Interstate 515 Nevada

History
North End
South End

Overview

Interstate 515 overlays the Las Vegas Expressway / Oran K. Gragson Freeway south from I-15 and Downtown Las Vegas to Henderson. U.S. 93 and U.S. 95 accompany the commuter route from I-11 and I-215 (Bruce Woodbury Beltway) northward on the Henderson bypass to the Spaghetti Bowl interchange with Interstate 15. The Oran K. Gragson Freeway continues west toward Summerlin and north to Centennial in Las Vegas as U.S. 95.

Traffic reporters in Las Vegas generally refer to the Interstate 515 freeway as U.S. 95, and many business maps, such as those found in newspaper advertisements, erroneously show this road as Interstate 95. I-515 uses the mileposts for U.S. 95, so the exit numbers reference the distance from the California border, south of Searchlight.

Formally established by Congress in 2012, the Interstate 11 corridor joining the Phoenix and Las Vegas areas overlays U.S. 93 northwest from the Mike O'Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge by Hoover Dam to the Boulder City Bypass completed by October 2018. I-11 was completed northwest from U.S. 95 to Foothills Drive in Henderson on January 27, 2018. Sign changes already renumbered the southernmost extent of I-515 as I-11 following the opening of the new southbound lanes at Railroad Pass on August 15, 2017. AASHTO approved the establishment of Interstate 11 from the Arizona state line to I-215 on May 29, 2014.

The continuation of Interstate 11 north from Henderson may overlay the remainder of I-515 to Interstate 15 by Downtown Las Vegas. Alternatively the corridor may use the Bruce Woodbury Beltway (I-215) west or a new terrain alignment around Henderson and Nellis Air Force Base to I-15 northeast of Las Vegas.

Route Information

  • North End – Las Vegas, NV

  • South End – Henderson, NV

  • Mileage – 14.444 (20.54*)

  • Cities – Las Vegas, Henderson

  • Junctions – I-11 I-215 I-15

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

I-515 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Source: 2017 Traffic Records Information Access (TRINA)

History

Interstate 515 was first established by AASHTO on July 13, 1976 for a short stretch of the Las Vegas Expressway (U.S. 95) linking I-15 east with U.S. 93 (Las Vegas Boulevard) at Downtown. The route was however not signed, and remained on paper only as the Las Vegas Expressway was lengthened further south toward Henderson. Signs were observed for Interstate 515 and the Oran K. Gragson Expressway by site contributor Cary Todd in 1993. The Henderson bypass portion of I-515 was finished in 1995.

Highway Guides

North End I-15 U.S. 93 U.S. 95 – Las Vegas, Nevada

Perspective from Interstate 515 & U.S. 93-95 north
I-515 & U.S. 93-95 elevate around the north side of Downtown Las Vegas on a viaduct over North Las Vegas Boulevard (former SR 604) on the one mile approach to Exits 76A/B with Interstate 15. Photo taken 07/22/17.
Curving westward over North Main Street and Union Pacific Railroad lines, traffic separates for the two-lane flyover (Exit 76A) to Interstate 15 south along side the Las Vegas Strip toward Paradise. Photo taken 07/22/17.
The turbine interchange joining Interstates 15 and 515 with U.S. 95 (Oran K. Gragson Freeway) northwest to Centennial includes ramps with adjacent Martin Luther King Boulevard. Project Neon through July 2019 reconstructs those connections in addition to the HOV flyover. Photo taken 07/22/17.
Exit 76B follows for the continuation of U.S. 93 north onto Interstate 15 through North Las Vegas. The two overlap to Garnett, where U.S. 93 turns north along Great Basin Highway as I-15 continues northeast to Mesquite and St. George, Utah. Photo taken 07/22/17.
Perspective from Interstate 15 north
Interstate 15 curves northward ahead of the off-ramp (Exit 41B) for SR 159 (Charleston Boulevard) west on the one mile approach to I-515 south, U.S. 93 south and U.S. 95 (Oran K. Gragson Freeway). Photo taken 07/15/17.
Exit 42A constitutes separate flyovers for both U.S. 95 (Oran K. Gragson Freeway) northwest toward Summerlin and Centennial and parallel Martin Luther King Boulevard just to the west. U.S. 95 extends the freeway north from I-515, 17 miles to SR 157 (Kyle Canyon Road). Photo taken 07/15/17.
Passing over Alta Drive and Bonneville Avenue, Interstate 15 north separates with Exit 42A for U.S. 95 north. The Project Neon project adds HOV ramps departing from the inside lanes at this location to a new flyover linking I-15 with U.S. 95. Photo taken 07/15/17.
Exit 42B carries two lanes of traffic from I-15 north to Interstate 515 & U.S. 93-95 southbound as they wrap around the north side of Downtown Las Vegas. Photo taken 07/15/17.
Historic Perspective from Interstate 15 north
A historical look at Interstate 15 north at I-515, U.S. 93 and U.S. 95. The Spaghetti Bowl Interchange with Interstate 15 was previously reconstructed to August 2000. Photo taken 11/11/00.
Perspective from Interstate 15 & U.S. 93 south
2.25 miles north of the Spaghetti Bowl Interchange with U.S. 95 (Oran K. Gragson Freeway) and Interstate 515 south on I-15 & U.S. 93 south ahead of the North 5th Street overpass in North Las Vegas. Photo taken 08/17/13.
Advance signs for Interstate 515 and U.S. 93-95 omit Henderson and Reno as control cities. Once I-11 is completed around Boulder City in 2018, a seamless freeway will lead south from Downtown Las Vegas to Mohave County, Arizona. Photo taken 08/17/13.
Interstate 15 & U.S. 93 curve southwest from the Owens Avenue overpass with five lanes to Exit 42. Three lanes continue southward toward McCarran International Airport (LAS) and Paradise. Photo taken 08/17/13.
Back to back ramps depart from Interstate 15 south for Washington Avenue and the split of U.S. 93 south for I-515 & U.S. 95 to Henderson and Boulder City. Photo taken 08/17/13.
Exit 42 carries traffic both for U.S. 95 (Oran K. Gragson Freeway) northwest to Summerlin and Centennial and I-515 & U.S. 93-95 south toward Hoover Dam, Kingman, Arizona and Searchlight. Photo taken 08/17/13.
Perspective from U.S. 95 south
Three lanes separate from the U.S. 95 (Oran K. Gragson Freeway) southbound mainline ahead the SPUI with Rancho Drive (U.S. 95 Business north & SR 599) for a collector distributor roadway. The c/d roadway serves Exits 76C for Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and 76B for Interstate 15 south. Photo taken 07/22/14.
Crossing over Rancho Drive, U.S. 95 south splits with the Exit 76 c/d roadway as three lanes continue southbound toward Exit 76A for I-15 & U.S. 93 north toward Salt Lake City and the Great Basin. Photo taken 07/22/14.
Exit 76C departs from the c/d roadway for Martin Luther King Boulevard as it parallels I-15 south from the Bonanza Terrace community to Oakey Boulevard. The two remaining lanes curve southward to merge onto a new c/d roadway being built along Interstate 15 as part of Project Neon. Photo taken 07/22/14.
A winding directional ramp (Exit 76A) leaves the U.S. 95 southbound mainline at the MLK Boulevard underpass to join Interstate 15 & U.S. 93 through North Las Vegas. Photo taken 07/22/14.
As part of Project Neon, new HOV flyovers will accompany the north I-15 to north U.S. 95 flyover spanning the Oran K. Gragson Freeway south of Exit 76A. U.S. 93 north otherwise overlaps with I-15 for 21 miles to the Great Basin Highway north to Ely. Photo taken 07/22/14.
Historic Perspective from U.S. 95 south
Exit 76B for Interstate 15 south to Los Angeles previously departed just ahead of the Martin Luther King Boulevard underpass. The c/d roadway for I-15 was constructed during expansion of U.S. 95 (Oran K. Gragson Freeway). Photo taken by Jeff Royston (12/00).

Southern End I-11 I-215 U.S. 93 U.S. 95 – Henderson, Nevada

Former Southern Terminus – U.S. 93 & U.S. 95 – Henderson, Nevada
Perspective from Interstate 515 & U.S. 93-95 north
Northbound Interstate 515 began beyond the U.S. 93 & 95 overpass across Paradise Hills Drive. Photo taken 07/21/17.
Historic Perspective from Interstate 515 & U.S. 93-95 north
A previous begin shield assembly for Interstate 515 north, with less area development along the south side of Henderson. Photo taken 11/11/00.
Perspective from Interstate 515 & U.S. 93-95 south
A long off-ramp connects Nevada 582 (Boulder Highway) with Interstate 515 east & U.S. 93-95 south ahead of the Wagonwheel Drive overpass. I-515 ended in one mile, with U.S. 93 & 95 shifting onto the new travel lanes of Interstate 11 south through Railroad Pass. Photo taken 07/12/15.
The last of the Henderson subdivisions, including Old Vegas Ranch and Paradise, front the final half mile of Interstate 515. Photo taken 07/12/15.
Interstate 515 concluded just ahead of the Paradise Hills Drive underpass. U.S. 93 & 95 used to downgrade into a four-lane, at-grade highway, but 2017 construction of Interstate 11 upgraded the southbound roadway into a limited access standards to Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino. Photo taken 07/21/17.
Interstate 11 opened from Railroad Pass east to a new parclo interchange with U.S. 95 south to Searchlight on August 15, 2017. The old route of U.S. 93 through Boulder City will was redesginated as U.S. 93 Business. Photo taken 07/21/17.

Page updated February 16, 2018.