Southern Nevada likely to wake up to traffic jams as Pence comes to stump
Southern Nevada residents should brace for a presidential size headache on area roads Thursday as Vice President Mike Pence is slated to visit Boulder City for a campaign rally.
The Make America Great Again rally is scheduled to begin at 1o a.m. (doors open at 8 a.m.) Thursday at the Boulder City Airport just outside of Las Vegas and will likely impact roads and airspace in the region.
The U.S. Secret Service doesn’t release travel plans ahead of visits by President Donald Trump or Pence, but the vice president is expected to land Thursday morning at McCarran International Airport and motorcade into Boulder City shortly thereafter ahead of the planned event.
“As a result, freeway stops made by the vice president’s motorcade will be done so with little prior notice,” said Tony Illia, Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman, in an email. “Any temporary traffic restrictions incurred will be made in real time by law enforcement escorts, including the Nevada Highway Patrol and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police.”
With Pence expected to travel from Las Vegas to Boulder City via motorcade, motorists should brace for potential traffic impacts on all freeways in the area.
Possible impacted roadways include the Airport Connector Tunnel, Interstate 15, 215 Beltway, U.S. Highway 95, Interstate 11 and Boulder City Parkway and Buchanan Boulevard, near the rally site.
“The department advises motorists to take the vice president’s trip into consideration when making travel plans, budgeting additional travel time if passing through known visitation locations,” Illia said.
Boulder City spokeswoman Lisa LaPlante said Boulder City residents and visitors will likely experience traffic delays while the motorcade travels to and from the event. The Federal Aviation Administration will issue temporary flight restrictions in the area during the event.
The Boulder City Airport parking lot will be open only for those with disabilities, with an overflow parking lot located at Veteran’s Memorial Park, located on Buchanan, approximately two-thirds of a mile walking distance from the event.
Boulder City officials said they warned event organizers they are subject to the 250-person gathering limit, but it’s possible more than the allowed amount will show up in the area, creating possible additional traffic impacts.
“They have agreed that once the 250-person threshold is met, the gates will be closed,” said Boulder City Fire Chief Will Gray in a statement.
Travel impacts are expected to occur again following the event, as Pence’s motorcade travels back to McCarran to head to an afternoon event in Arizona.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.