Friday, March 5, 2004 | 9:51 a.m.
The Nevada Highway Patrol and officials with the Las Vegas Motor Speedway are banking on the beltway to help relieve some of the traffic for this weekend's NASCAR race, but race fans can still expect long waits getting out of the speedway.
"No matter what we come up with there are still going to be 170,000 people trying to go home at the same time," Lt. Steve Harney said. "We have troopers out there moving traffic as fast as they can, but that is a lot of cars."
Harney estimated that the majority of race fans were out of the parking lots at the speedway within 3 1/2 hours of the end of last year's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400. The NHP and race officials are hoping that more fans use the Las Vegas Beltway, known along some of its stretch as Interstate 215, to help break up the gridlock even faster after Sunday's NASCAR race.
Last year the beltway allowed drivers to get to U.S. 95, but did not connect to the rest of the thoroughfares 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.
Jeff Motley, public relations director for the speedway, said that a sellout is expected for Sunday with 135,000 fans inside the speedway.
In order to move fans in and out of the speedway quickly, lanes on Las Vegas Boulevard near the track will be one way, northbound prior to the race and southbound after the race. As in past years the shoulders on I-15 and along Las Vegas Boulevard will be used as extra traffic lanes for the race that is set to begin at noon.
"We're hoping that people will come early and enjoy the pre-race festivities," Motley said.
Parking areas will open to race fans at 5 a.m., and gates at the speedway open at 7 a.m.
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.
More than 30 troopers will be stationed around the speedway 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.
Citizens Area Transit buses will also be providing service to and from the speedway on today, Saturday and Sunday. Thirty-five buses have been dedicated for speedway routes on today, 50 on Saturday and 90 on Sunday, Regional Transportation Commission officials said.
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.
More information can be obtained by calling 1-800-228-3911 or on the website www.lvms.com, www.catride.com
For the fourth year, Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters is offering round-trip and one-way flights from McCarran International Airport's Executive Terminal to the center of the track at the speedway.
The cost per person is $299 round-trip and $199 one-way. Travel time from the Executive Terminal to the speedway is 15 minutes.
The Speedway and Levy Restaurants, in conjunction with Designated Drivers Inc. of Las Vegas, will team up for the fifth consecutive year to provide free transportation services for fans.
Fans attending the event will have an alternative to getting behind the wheel if they have been drinking.
The free service may be requested by contacting any Designated Drivers Inc. representative, speedway staff member or law enforcement agency at the track, or by calling the hotline at 456-RIDE.
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