LAS VEGAS, NEV. – The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) announces that the $40 million Interstate 515 (U.S. Highway 95) viaduct rehabilitation project from Interstate 15 to Eastern Avenue begins June 27 in downtown Las Vegas. (A viaduct is a long bridge-like structure carrying an elevated roadway not to be confused with an aqueduct that conveys water). As a result, mainline I-515 will be reduced to two travel lanes in each direction between I-15 and Eastern Avenue starting at 9 p.m., June 27, for southbound and beginning at 9 p.m., June 29, for northbound, with both closures continuing through late December 2022. Additionally, motorists can also expect the following traffic impacts:

June 27 – September 1 • The southbound I-515 offramp at Casino Center Boulevard will be closed from 9 p.m., June 27, until 5 a.m., September 1.

June 27 – June 29 • The Las Vegas Boulevard onramp to southbound I-515 will be closed from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly, starting the evening of June 27 and concluding the morning of June 29. • The southbound I-515 offramp to Eastern Avenue will be closed from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly, starting the evening of June 27 and concluding the morning of June 29.

June 28 – July 1 • The Casino Center Boulevard onramp to northbound I-515 will be closed from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. nightly, starting the evening of June 28 and concluding the morning of July 1.

June 29 – July 1 • The Eastern Avenue onramp to northbound I-515 will be closed from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly, starting the evening of June 29 and concluding the morning of July 1. • The northbound I-515 offramp to Las Vegas Boulevard will be closed from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly, starting the evening of June 29 and concluding the morning of July 1.

The project will extend the near-term service life of the viaduct, portions of which were built almost 60 years ago. Las Vegas Paving Corp. is the general contractor. However, plans are underway for replacing the viaduct as part of the future Downtown Access Project, which is currently in the early environmental planning stages. Meanwhile, the current project will repair and overlay the entire 1.2 million square foot viaduct deck surface between the Union Pacific Railroad and 21st Street – the equivalent of 25 football fields – as well as reconstruct the Casino Center Boulevard off-ramp hinge while seismically retrofitting selected viaduct columns. Also, a new southbound auxiliary lane will be added between Interstate 15 and Eastern Avenue by lane restriping, and the Eastern Avenue southbound offramp will be widened to two lanes.

Other improvements entail reconstructing the aging Eastern Avenue and Desert Inn Road bridges, which have developed fatigue cracks in the structural steel box girders. The project will use 614,000 pounds of total steel or enough iron to forge 20 cruise ship anchors and place enough polymer concrete aggregate and resin to fill 28 average-sized swimming pools. Construction will occur six days a week. The stretch of impacted interstate averages 183,000 vehicles daily, pre-pandemic, with heavy trucks only accounting for 1.2 percent of total traffic. As a result, the 370-working-day project contract carries up to $1.38 million in early completion incentives; conversely, penalties of $16,250 per day will be assessed for late completion. The state and federally funded project, anticipated to finish by late-December 2022, will create 500 direct, indirect, and induced local jobs.

Check-out the dedicated project website at www.i515project.com or Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages at @I515FixLV for up-to-date information. There is also a hotline available in English and Spanish that motorists can call or text at: (702) 426-7505. Meanwhile, drivers should use caution while travelling through the work zone, heed construction signage, and take alternate detour routes, if possible. NDOT works with Waze to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but unscheduled construction changes, closures and restrictions are possible due to weather or other factors. For the latest state highway conditions, visit nvroads.com or call 511 before driving.