Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016 | 4:12 p.m.
A proposed elevated expressway that would link McCarran International Airport with the Las Vegas Strip received positive feedback Tuesday from the Clark County Commission.
The estimated $200 million project would alleviate congestion on arterials such as Koval Lane and Paradise Road, said Denis Cederburg, the county’s director of public works.
County officials first unveiled the proposal last month at a Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee meeting. It drew praise from tourism leaders, triggering today’s presentation to commissioners.
The project would involve building two elevated, one-way expressways above existing roadways.
One would go from the airport to the Strip over Swenson Street and Paradise Road. Off-ramps would lead to Tropicana Avenue, Harmon Avenue, Flamingo Road and Paradise Road.
The other would go from the Strip to the airport over Koval Lane and Tropicana Avenue. Traffic would use on-ramps from Koval Lane, Flamingo Road and Harmon Avenue to enter the elevated expressway, which would provide direct access to McCarran.
“I just think this is a magnificent way to move the traffic,” Commissioner Mary Beth Scow said after the presentation. “I really appreciate your out-of-the-box thinking.”
Even so, Commissioner Steve Sisolak inquired about a potential sticking point — money. The county has $25 million set aside for widening Koval and Paradise that could be diverted to the project, but another $175 million would be needed.
County Manager Don Burnette expressed a “high degree of confidence” that multiple funding sources could be folded together to make the project a go.
“I think it will take a little bit of time,” he said. “We’ll get back to you in hopefully the next 30 to 60 days.”
The project would take a year to design and two years to build, Cederburg said. It could be done in phases.
Commissioners voted unanimously to allow county officials to move forward with a study and predesign plans.
“There’s obvious enthusiastic support,” Sisolak said.
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