I-15-Tropicana project causing traffic jams on 215 Beltway

Work tied to the $305 million reconstruction of the Interstate 15-Tropicana Avenue interchange has traffic entering the freeway from the 215 Beltway congested during peak hours.

The cause of the daily traffic backup is the on-ramp from Beltway westbound to I-15 northbound has been reduced to one lane, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation. That causes traffic to back up on the Beltway toward the airport connector exit at times.

Motorists will have to deal with the traffic headache for an extended period as the lane reduction is slated to be in place through Nov.2.

Additional traffic congestion is also occurring daily on the I-15 northbound frontage road near the Beltway and Russell Road. That’s also due to the road being reduced to one lane, and that too will be in place until Nov. 2

Other I-15-Tropicana project-related closures include:

— The I-15 southbound ramp continuing to I-15 southbound over the Beltway is reduced to one lane through Wednesday.

— The I-15 southbound outside right lane, Russell to the Beltway, is closed through Sept. 28.

— The I-15 northbound outside right lane from Warm Springs to Hacienda Avenue is closed through Sept. 28.

There are also nightly restrictions on Dean Martin Drive northbound and southbound north of Tropicana, including lane closures, reductions, and lane shifts.

“Right now our crews are making improvements to drainage and barriers,” NDOT spokesman Justin Hopkins said. “They are also making improvements to fiber-optic infrastructure and drilling holes that will eventually house the foundations for new, automated traffic management signs. Those ATM signs should be erected in the spring of 2023 and should help provide much-needed information for drivers for the remainder of the project and beyond.”

NDOT advises motorists to expect traffic delays with the work and to plan their commutes accordingly.

The project that began this summer is slated to wrap up in 2025 includes rebuilding the Tropicana-I-15 interchange and constructing high-occupancy vehicle lanes at Harmon Avenue. Work will be carried out in four phases, with the biggest traffic interruptions associated with the project slated to begin in early 2023.

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