and there are some pedestrian-only pathways to get down to T-Mobile Arena and other sites."
Commuters that use the area frequently can take Dean Martin Drive and Frank Sinatra as alternate routes, though Hopkins warns about those areas, too.
"We know that our alternate routes and detours will become very crowded very quickly," he said. "This is a regional traffic event — this is not just I-15, it's the surface streets and the freeways that ring the valley. They will be very crowded very quickly."
Overall, NDOT recommends that drivers add at least 15 minutes onto their commute to accommodate for the construction.
Drivers can also access more information about the project, as well as updates, by downloading NDOT's I-15 Tropicana app.
For real-time traffic updates, go to ktnv.com/traffic.
