Interstate 11

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

Succeeding sections of I-11 constructed included the Boulder City Bypass. Split into two phases, Phase 2 involved a new terrain route looping 12.5 miles southwest from the interchange with SR 172 (Exit 2) toward 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 was awarded in January 2015 and completed October 2018.⁶

Phase 1 extended 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 and 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 07/21/17

Installation of I-11 signs began appearing in Fall 2017 when initial southbound lanes of the bypass opened to Railroad Pass.⁵ I-11 formally replaced I-515 from the exchange with I-215/SR 564 southeast once the entire Boulder City Bypass opened. U.S. 93-95 was also realigned onto I-11 following the completion on January 27, 2018 of the northbound roadway from the interchange with U.S. 95 at Exit 14 to Foothills Drive in Henderson.⁶ The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) ultimately approved this routing on May 29, 2014.

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

New guide signs posted along Interstate 15 at I-515/U.S. 93-95 in 2021 included a space reserved for an I-11 shield beside U.S. 95 for Exit 42 A. Additionally signs for U.S. 95 along CC-215 (Bruce Woodbury Beltway) at the Centennial Bowl Interchange included space for Interstate 11 markers.

AASHTO approved a request by the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) during the October 2022 meeting of the Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering for the northwestern extension of Interstate 11 through Las Vegas. I-11 replaced the remainder of I-515 between I-215/SR 564 and the Spaghetti Bowl interchange joining I-15, U.S. 93 and U.S. 95 near Downtown Las Vegas. I-11 also overlays U.S. 95 northwest to SR 157 (Kyle Canyon Road) beyond the Centennial Bowl interchange with CC-215.

Route Information

North End – Las Vegas, 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 2022 State Maintained Highways of Nevada, Descriptions and Maps
* – December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

Signs for Interstate 11 were first posted in September 2017. Photo 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 was completed in January 2018. Lack of funding initially delayed Phase 2 until 2025², but work commenced Spring 2015, and concluded 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 long route was thought to cost anywhere between $4 billion and $10 billion to build.⁴

Photo Guides

North End – Las Vegas, Nevada

The north end of Interstate 11 was relocated from the Henderson Bowl Interchange with I-215 (Bruce Woodbury Beltway) to the end of the freeway along U.S. 95 in northwest Las Vegas. Signs posted at the DDI constructed at SR 157 (Kyle Canyon Road) include space to accommodate I-11 shields.

Former North End – Henderson, Nevada

North at

I-11 and U.S. 93-95 bend northwest two miles ahead of the Henderson Bowl interchange. 03/07/19

Traffic descends from Horizon Drive (Exit 20) along I-11 north to upcoming I-215 west. I-215 connects I-11 with Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and the south end of the Las Vegas Strip. 03/07/19

SR 564 (Lake Mead Parkway) travels northeast from the exchange joining I-11/215/515 to Henderson and Boulder Highway (SR 582) to the entrance of Lake Mead National Recreation Area. 03/07/19

Two lanes depart from I-11/U.S. 93-95 north at the Henderson Bowl for I-215 west and SR 564 east. Exit 62 separates from I-515 north to Auto Show Drive in 1.25 miles. 03/07/19

Comprising the southern portion of the 51 mile long Bruce Woodbury Beltway encircling Las Vegas, I-215 travels 12 miles west from I-11/515 to I-15 at the Fish Bowl interchange. Clark County 215 overlays the remainder of the beltway through western reaches of the metro area. 03/07/19

East at

Interstate 215 east swells to four lanes ahead of the Henderson Bowl interchange (Exit 1) with I-11-515/U.S. 93-95. I-11 follows U.S. 93-95 southeast to Boulder City and Hoover Dam while I-515 travels northwest to Downtown Las Vegas. 03/01/19

Lanes separate for I-11 south and I-515 north as I-215 spans a Union Pacific rail line. SR 564 lowers from the Henderson Bowl to Henderson and Lake Mead Recreation Area. 03/09/19

Two lanes partition for both Interstate 11/U.S. 93-95 south to Boulder City and Interstate 515/U.S. 93-95 north to Las Vegas. I-11 extends 23 miles south and east around Boulder City to the Arizona state line south of Hoover Dam. 03/09/19

South at

Exit 62 leaves I-515 for Auto Show Drive just ahead of Exit 23 at the Henderson Bowl interchange to I-215 west and SR 564 (Lake Mead Parkway) east. I-515 concludes in one mile. 03/07/19

The ramp at Exit 23 for Interstate 215 west and SR 564 east was modified by December 2018 to eliminate traffic weaving between Auto Show Drive and the Henderson Bowl. 03/07/19

The final confirming marker for I-515 south stands adjacent to the separation of Exit 23 for I-215 west to Enterprise and SR 564 east into Henderson. Prior to the extension of I-11 north from Boulder City, I-515 continued south with U.S. 93-95 to Railroad Pass. 03/07/19

South End – Arizona state line

Interstate 11 south concludes where the Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge crossing the Arizona state line above the Colorado River. U.S. 93 continues along an expressway southeast to I-40 at Kingman. 03/01/19

Interstate 11 commences along U.S. 93 north at the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Mem Bridge and Nevada state line. 03/27/22

Sources

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

Page updated April 10, 2023.