I-15 widening in North Las Vegas helps with NASCAR traffic

Traffic is seen backed up while trying to access Interstate 15 following the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 400 race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 10, 2013. (Jason Bean/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Racing fans will have a little more room this year when driving to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for NASCAR weekend.

Work wrapped up Friday on a $33.8 million project to widen Interstate 15 between Craig Road and Speedway Boulevard in North Las Vegas, the Nevada Department of Transportation said.

The five-mile stretch now has three travel lanes in each direction, along along with auxiliary lanes that will give motorists additional time to merge on or off the freeway. However, work will continue through June as crews continue to pave and stripe the freeway and touch up the area with new landscaping, NDOT spokesman Tony Illia said.

Even though the construction has cleared, expect traffic jams this weekend as more than 100,000 NASCAR fans descend on the speedway for a long weekend of racing events that wrap up Sunday with the Pennzoil 400.

Contact Art Marroquin at amarroquin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0336. Find @AMarroquin_LV on Twitter.