Interstate 515

Interstate 515
source
State	NV
Route	515
Length mi	14.444
Established	1994
Direction a	South
Terminus a	Henderson
Direction b	North
Terminus b	Las Vegas
Counties	Clark County

Interstate 515 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in Nevada serving the Las Vegas Valley, connecting Henderson to downtown Las Vegas and linking major routes such as Interstate 11, I‑215, and U.S. Route 95. The route provides a controlled‑access corridor for commuters, freight, and visitors traveling between McCarran International Airport, the Las Vegas Strip, and suburban communities including Paradise and Enterprise. The freeway supports tourism, commerce, and regional mobility within Clark County.

Route description

The freeway begins near Henderson Pavilion in Henderson, proceeding northwest through Green Valley, crossing intersections that provide access to St. Rose Parkway and Russell Road. The alignment parallels U.S. Route 95 and intersects with I‑215 near Boulder Highway before continuing toward the urban core. Within Las Vegas the corridor passes adjacent to Sunset Park, skirts the eastern edge of Allegiant Stadium, and provides ramps serving downtown and destinations such as Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas Convention Center, and Mob Museum. The northern terminus connects to I‑15 and the Spaghetti Bowl interchange, offering links to North Las Vegas and Summerlin. Along the route, interchanges with arterial streets like Nellis Boulevard, Tropicana Avenue, and Desert Inn Road integrate local and regional traffic.

History

Planning for the corridor dates to growth studies involving Clark County Regional Transportation Commission, Nevada Department of Transportation, and regional planners responding to expansion in Henderson and Las Vegas during the late 20th century. Early alignments referenced U.S. Route 95 upgrade concepts and paralleled proposals tied to statewide initiatives led by Nevada Department of Transportation leadership and legislators from Nevada Assembly and Nevada Senate. Construction phases in the 1980s and 1990s completed segments that later received Interstate designation after federal coordination with Federal Highway Administration and congressional delegation members including representatives from Nevada's 1st congressional district and Nevada's 3rd congressional district. Official signage and Interstate numbering were implemented following approvals involving the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Subsequent improvements have been funded through bonds overseen by Clark County and grants facilitated by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Exit list

The route's interchanges provide numbered exits that serve major streets and destinations. Key exits include connections to Boulder Highway, East Lake Mead Parkway, Tropicana Avenue, Flamingo Road, Sahara Avenue, and the terminal link to I‑15 near UNLV and the Las Vegas Strip. Milepost‑based exit numbering, ramp configurations, and collector–distributor lanes coordinate with adjacent facilities such as the Spaghetti Bowl and the interchange with U.S. 95 northbound. Service access points facilitate access to commercial centers near McCarran International Airport and industrial zones near Nellis Air Force Base's support areas. Signage incorporates guidance for destinations including Downtown Las Vegas, Henderson, McCarran International Airport, and Interstate 11 connections toward Boulder City and Hoover Dam.

Future plans and proposals

Regional transportation planning by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada and Nevada Department of Transportation has examined capacity increases, interchange rebuilds, and integration with Interstate 11 corridor concepts linking Phoenix and Las Vegas. Proposals include ramp reconfigurations to reduce weaving near the Spaghetti Bowl, managed lanes or high‑occupancy vehicle provisions modeled after corridors in California and Texas, and enhanced multimodal access to transit hubs such as Nevada State College and the Brightline West corridor proposals. Funding scenarios reference federal discretionary programs administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation and local revenue measures endorsed by Clark County Commission and ballot initiatives supported by municipal leaders in Henderson and Las Vegas.

Traffic and safety

Traffic volumes reflect commuter flows between Henderson and Las Vegas, special‑event peaks associated with venues like Allegiant Stadium and conventions at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and tourist surges to the Las Vegas Strip. Crash mitigation strategies have included redesigned ramp geometries, improved lighting influenced by guidelines from the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, and implementation of incident response coordination with Nevada Highway Patrol and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Safety campaigns have involved partnerships with Clark County School District and regional stakeholders to address pedestrian crossings near mixed‑use developments and transit stations. Performance monitoring uses metrics from Federal Highway Administration reports and state data compiled by Nevada Department of Transportation.

Surrounding infrastructure and transit connections

The corridor interfaces with transit services operated by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, including bus routes serving UNLV, Downtown Las Vegas, and Henderson, as well as park‑and‑ride facilities that connect to longer‑distance corridors such as U.S. 95 and Interstate 11. Proximate aviation access is provided by McCarran International Airport, while proposed rail initiatives such as Brightline West and studies involving Nevada Department of Transportation envision integrated passenger transfers. Freight movement benefits from connections to truck routes serving Port of entry facilities and distribution centers near Enterprise. Utilities and right‑of‑way coordination involve entities like Nevada Power Company and regional planning bodies including Southern Nevada Water Authority.

Category:Interstate Highways in Nevada