Road conditions: Stretch of I-15 still closed, most other roadways open

By Pashtana Usufzy, Ian Whitaker

Published Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014 | 11:20 a.m.

Updated Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014 | 6:05 p.m.

Flash flooding caused by Monday's heavy rainfall threatened travel on major highways in Clark County and even washed away a section of Interstate 15.

Though no serious injuries were reported, dramatic photos showed cars half-submerged in mud, fractured roadways and a river of floodwater where the highway was supposed to be. Officials closed multiple routes in the area because of flood damage, but most had been opened as of this morning.

Damage to I-15 is extensive. Floodwater knocked away chunks of asphalt from the freeway. Though construction crews already have begun work, transportation officials estimate it will remain closed three or four days.

The closure affects roughly 50 miles of the freeway between Las Vegas and Salt Lake City.

Repairs on a single one-mile stretch of I-15 between the Glendale and Logandale exits are expected to cost roughly $2 million. That's the stretch where most of the I-15 damage is, said Mohamed Rouas, an engineer with the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Rouas said the department planned to reopen traffic in the northbound lanes first and then work on the southbound lanes. While crews hope to have northbound lane repairs completed by the weekend, work on the southbound lanes is expected to take three to four weeks.

"I've never seen anything like this," he said.

Las Vegas Paving, which had already been resurfacing part of the freeway, began repairing the damage early this morning.

To get to the Moapa-Glendale area from Las Vegas, motorists should take U.S. 93 northbound to State Route 168, Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Chelsea Webster said.

All other passenger cars going north from Las Vegas should exit at mile marker 75 on I-15, take Valley of Fire Road to State Route 169 and enter back onto the I-15 from there.

Commercial vehicles going north are being instructed to take U.S. 93 northbound. From there, they can enter State Route 139, which will eventually take them back onto the I-15 around Cedar City, Utah.

At this time, NHP has no suggestions for commercial vehicles going southbound from central Utah due to road conditions. However, Webster said, Utah officials are working to suggest alternatives routes.

Passenger cars going south from Utah can exit at mile marker 93 on I-15 and take State Route 169. From there, vehicles can take Northshore Road around Lake Mead into Las Vegas or take Valley of Fire Road back to I-15.

Here's a roundup of road conditions, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation:

• Interstate 15 is CLOSED from mile marker 75 to Mesquite.

• SR 168 is OPEN. It was closed until early this morning.

• US 93 is OPEN. It was closed for 2 miles south of Coyote Springs and for 6 miles north of the Glendale junction, but was reopened late Monday night.

• US 95 is OPEN. It was closed near the Laughlin junction but was reopened early this morning. Traffic was being diverted through Bullhead City.

Transportation officials are urging motorists to avoid the areas affected by flooding, if possible.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.