A notoriously slow Southern Nevada interchange has the ironic distinction of being a neighbor to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Soon, however, motorists, while not reaching NASCAR speeds, will be able to zip through the connection of Interstate 15 and Clark County 215, about 10 miles north of downtown Las Vegas.
The I-15/215 Northern Beltway Interchange—unofficially dubbed the “speedway bowl”—is a Nevada Dept. of Transportation project designed to improve freeway access for the fast-growing population of North Las Vegas and its vital logistics sector. Located just blocks to the east of the new interchange are major distribution centers for Amazon, FedEx, Bed Bath & Beyond and Sephora. NDOT estimates the final project cost, funded 95% by the federal government, at $110 million. “A large proportion of our traffic is commercial trucking,” says NDOT resident engineer Nathan Enos. “Our project area is the main access to I-15 for a busy commercial concrete batch plant, Nellis Air Force Base, a Nevada National Guard armory and several Amazon fulfillment centers.”