Spaghetti Bowl (Las Vegas)

Last updated

Spaghetti Bowl
I-15 I-515 US 93 US 95 interchange in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, looking southeast, 2001.jpg
Aerial view of the interchange in 2001, facing east towards Downtown Las Vegas
Spaghetti Bowl (Las Vegas)
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Coordinates 36°10′27″N115°09′20″W / 36.174119°N 115.155644°W / 36.174119; -115.155644
Roads at
junction
Construction
Type Interchange
Constructed1960s and 1999–2000
Opened1968;56 years ago (1968) [1]
Maintained by NDOT

The Spaghetti Bowl is the colloquial name for a freeway interchange in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the system interchange between Interstate 11, Interstate 15, U.S. Route 93 and U.S. Route 95, which also includes a service interchange with Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Contents

The interchange, which was substantially rebuilt between 1999 and 2000, carries more than 300,000 cars and trucks per day.[ as of? ]

History

The original Spaghetti Bowl was constructed in the mid 1960s by Kiewit Corporation and was completed by 1968. [1] Upon completion, the interchange connected I-15 to the new, cross-town Las Vegas Expressway. That highway, which carried US 95 (relocated from Bonanza Road) and was later renamed in honor of Oran K. Gragson, served as a mile-long spur to Las Vegas Boulevard in downtown Las Vegas on the east and eventually served as a new bypass of Rancho Drive for US 95 traffic to the west and north.

Between 1982 and 1994, the US 95 freeway was extended to the east (concurrent with US 93) past downtown and then southeast toward Henderson, Nevada, eventually being co-designated as I-515. Also in the 1980s, new interchanges, including one with a new feeder freeway, the Summerlin Parkway, were constructed along the US 95 Gragson Freeway to the west and northwest of the Spaghetti Bowl. The increased traffic on the cross-town freeway left the I-15 interchange, with its two loop ramps, several closely spaced ramps and no ramp wider than one lane, totally inadequate; it had been designed to carry only about 60,000 vehicles a day.

In the late 1990s, NDOT began a reconstruction project at the interchange, with new, wider ramps and elimination of the loops. By November 1999, ramps had been built and opened to provide access in all directions to and from nearby Martin Luther King Boulevard (except for an onramp to US 95 north), which had only partial access in the prior configuration. The overall project was completed in August 2000 with the opening of the new flyovers and other reconfigured freeway-to-freeway ramps.

On May 22, 2015, there was a magnitude 4.8 earthquake several miles north of Las Vegas near the town of Caliente. This earthquake caused what appeared to be damage to the southbound US 95 ramp to southbound Interstate 15 and the Nevada Highway Patrol shut down the ramp around 12:20 p.m. local time. Upon further inspection by the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), the quake dislodged protective rubber encasing a previously-damaged bridge joint. With no structural damage caused by the earthquake, the ramp was reopened around 5:00 p.m. the same day. [2]

Project Neon

HOV connectors were added from I-15 north to I-11/US 95 north and from I-11/US 95 south to I-15 south.[ when? ] On I-15 south of the interchange, collector-distributor roads were constructed to eliminate traffic bottleneck and weaving on I-15 south between the Sahara Avenue and Charleston Boulevard interchanges and the I-11/US 95 ramps. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 515</span> Former Interstate highway in Nevada

Interstate 515 (I-515) was a 20.54-mile-long (33.06 km) spur route of I-15 in the US state of Nevada that ran from the junction of I-15, US 93 and US 95 in Downtown approximately 20 miles (32 km) southeast to just north of Railroad Pass in southeastern Henderson. The freeway connected traffic headed from Boulder City and Henderson to Downtown Las Vegas via a direct, high-speed route, and it ran concurrently with, US 93, and US 95 along its entire length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spaghetti junction</span> Intertwined road traffic interchange

Spaghetti junction is a nickname sometimes given to a complex or massively intertwined road traffic interchange that is said to resemble a plate of spaghetti. Such interchanges may incorporate a variety of interchange design elements in order to maximize connectivity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 695 (Maryland)</span> Highway in Maryland

Interstate 695 (I-695) is a 51.46-mile-long (82.82 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway that constitutes a beltway extending around Baltimore, Maryland, United States. I-695 is officially designated the McKeldin Beltway but is colloquially referred to as either the Baltimore Beltway or 695. The route is an auxiliary route of I-95, intersecting that route southwest of Baltimore near Arbutus and northeast of the city near White Marsh. It also intersects other major roads radiating from the Baltimore area, including I-97 near Glen Burnie, the Baltimore–Washington Parkway near Linthicum, I-70 near Woodlawn, I-795 near Pikesville, and I-83 in the Timonium area. The 19.37-mile (31.17 km) portion of the Baltimore Beltway between I-95 northeast of Baltimore and I-97 south of Baltimore is officially Maryland Route 695 (MD 695) and is not part of the Interstate Highway System but is signed as I-695. The Francis Scott Key Bridge that crossed over the Patapsco River was included in this section of the route before the bridge's collapse on March 26, 2024. The bridge and its approaches were maintained by the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), while the remainder of the Baltimore Beltway is maintained by the Maryland State Highway Administration (MDSHA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 11</span> Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Nevada

Interstate 11 (I-11) is an Interstate Highway that currently runs for 53.9 miles (86.7 km) on a predominantly northwest–southeast alignment in the U.S. state of Nevada, running concurrently with either or both U.S. Route 93 (US 93) and U.S. Route 95 from the Arizona state line and Boulder City. The freeway is tentatively planned to run from Nogales, Arizona, to the vicinity of Reno, Nevada, generally following the current routes of I-19, I-10, US 93, and US 95. Planners anticipate upgrading two existing highway segments to carry future I-11: US 93 in Arizona from Wickenburg to the Nevada state line on the Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge over the Colorado River and US 95 in Nevada from the Las Vegas Valley to Tonopah. The most recent extension came in 2024, when officials replaced I-515 signs in Las Vegas with I-11 signs and added I-11 signs on US 95 north of Downtown Las Vegas, which extended I-11 northward about 30.5 miles (49.1 km). An extension of the Interstate northward along US 95 to Mercury, Nevada, is planned after that. An exact alignment for I-11 has yet to be determined outside of these sections; a number of corridor alternatives, however, have been identified for further study and refinement. The building of I-11 in Arizona is also facing local opposition from conservation groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 195 (Virginia)</span> Highway in Virginia

Interstate 195 (I-195) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the US state of Virginia. Known as the Beltline Expressway, the highway runs 3.24 miles (5.21 km) from State Route 195 (SR 195), a toll road that continues south into Downtown Richmond, north to I-64 and I-95 on the northern edge of Richmond. I-195 passes through the West End of Richmond and connects I-64 and I-95 with US Route 33 (US 33) and US 250, which follow Broad Street, and with SR 76, a toll road that links Richmond with the Southside of the metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 395 (Maryland)</span> Short Interstate Highway in Baltimore, Maryland

Interstate 395 (I-395) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the US state of Maryland. Known as Cal Ripken Way, the highway runs 1.98 miles (3.19 km) from I-95 north to Howard Street and Camden Street in Downtown Baltimore, where it provides access to the Inner Harbor and the Baltimore Convention Center. The Interstate also serves the Camden Yards Sports Complex, which contains M&T Bank Stadium and Oriole Park at Camden Yards, homes of the Baltimore Ravens and Baltimore Orioles, respectively. I-395 also serves as the southern terminus of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, an urban arterial that provides a western bypass of Downtown Baltimore and connects I-95 with U.S. Route 40 (US 40), US 1, and I-83. The Interstate is maintained by the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) and, like all Interstates, is a part of the National Highway System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 275 (Florida)</span> Interstate Highway in Florida

Interstate 275 (I-275), located in Florida, is a 60-mile-long (97 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway serving the Tampa Bay area. Its southern terminus is at I-75 near Palmetto, where I-275 heads west towards the Sunshine Skyway Bridge crossing over Tampa Bay. From that point, I-275 passes through St. Petersburg before crossing Tampa Bay again on the Howard Frankland Bridge, then continues through the city of Tampa, where it connects to an interchange with I-4 in Downtown Tampa. After the interchange, I-275 passes north through the Tampa suburbs to its northern terminus at I-75 in Wesley Chapel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 580 (Nevada)</span> Highway in Nevada

Interstate 580 (I-580) is a 35.019-mile (56.358 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway in Western Nevada. It runs concurrently with US Route 395 (US 395) from an intersection with US 50 near the southern boundary of Carson City to the Reno Spaghetti Bowl interchange with I-80 in Reno. The freeway provides a high-speed direct route between Lake Tahoe and Carson City to Reno and I-80.

The Las Vegas Beltway is a 50-mile (80 km) beltway route circling three-quarters of the Las Vegas Valley in southern Nevada. The Las Vegas Beltway carries two numerical designations. 11.1 miles (17.9 km) of the highway, from its southern terminus at Interstate 11 (I-11) / U.S. Route 93 (US 93) / US 95 in Henderson west and northwest to I-15, is signed as Interstate 215 (I-215) and maintained by the Nevada Department of Transportation. Clark County Route 215 (CC 215) composes the remaining approximately 38.9 miles (62.6 km) of this semi-circumferential highway, with the county's Department of Public Works responsible for all construction and maintenance. The beltway is a freeway up to Interstate Highway standards in its entirety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 95 in Connecticut</span> Highway in Connecticut

Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles (179.55 km) in Connecticut, from the New York state line to the Rhode Island state line. I-95 from Greenwich to East Lyme is part of the Connecticut Turnpike, during which it passes through the major cities of Stamford, Bridgeport, and New Haven. After leaving the turnpike in East Lyme, I-95 is known as the Jewish War Veterans Memorial Highway and passes through New London, Groton, and Mystic, before exiting the state through North Stonington at the Rhode Island border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alemany Maze</span> Interchange in California

Alemany Maze is the name given to the interchange between the James Lick Freeway and the John F. Foran Freeway in the city of San Francisco. Alternative names for this highway feature are Alemany Interchange and The Spaghetti Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nevada State Route 582</span> Highway in Nevada

State Route 582 (SR 582) is a major 15.392-mile-long (24.771 km) highway in the Las Vegas Valley. The highway is the former route of U.S. Route 93 (US 93) and US 95 before they were moved to the current freeway alignment shared with Interstate 11 (I-11) formerly Interstate 515 (I-515). Known primarily as Boulder Highway, the route connects Downtown Las Vegas with Henderson and Boulder City to the southeast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 81 in Maryland</span> Section of Interstate Highway in Washington County, Maryland, United States

Interstate 81 (I-81) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dandridge, Tennessee, to Fishers Landing, New York. In Maryland, the Interstate Highway runs 12.08 miles (19.44 km) from the West Virginia state line at the Potomac River in Williamsport north to the Pennsylvania state line near Maugansville. I-81 is the primary north–south Interstate Highway in Washington County, connecting Hagerstown with Chambersburg and Harrisburg to the north and Martinsburg, Winchester, and Roanoke to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 15 in Utah</span> Section of Interstate highway in Utah, United States

Interstate 15 (I-15) runs north–south in the U.S. state of Utah through the southwestern and central portions of the state, passing through most of the state's population centers, including St. George and those comprising the Wasatch Front: Provo–Orem, Salt Lake City, and Ogden–Clearfield. It is Utah's primary and only north–south interstate highway, as the vast majority of the state's population lives along its corridor; the Logan metropolitan area is the state's only Metropolitan Statistical Area through which I-15 does not pass. In 1998, the Utah State Legislature designated Utah's entire portion of the road as the Veterans Memorial Highway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 15 in Nevada</span> Highway in Nevada, United States

Interstate 15 (I-15) is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Nevada that begins in Primm, continues through Las Vegas and it crosses the border with Arizona in Mesquite. Within the state, the freeway runs entirely in Clark County. The highway was built along the corridor of the older U.S. Route 91 (US 91) and Arrowhead Trail, eventually replacing both of these roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 95 in Nevada</span> Section of U.S. Highway in Nevada, United States

U.S. Route 95 is a major U.S. highway traversing the U.S. state of Nevada from north to south directly through Las Vegas and providing connections to both Carson City and Reno. US 95 is cosigned with Interstate 80 for 95 miles (153 km) between a junction in Trinity and Winnemucca before heading north into Oregon at McDermitt. At 646.71 miles (1,040.78 km), it is the longest highway in Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summerlin Parkway</span> Highway in Nevada

State Route 613, better known as Summerlin Parkway, is a freeway in the western portion of the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, connecting Clark County Route 215 to Interstate 11 (I-11)/U.S. Route 95 and serving the master planned community of Summerlin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Reid Airport Connector</span> Limited access roadway in Las Vegas, Nevada

The Harry Reid Airport Connector (RAC) is a limited-access roadway system located in Paradise, an unincorporated town in the Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada, United States. Composed of State Route 171, the Airport Tunnel and arterial streets, the airport connector provides vehicular access to the passenger terminals at Harry Reid International Airport. Despite being completely owned by Clark County, the first 0.685 miles (1.102 km) of the Harry Reid Airport Connector is maintained by NDOT as unsigned SR 171, while the remaining section is maintained by Clark County.

The Centennial Bowl is a freeway interchange in Las Vegas, in the U.S. state of Nevada, in the Centennial Hills neighborhood. It serves Interstate 11 (I-11)/U.S. Route 95 (US 95) and Clark County Route 215. After the full completion of the interchange in 2023, the beltway was upgraded to freeway standards in its entirety.

References

  1. 1 2 Whaley, Sean (November 9, 2015). "Project Neon's contract approval means a traffic headache is coming". Las Vegas Review-Journal . Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  2. Laux, Kimber; Taloma, Cassandra (May 23, 2015). "4.8-magnitude earthquake shakes Las Vegas; Spaghetti Bowl ramps have reopened". Las Vegas Review-Journal . Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  3. "Project NEON". NDOT.