Parts of I-15 to close near Las Vegas Strip as December begins

Las Vegas motorists should plan next week for a pair of directional closures of Interstate 15 near the resort corridor.

The two closures will start Dec. 4 on I-15 southbound and then on Dec. 5 on I-15 northbound, the Nevada Department of Transportation announced this week.

From 9 p.m. Dec. 4 to 5 a.m. Dec. 5, I-15 southbound will shut to traffic between Flamingo and Russell roads. During the work hours associated freeway ramps also will be closed:

■ Flamingo on-ramp to I-15 southbound.

■ Harmon Avenue on-ramp to I-15 southbound.

■ I-15 southbound off-ramp to Tropicana eastbound and westbound.

■ I-15 southbound flyover ramp to Tropicana eastbound.

■ I-15 southbound off-ramp to Russell.

During the southbound work, I-15 northbound will be reduced to three lanes from Hacienda Avenue to Flamingo.

Then from 9 p.m. Dec. 5 to 5 a.m. Dec. 6, I-15 northbound will be closed to traffic between Russell and Tropicana Avenue. During the work hours associated freeway ramps also will be closed:

■ I-215 Beltway westbound ramp to northbound I-15. (Access to Frank Sinatra Drive and Russell maintained.)

■ Las Vegas Boulevard ramp to I-15 northbound.

I-15 southbound will be reduced to three lanes between Flamingo and Hacienda during the work hours.

The closures are needed for crews to work on Active Traffic Management signs along I-15. The dynamic, full-color LED signs provide real-time driver information, including upcoming roadwork or crashes that might affect traffic ahead.

“The system can dynamically adjust speed limits or display lane-use instructions based on live traffic conditions, enhancing safety and reducing delays,” NDOT spokeswoman Kelsey McFarland said in a statement. “Similar systems in other states have been shown to reduce secondary crashes by up to 30 percent, a critical benefit in high-traffic areas like Southern Nevada.”

Ten new active traffic management signs were added to the freeway as part of the $305 million I-15/Tropicana project. The first ATM signs were installed in 2019 on I-15 and portions of Interstate 11, also known as U.S. Highway 95, as part of Project Neon.

On average the signs weigh 46,000 pounds, with larger versions weighing up to 105,000 pounds, according to NDOT.

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