Interstate 515

About 3 pages (736 words)

Know this topic well? Help others and get FREE products!

Interstate 515
Auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System

Length:

20.54 mi^[1] (33.06 km)

Formed:

1994

South end:

US 93/US 95/SR 582 in Henderson, NV

Major
junctions:

I-215 in Henderson, NV

North end:

I-15/US 93/95 in Las Vegas, NV

Nevada highways

Interstate 515 (abbreviated I-515) is a spur of Interstate 15 that runs from the junction of I-15, US 93 and US 95 (the "Spaghetti Bowl Interchange") near downtown Las Vegas, Nevada approximately 20 miles southeast to Railroad Pass near the borders of Henderson, Nevada and Boulder City, Nevada. I-515 runs concurrently with U.S. Highways 93 and 95 for its entire length.

1 History
2 Exit list
3 External links
4 References

History

The freeway, which began construction in 1982, is a continuation of the Oran K. Gragson Expressway (named for the former Las Vegas mayor who advocated for the construction of the then Las Vegas Expressway) which ran primarily along the former West Fremont Street alignment between Las Vegas Boulevard and Rainbow Boulevard. The spur was completed southeast to Charleston Boulevard in 1984, to Flamingo Road by 1986, and to Lake Mead Drive by 1990. By 1994, the entire freeway was completed to Boulder Highway, just south of Wagon Wheel Drive. Although the I-515 designation was first granted in 1990 from I-15 to Boulder Highway (at exit 70), the route was not signed consistently throughout until the freeway reached Railroad Pass in 1994. It is speculated that the I-515 designation could be extended south around Boulder City along the future US 93/Boulder City Bypass. There is also the speculation this freeway could become part a proposed Interstate to Phoenix. Prior to the completion of the freeway, US 93 and US 95 originally followed Fremont Street/Boulder Highway from downtown Las Vegas southeast through Henderson towards to Boulder City. Boulder Highway was signed as a business route of US 93/95 after the freeway was completed, but that designation has since been removed; it is now just Nevada State Route 582. Despite being designated and signed for several years, most Las Vegas residents refer to the I-515 freeway as "US 95". This is due to the continuation of US 95 as a separate freeway west and north of I-15 (I-515 ends at I-15, while US 93 curves north to follow I-15). Some residents and media outlets often incorrectly refer to the freeway as I-95, which sometimes draws the ire of longtime Las Vegas residents. In recent years however, the term I-515 (or The 515) is slowly being accepted by residents, especially those in the Henderson area and on the east side of Vegas.

Exit list

Exits on I-515 are numbered according to US 95 mileposts. The entire route is in Clark County.

Location	#	Destination	Notes
Henderson	I-515 begins on US 93/US 95 near Railroad Pass
	56	Wagonwheel Drive, Nevada State Drive, Boulder Highway	Split into exits 56A (Wagonwheel Dr., Nevada State Dr.) and 56B (Boulder Hwy.) northbound; serves Nevada State College
	57	College Drive	serves College of Southern Nevada, Henderson Campus
	59	Horizon Drive
	61	I-215 west / SR 564 east (Lake Mead Parkway)	Signed as exits 61A (west) and 61B (east) southbound
	62	Auto Show Drive
	64	Sunset Road
	65	Russell Road	serves Sam Boyd Stadium
Paradise, Winchester	68	Tropicana Avenue - McCarran Airport
	69	Flamingo Road
	70	Boulder Highway
Las Vegas	72	Charleston Boulevard
	73	Eastern Avenue
	75A	Las Vegas Boulevard - Downtown Las Vegas, Cashman Field	Signed as exit 75 northbound
	75B	Casino Center Boulevard - Downtown Las Vegas	Southbound exit only. Northbound entrance via 4th Street.
	76	I-15 / US 93 north - Los Angeles, Salt Lake City	Spaghetti Bowl interchange; Signed as exits 76A (south) and 76B (north) northbound and 76A (north) and 76B (south) southbound
	76C	Martin Luther King Boulevard	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		End I-515; freeway continues along US 95. US 93 continues north on I-15.