Las Vegas Strip to see smaller shutdown for New Year’s Eve

Despite the cancellation of the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks show on the Strip, a portion of the boulevard as well as Interstate 15 on and off ramps will be shut to traffic to ring in 2021.

Las Vegas Boulevard will close to vehicle traffic between Reno Avenue (just south of Tropicana Avenue) and Spring Mountain Road on New Year’s Eve, according to Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Misael Parra. The closure will cover a shorter distance than the Sahara Avenue to Russell Road closure of past years.

The shutdown of the Strip is tentatively slated to begin between 6:45 p.m. and 7 p.m., depending on the crowd size at that time, Parra said.

“It could happen a bit sooner if there’s a lot of people on the Strip at that time or later if there’s not,” Parra said. “Either way we’re looking to have a hard shutdown by 8 p.m.”

When Las Vegas Boulevard reopens is also up in the air this year as there won’t be a fireworks show to signal the start of a new year.

“It’s tricky, because once the fireworks are over, people start leaving and we can start working on opening the Strip back up,” Parra said. “This year there won’t be any fireworks, so we’re going to have to work with the properties on the Strip to message out after midnight and hopefully people start leaving. It’s going to depend on the crowd really.”

The south and northbound I-15 offramps at Tropicana/Frank Sinatra Drive and Flamingo Road will close to traffic at 5 p.m. on Dec. 31, the Nevada Department of Transportation said Tuesday. Motorists will still be able to enter and exit I-15 at Spring Mountain and Russell. Ramp restrictions will be lifted between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Jan. 1.

“Although the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to impact the scale and scope of New Year’s celebrations, several additional visitors are still expected in Southern Nevada, with many of them welcoming 2021 on the Las Vegas Strip,” said NDOT spokesman Tony Illia. “As such, we are making several temporary road and highway ramp closures, thereby ensuring a safe and successful event for both motorists and revelers.”

Vehicle access will also be restricted at the following locations:

■ Eastbound Tropicana at Industrial Road/Dean Martin Drive.

■ Eastbound Flamingo Road at Valley View Boulevard.

Though the closure of the Strip will stop at Spring Mountain to the north, the east-west roadway will remain open to vehicle traffic.

Downtown will also see a pair of roads closed to vehicle traffic.

Fourth Street will shut to traffic between Ogden and Carson avenues between noon on Dec. 31 and 4 a.m. on Jan. 1, according to city of Las Vegas officials.

Casino Center Boulevard will also close to traffic between Ogden and Carson avenues between 2 p.m. Dec. 31 and 4 a.m. Jan. 1.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.