Beltway may be jam buster

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004 | 11:18 a.m.

Over the last six years, officials at the Nevada Highway Patrol have come to view the Las Vegas Motor Speedway as an hourglass that allows only so much sand, or in this case cars, to pass through at one time.

On March 7 troopers are hoping that the Las Vegas Beltway, known along some of its stretch as Interstate 215, can break up the gridlock at the center of the hourglass -- at Interstate 15 and Las Vegas Boulevard -- by providing an alternate route for some of the 135,000 fans expected for the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400.

"Interstate 215 may be a longer drive in miles, but it's going to be a lot quicker than taking Interstate 15 back," Lt. Steve Harney of the Highway Patrol said. "Last year the 215 was open, but it wasn't fully completed.

"Now you can take it past U.S. 95 and all the way around to Interstate 15 south of town and on into Henderson."

Last year the beltway allowed drivers to get to U.S. 95, but did not connect to the rest of the thoroughfare in the northwest. The Highway Patrol estimates that only one out of every 100 cars at last year's race used the beltway.

This is the seventh consecutive year that the speedway has hosted a spring NASCAR race, and officials have been trying to improve traffic flow since races began in 1998 and 1999, Chris Powell, speedway general manager, said.

"In 1998 and 1999 we kind of got a reputation as an event where there are a lot of cars," Powell said. "We're happy now because the cars move instead of sitting still."

Powell said that speedway officials work on the traffic plans with the Highway Patrol and the Nevada Department of Transportation year-round, making adjustments and improvements.

Better defined parking areas with recognizable lanes, adjustments in gate locations and improved signs have all helped traffic flow during major races, Highway Patrol Lt. Steve Cabrales said.

Still, the traffic issues associated with the speedway are not going to disappear, Cabrales said.

Matt Kenseth, 2003 NASCAR champion, got a firsthand look at the traffic prior to the 2002 race in Las Vegas when he got stuck in gridlock on the way to the race. A Highway Patrol escort got him to the race on time, but some fans weren't as lucky.

More recently a surprise turnout of about 60,000 for a Craftsman Truck Series Race at the speedway in October brought back memories of the hours of waiting in traffic that were synonymous with the 1998 and 1999 NASCAR races. The speedway did not contract with the NHP to help with traffic for that race because only about 10,000 fans were expected, but when a larger crowd materialized so did the traffic.

"The NASCAR race is a little different because we know that it's going to be a sellout," Cabrales said.

More than 30 troopers will be stationed around the speedway that Sunday to help direct traffic. The troopers are all off-duty while working at the speedway, so that the race does not interfere with regular duties and the speedway pays their salaries while they are there.

As in past years the shoulders on I-15 and along Las Vegas Boulevard will be used as extra traffic lanes for the race, and Nellis Air Force Base will assist with the traffic plan.

Nellis officials wouldn't comment specifically on what part they will play, but in past years base roads have been used as an alternative route for buses, removing them from Las Vegas Boulevard on the stretch from Craig Road to the speedway.

Citizens Area Transit buses will also be providing service to and from the speedway on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thirty-five buses have been dedicated for speedway routes on Friday, 50 on Saturday and 90 on Sunday, Regional Transportation Commission officials said.

"We want to encourage people to use the CAT buses," Powell said. "Every full bus that comes in is saving us 30 cars on Las Vegas Boulevard and I-15."

The cost of a one-way trip to the speedway via CAT bus is $5, and a $25 pass allows for unlimited rides for the entire weekend.