Interstate 11

Interstate 11 Arizona

History
North End
South End

Overview

Interstate 11 is the designation adopted for the U.S. 93 corridor between Phoenix, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Future I-11 corridor signs were posted along U.S. 93 south along the Hoover Dam Bypass freeway, and beyond its split with Interstate 40 east by 2014.

The initial portion of Interstate 11 built is the Hoover Dam Bypass, a four mile stretch of freeway traversing the El Dorado Mountains and Colorado River Canyon east of Boulder. Signed currently as U.S, 93, the four lane freeway shifted through traffic away from Hoover Dam onto the nearby Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. The twin-rib concrete arch span opened to traffic on October 19, 2010.

The succeeding section of Interstate 11 under construction is the Boulder City Bypass. Split into two phases, Phase 2 involves a new terrain route looping 12.5 miles southwest from the interchange with Nevada 172 to Boulder City Municipal Airport (BVU) and the U.S. 95 expressway leading south toward Laughlin. Under the direction of the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada, the $235 million design-build contract for work here was awarded in January 2015, and is scheduled for completion in October 2018.6

Phase 1 of the Boulder City Bypass project extends the RTC portion of the bypass north from U.S. 95 to Railroad Pass, and upgraded a portion of U.S. 93 & 95 northwest to Interstate 515. Costing $83 million, work on the 2.5 mile section broke ground in May 2015 and was completed on January 27, 2018.6 It included a new parclo interchange for Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino, and a south side frontage road leading back to Dawson Avenue in Henderson.

The future travel lanes of Interstate 11 ran along the west side of the old U.S. 93 & 95 roadway at Railroad Pass. Southbound U.S. 93 & 95 shifted to the new roadway on August 15, 2017.7 Photo taken 07/21/17.

With opening of the southbound lanes of the Boulder City Bypass phase 1 through Railroad Pass, sign changes were made in September 2017 redesignating I-515 south from from Interstate 215 (Bruce Woodbury Beltway) as Interstate 11.5 U.S. 93 and 95 were also realigned onto I-11 following the January 27, 2018 completion of the northbound roadway from the interchange with U.S. 95 to Foothills Drive in Henderson.6 AASHTO approved this on May 29, 2014.

Discussion continues from Nevada politicians for the concept of extending the Interstate 11 corridor beyond Las Vegas, and to at least Reno. Benefits to improved freight travel and trade with Mexico are cited as potential benefits.

Route Information

  • North End – Henderson, NV

  • South End – Hoover Dam / AZ state line

  • Branch Routes – 0

  • Total Mileage – 22.845 (22.60*)

Mileage

Arizona – to be determined

  • Cities – Phoenix, Wickenburg, Kingman

  • Junctions –

Nevada – 14.04

  • Cities – Boulder, Henderson, Las Vegas

  • Junctions –

Source: Nevada DOT 2019 State Maintained Highways of Nevada, Descriptions and Maps
* – December 31, 2018 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

Signs for Interstate 11 were first posted in September 2017. Photo taken by Jeff Royston (01/15/18).

History

The proposal to convert U.S. 93 into an Interstate corridor comes with the combination of multiple highway projects that extend from Phoenix to Las Vegas, including:

  • Hassayampa Freeway – from Interstate 10 north to Wickenburg west of the Phoenix metropolitan area. According to the Las Vegas Sun, “The Hassayampa Freeway is just lines on a piece of paper so far — a planning document for the towns along the corridor to use in their development agreements for the master-planned communities that have permission to build there” (Maricopa Association of Governments).1
  • U.S. 93 Expressway, Wickenburg to Interstate 40 – upgrade and four-laning of U.S. 93 from Wickenburg to I-40; expansion includes the twinning of the Burro Creek Arch Bridge to four lanes and a bypass of Wikieup. This effort began in 1998 and continues today.1
  • Interstate 40 Overlap to Kingman – a new freeway to freeway connection to U.S. 93 north would have to be built to link with the expressway en route to Hoover Dam.
  • U.S. 93 Expressway, Interstate 40 to Hoover Dam – upgrade and four-laning of U.S. 93 from Interstate 40 to Hoover Dam. With efforts starting in 1998, portions near Arizona 68 are already up to Interstate standards.1
  • Hoover Dam Bypass (Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge) – freeway bypass south of Hoover Dam over the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada near Boulder City. The bridge was under construction in January 2005 and was completed in October 2010.
  • Boulder City Bypass – Phase 1 (through Railroad Pass to U.S. 95) and Phase 2 (U.S. 95 to Hoover Dam Bypass). Phase 1 will be completed in January 2018. Lack of funding initially delayed Phase 2 until 20252, but work was underway in spring 2015, and continues through June 2018. The overall bypass project was initially estimated to cost over $600 million.3

As various freeway proposals took shape across the region, local leaders and businesses realized the absence of complete freeway connection between Phoenix and Las Vegas. Efforts coalesced into a new Interstate highway corridor, which ultimately became Interstate 11.1 This route is also part of High Priority Corridor 26, the larger CANAMEX trade corridor.

Governors Jan Brewer of Arizona, Brian Sandoval of Nevada and Rep. Steven Horsford from Nevada gathered to unveil a sign at the Hoover Dam Bypass proclaiming the route as part of the Future Interstate 11 Corridor on March 21, 2014. The 290-mile route was thought to cost anywhere between $4 billion and $10 billion to build.4

Highway Guides

North End   – Henderson, Nevada

Interstate 11 will replace I-515 north from Railroad Pass to the exchange with Interstate 215 (Las Vegas Beltway) in Henderson. See the guide for Interstate 215 for photos.

South End  – Phoenix, Arizona

The corridor for Interstate 11 through the Phoenix area is not yet finalized.

Sources

  1. Las Vegas-to-Phoenix interstate plan in the works, Las Vegas Sun, by Jean Reid Norman, July 11, 2009
  2. Meeting planned to discuss changes to Boulder City Bypass, Las Vegas Sun, by Jean Reid Norman, July 6, 2009
  3. “Asbestos delays work on Boulder City bypass.” Las Vegas Review-Journal, March 10, 2014.
  4. “Signs mark proposed freeway linking Vegas, Phoenix.” AZFAMILY.COM, March 21, 2014.
  5. More Interstate 11 signs on the way, Las Vegas Sun, by Mick Akers, September 9, 2017
  6. “New segment of northbound Interstate 11 set to open.” Las Vegas Sun, January 24, 2018.
  7. “Southbound I-11 Lanes Opening in Henderson.” KXNT (Las Vegas, NV), August 9, 2017.

Page updated February 16, 2018.