Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas Boulevard | |
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Route information | |
Maintained by Clark County, City of Las Vegas and NDOT (SR 604 portion) | |
Length | 51.4 mi (82.7 km) |
Component highways | SR 604 in North Las Vegas |
Tourist routes | Las Vegas Strip |
Section 1 | |
South end | Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas in Primm |
North end | 0.5 mi (800 m) north of Primm |
Section 2 | |
South end | 2 mi (3.2 km) south of Jean |
North end | I-15 / US 93 in North Las Vegas |
Location | |
Country | United States |
State | Nevada |
Counties | Clark |
Highway system | |
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Las Vegas Boulevard is a major road in
Route description
Las Vegas Boulevard runs the length of the Las Vegas metropolitan area in Clark County. "The Boulevard", as it is sometimes called by longtime Las Vegas residents, starts at about 3.75-mile (6.04 km) southwest of the ghost town of Crystal, and continues south to about 2 mi (3.2 km) south of Jean, in the Mojave Desert. The Boulevard shows up again in Primm, but is currently not connected to the northern sections. There are tentative plans to connect the existing section at Primm to the northern section at Jean.[1]
Las Vegas Boulevard serves as the Valley's east/west address demarcation boundary line south of the
At its northern end, the Boulevard starts at the south end of Moapa Paulite Solar Road. Running north of, but roughly parallel with I-15, it heads southwest toward Las Vegas, passing through an
As the road enters the city of North Las Vegas, it passes through some of the older commercial areas in the region. As the road approaches the city of Las Vegas proper, some of what historical Las Vegas became visible, as some of the older casinos appear along with some of the more famous and long-operating strip clubs.
Upon entering the city limits of Las Vegas, the Boulevard showcases the area's past with many museums, including the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park, the Neon Museum, and the Fremont Street Experience and downtown casino sector. On crossing Washington Avenue, the Boulevard is designated as the Downtown Las Vegas Boulevard Scenic Byway by the state. This designation continues south to Sahara Avenue.
Further south is a stretch of road that has many of the older
Las Vegas Strip
The Boulevard leaves the city of Las Vegas at Sahara Avenue and assumes its unofficial name the Las Vegas Strip for the next 4 miles (6.4 km). This portion of Las Vegas Boulevard begins a few blocks to the north at the
"South Strip" is now used to describe the section of Las Vegas Boulevard between Russell Road and Blue Diamond Road. Along this stretch, development thins out, except for newer
After passing the M Resort, the Boulevard enters rural desert areas. It continues to parallel Interstate 15 and eventually arrives at Jean. South of Jean, the road ceases to be a major artery for a stretch of several miles before resuming just north of Primm, where it runs alongside two of the resort's hotels and shopping mall; just short of the Nevada/California state line, the road changes its name to Lotto Store Road and becomes a local road.
Public transportation
RTC Transit Route(s) 113 (and the MAX, before February 2016, when it was decommissioned) serves the road from Downtown Las Vegas north to Nellis Air Force Base, The Deuce serves the Road from Downtown Las Vegas south to Warm Springs and then to the South Strip Transfer Terminal (SSTT)). Route 117 serves the road south from the SSTT past the Las Vegas Premium Outlet South store, the
History
Las Vegas Boulevard has had several names, including 5th Street (from Sahara to Owens, within the Las Vegas city limits), Main Street (in North Las Vegas), the
South of the city, Las Vegas Boulevard was commonly known as the Los Angeles Highway. Just north of Jean[2] is the place where the last spike on the San Pedro, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake Railroad line was driven.
With the construction of I-15, Las Vegas Boulevard went from being the main through road to one that only served as a city street for locals and tourists. Its current name, in effect since 1959, reflects its importance to the Valley rather than past names when it served as a main intra-city road.
On October 16, 2009, the
See also
References
- ^ Velotta, Richard. "Southern Nevada motorists getting more than expected from new fuel tax". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
- ^ Nevada Historical Marker 195[permanent dead link]
- ^ "U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces America's Byways Designations for 2009" (Press release). Federal Highway Administration. 2009-10-16. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
External links
Media related to Las Vegas Boulevard at Wikimedia Commons