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Interstate 11 and the Boulder City Bypass

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Interstate 11 presently is a 22.6-mile freeway located entirely in Clark County, Nevada.  The planned scope of Interstate 11 includes the CANAMEX corridor between the Mexican Border in Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada.  As presently constructed Interstate 11 largely exists along the Boulder City Bypass which opened to traffic during 2018.  Interstate 11 presently is fully multiplexed with US Route 93 from Interstate 215 south to the Arizona state line atop the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge.




Part 1; the history of Interstate 11

Interstate 11 is part of the Federally defined 26th CANAMEX corridor.  Presently the overall scale of Interstate 11 in Arizona and Nevada largely is not finalized.  This blog will focus solely on how Interstate 11 is presently constructed and officially designated.  The 26th CANAMEX corridor can be viewed on the Federal Highway Administration website.  


The origin of what would become the Boulder City Bypass was driven by construction of the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge and wider Hoover Dam Bypass.  Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge opened to traffic on October 14, 2010, as a replacement for the existing alignment of US Route 93 (also former US Route 466) over Hoover Dam.  The Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge spans the Colorado River immediately south of Hoover Dam.  Upon Hoover Dam being bypassed portions of the former routing approaching the structure became Nevada State Route 172 and US Route 93X in Arizona. 

A brochure from the Hoover Dam Bypass circa 2009 details the opening of the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge and realignment of US Route 93.


On May 12, 2014, the Nevada Department of Transportation submitted a request the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials to designate Interstate 11.  The request specified the Interstate 11 corridor was to include the planned Boulder City Bypass between the Arizona state line and Interstate 215.  Interstate 11 in the submission would fully overlap and multiplex US Route 93 south of Interstate 215 and replace approximately 5 miles of Interstate 515.  The submission noted the Boulder City Bypass was expected to be open during September 2018.  





The application by the Nevada Department of Transportation requesting an Interstate 11 designation along US Route 93 south of Interstate 215 to the Arizona state line was approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials on May 29, 2014.  During May 2017 the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved an application for the surface segment of US Route 93 through Boulder City on Boulder City Highway to become the US Route 93 Business Route.  


Construction of the Boulder City Bypass would conclude in two Phases.  The Phase 1 corridor of the Boulder City Bypass was from Foothills Drive in Henderson south through Railroad Pass to the new Boulder City interchange.  The full Phase 1 segment of the Boulder City Bypass opened to traffic on May 23, 2018.  

Phase 2 of the Boulder City Bypass opened on August 9, 2018.  The Phase 2 corridor of the Boulder City Bypass included the entire freeway between the Boulder City interchange to Nevada State Route 172.  The Interstate 515 signage from Railroad Pass north to Interstate 215 was fully replaced with Interstate 11 signs by March 2019.  

During July 2022 the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported the Nevada Department of Transportation had selected a preferred routing for Interstate 11 through the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area.  The preferred corridor follows existing US Route 95 from the Interstate 215 interchange through the Spaghetti Bowl Interchange (Interstate 15) towards Nevada State Route 157.  The preferred routing of Interstate 11 would absorb the remaining mileage of Interstate 515 between Interstate 215 north to Interstate 15. 


As of the publishing date of this blog the Nevada Department of Transportation has not pursued making the extension of Interstate 11 official with the Federal Highway Administration or the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.  The current Federal Highway Administration Interstate highway log depicts Interstate 11 as 22.6 miles.  To date, Arizona has not pursued any official designations for Interstate 11 south of the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge.  Presently Interstate 11 currently ends in the center of the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge at the Arizona state line.  




Part 2; a drive on Interstate 11

Interstate 11 southbound can be accessed from eastbound Interstate 215 Exit 1.  Interstate 11 southbound begins multiplexed with US Route 93 and US Route 95.




Interstate 11/US Route 93/US Route 95 southbound Exit 20 accesses Horizon Drive. 


Interstate 11, US Route 93 and US Route 95 are all fully signed along the freeway heading south towards Railroad Pass.  


Interstate 11/US Route 93/US Route 95 southbound Exit 19 accesses College Drive.  


Interstate 11/US Route 93/US Route 95 southbound Exit 17 accesses Wagonwheel Drive and Nevada State Drive.  



Interstate 11/US Route 93/US Route 95 southbound crosses through Railroad Pass.  At Exit 15B the US Route 93 Business Route (Boulder City Highway) can be accessed.  US Route 93 Business in Boulder City is the former mainline routing of US Route 93 prior to the Boulder City Bypass opening.  





Interstate 11/US Route 93/US Route 95 southbound Exit 15A accesses Railroad Pass Casino Road.  


US Route 95 splits from Interstate 11 and US Route 93 at southbound Exit 14.




Kingman is signed as being 87 miles from US Route 95 along southbound Interstate 11/US Route 93 as the Boulder City Bypass begins.  


The Boulder City Bypass circles the community to the south and then northeast with no exits.  Interstate 11/US Route 93 southbound reconsolidates with the US Route 93 Business Route at Exit 2.  Exit 2 also accesses Nevada State Route 172 (former US Route 93/US Route 466) towards Hoover Dam.  As Interstate 11/US Route 93 approaches Exit 2 it overlooks Lake Mead. 


















Interstate 11/US Route 93 southbound cross the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge to the Arizona state line in the center of the Colorado River.  The Interstate 11 designation terminates at the Arizona state line and US Route 93 continues alone southbound towards Kingman.  South of the Kingman Wash Access Road a sign indicating US Route 93 as Future Interstate 11 can be found.















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