New freeway cameras, signs being used to help ease Las Vegas race traffic

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada has new cameras and dynamic signs on Interstate 15 and the 215 Beltway to help motorists attending this weekend’s NASCAR races at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Signs and cameras are a part of the agency’s Freeway & Travel Arterial System that informs drivers of estimated travel time and shows real-time traffic flow.

Race events are scheduled through Sunday, culminating with the Kobalt 400 race Sunday at noon.

The RTC announced that six new cameras have been placed on I-15 between Craig Road and the track, with two each at the the Beltway and the Speedway Boulevard interchange, and one each at Lone Mountain Road and Lamb Boulevard.

The agency also has installed two new travel time signs, one on northbound I-15 south of Lamb showing travel times to the Beltway and to Speedway Boulevard and the other on southbound I-15 north of Speedway showing travel times to the Spaghetti Bowl, Flamingo Road and the southern Beltway.

In addition, dynamic freeway message signs providing event traffic information will be located on northbound I-15 at the Beltway and on I-15 north of the speedway.

Three existing signs already post travel times to destinations north of Craig Road.

Traffic was expected to pick up Friday afternoon during pole qualifying runs.

Gates open at 8 a.m., Saturday, for the Boyd Gaming 300, which will run at 1:15 p.m.

The track opens at 7 a.m., Sunday, for the feature event, the Kobalt 400. More than 100,000 people are expected to jam the track for the noon race. The worst traffic is expected between 9 a.m. and noon and after 3 p.m. on Sunday.

While there won’t be as many spectators for Friday and Saturday events, traffic will still be much heavier than normal the entire weekend.

Buses and taxicabs dropping passengers at the track will use alternative routes that will include Las Vegas Boulevard North.

Brian Hoeft, director of FAST, said the RTC-operated system helps transportation and law enforcement officials collaborate to better manage traffic. The Nevada Department of Transportation, Clark County and the Metropolitan Police Department are working together to manage the anticipated crowd.

Hoeft said NDOT began developing the new cameras and signage more than a year ago in a project that extends to Apex.

“They’ve done a good job expanding the network farther and farther away from the urban areas,” Hoeft said. “There are now cameras and signs all the way to the state line (at Primm).”

The new cameras and signs have been in place for several months, but this is the first time that they are being used to monitor traffic to and from the NASCAR race.

Traffic is monitored in a theater with 36 50-inch screens that can be configured with more than 36 views. Six employees monitor traffic from the center and two will be working before and during the race on Sunday.

Contact reporter Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow him on Twitter @RickVelotta.