The backer of the Diamond Arena project is proposing a new intersection at Las Vegas Boulevard and Russell Road that would serve the proposed NBA arena and create new east-side road around the south Strip.
A Monday announcement by Chetak Development said the bypass road would connect Interstate 15 through the existing Russell Road off-ramp to the east side of Las Vegas Boulevard and onto a new four-lane roadway connecting to Haven Street, Koval Lane and Tropicana Avenue.
The estimated cost or funding source for the project was not included in the announcement.
The project would also extend Haven Street north to Reno Avenue on land owned by the MHA Nation, also known as The Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.
“MHA Nation is supportive of roadway solutions that improve the experience of both visitors and locals,” MHA Nation Chairman Mark Fox said in a statement. “The proposed Russell Road extension is exactly that kind of enhancement.”
The bypass road would serve a role similar to that of Frank Sinatra Drive west of the Strip, allowing an alternative north-south route serving areas to the east of Las Vegas Boulevard.
Chetak is also in negotiations with Object Dash, aka the Boring Co. to build two Vegas Loop stations northeast and west of the proposed Diamond Arena project. The agreement would also provide land needed to create the Las Vegas Boulevard entrance to the planned bypass road, according to the news release.
Clark County Commissioner Jim Gibson, whose district includes the south Strip, said he backs the planned road project.
“I fully support projects that bring real traffic solutions after developers and their engineers work closely with our airport and public works professionals,” Gibson said in a statement.
The Tropicana-Las Vegas Boulevard intersection sees traffic volumes of nearly 100,000 vehicles per day. The new bypass road would cut traffic on Tropicana by around 22 percent, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation.
A planned start date for the project was not included in the announcement, but the announcement said that once work begins, it would take 18 months to complete.
The group also noted that there would be little impact on existing traffic during construction because the majority of the new road will be built on land not previously used for roads.
The land for the new bypass road would come from three sources:
— Existing public roads and land from private landowners accounting for 75 percent.
— Property Clark County acquired in 2021 that includes an existing north/south road that will become part of the new road would account for 16 percent.
— Nine percent would come from building over an existing county-owned drainage ditch and adding the ditch in the middle of the new road.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.
