New Year’s Eve road closures planned for Las Vegas Strip, downtown
As revelers ring in 2020 on the Las Vegas Strip, road closures will occur in surrounding areas to keep the expected 330,000 people safe.
Interstate 15 northbound and southbound offramps will shut to traffic at 5 p.m., Dec. 31 at Spring Mountain Road, Flamingo Road and Tropicana Avenue, the Nevada Department of Transportation announced Monday.
“About 330,000 visitors will celebrate the New Year in Southern Nevada, with many of them welcoming 2020 on the Las Vegas Strip,” said Transportation Department spokesman Tony Illia in a statement. “As such, we are making several temporary road and highway closures, thereby ensuring a safe and successful event for both motorists and revelers.”
By 6:45 p.m., the Strip is expected to be fully open to pedestrians, with all vehicle traffic starting to be cleared from Las Vegas Boulevard at 6:15 p.m., according to Metro’s road closure plan. All moving walkways and pedestrian bridges will be closed starting at 6:45 p.m. 
The ramps are expected to be reopened to vehicle traffic at 3:30 a.m. Jan. 1, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Motorists seeking access to I-15 can enter and exit at Sahara Avenue and at Russell Road.
Vehicle access will be restricted at the following surface street locations from 5:45 p.m. Dec. 31 until 3:30 a.m. Jan. 1:
— Tropicana westbound at Koval Lane.
— Tropicana eastbound at Industrial/Dean Martin Drive.
— Flamingo eastbound at Valley View Boulevard.
— The right lane on Sahara eastbound at I-15 will have one lane closed to allow a dedicated turn lane from the offramp at I-15 northbound to Sahara eastbound.
— East and westbound Sahara turn lanes onto Las Vegas Boulevard southbound will be closed.
— All streets, roads and alleys heading westbound onto Las Vegas Boulevard between Sahara and Mandalay Bay Road from Koval Lane: Sands, Reno and Harmon avenues.
Downtown closures
The annual New Year’s Eve party held on the Fremont Street Experience also will lead to area road closures.
The debut of the $32 million upgrade of the Fremont Street Experience Viva Vision canopy with new light shows, with four stages of entertainment, onstage pyrotechnics and roaming entertainment, will pack locals and visitors alike into the downtown attraction.
Associated road closures are planned to ensure the event’s safety.
Major road closures downtown include Fourth Street and Casino Center Boulevard between Carson and Ogden avenues and lane closure northbound on Main Street.
Road closures will start at 9 a.m. Dec. 31. and last until 4 a.m. Jan. 1.
The Plaza’s midnight fireworks show will prompt a 15-minute closure of Main Street between Carson and Ogden avenues.
Safe rides
Revelers celebrating with alcohol are urged to not get behind the wheel after the countdown to 2020 passes and the smoke from the fireworks clears.
Free bus rides: The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada will offer free rides on all 39 fixed transit routes from 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 9 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
Lyft ride credits: To help ease the pinch on the pocketbooks of those enjoying the New Year’s Eve festivities, Lyft will offer reduced ride credits.
Lyft is pledging $20,000 for passengers to celebrate and ride smart, part of a planned $300,000 in ride credits expected to be provided during high-volume holidays in 2020 in the Las Vegas Valley.
New and existing users can receive up to $5 off two rides in the Las Vegas Valley with code LASNYE from 10 a.m. Dec. 31 through 4 p.m. Jan. 1, while supplies last.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.