By Sun Staff (contact)

Mon, Dec 29, 2008 (5 p.m.)

Metro police today announced road closures for New Year’s Eve, as well as increased enforcement of city and county ordinances that ban bottles and cans from the Strip and downtown areas on Dec. 31.

In addition to the traditional closure of Las Vegas Boulevard — from Russell Road to Sahara Boulevard — to vehicular traffic during the New Year’s Eve celebration, a portion of the Strip will also be cut off to pedestrians in preparation for the nationally televised motorcycle jump in front of the Mirage.

A section of Las Vegas Boulevard and the adjacent sidewalks beginning at Spring Mountain Road and extending south to the southern end of the Mirage property will be closed from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Following the jump, Las Vegas Boulevard will reopen. A second jump in front of the Paris casino at approximately the same time is not expected to impact pedestrian traffic.

The Nevada Highway Patrol will begin closing east and west bound on and off ramps from I-15 at approximately 5 p.m., an hour before the approximate shutdown of the Strip. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes, such as the I-215 beltway, during this time. But Frank Sinatra Drive is not a recommended choice because of heavy traffic caused by employees of Strip hotels and businesses and construction projects in the area.

Metro officers will also be enforcing the ban on all bottles and cans beginning at 6 p.m. Dec. 31 until 5 a.m. Jan. 1 in the Strip and downtown areas.

Revelers are also being asked to refrain from carrying large backpacks and bags that could carry bottles and cans. Plastic cups and containers will be allowed.

Strip curfew for children under 18 years of age and not accompanied by a parent or legal guardian also begins at 6 p.m. and extends until 5 a.m.

The North Las Vegas Police Department is making it a point of emphasis to crackdown on celebratory New Year’s Eve gunfire.

In addition to distributing public service announcements and flyers in their “What Goes Up Must Come Down” campaign, officers will be heavily enforcing the city’s ordinances of firing a weapon within city limits and unlawful possession of a pistol by an impaired user.

“We intend to curtail this behavior as much as possible before someone gets seriously injured or killed in our city”, said NLVPD Chief Joe Forti, who due to the high volume of responses each year asks citizens to call 911 when they can help pinpoint the exact location of a person discharging a weapon so that officers may safely responded and arrest the shooter.