Nevada State Route 171

Nevada State Route 171 is an 0.685-mile unsigned State Highway located in unincorporated in Paradise of Clark County. Nevada State Route 171 begins at the southern portal of the Harry Reid International Airport tunnel and terminates at Interstate 215. Nevada State Route 171 is largely carried as an extension of Paradise Road completed in 1994.

Part 1; the history of Nevada State Route 171

Nevada State Route 171 (the Harry Reid International Airport Connector) was completed during 1994. Nevada State Route 171 was constructed concurrently with the segment of Interstate 215 between Interstate 15 and Warm Springs Road. Construction of Nevada State Route 171 included a three-segment airport tunnel. Two of the tunnel segments carry one-way traffic couplets whereas the third is reserved for future mass-transit use.

The unsigned Nevada State Route 171 first appears on the 1997-1998 Nevada Department of Transportation Map as an extension of Paradise Road between Sunset Road (Nevada State Route 562) south to Interstate 215.

The Spring 2006 Nevada Department of Transportation newsletter cites Nevada State Route 171 being completed in 1994 concurrent with the first segment of Interstate 215.

McCarren International Airport was renamed as Harry Reid International Airport in 2017. Harry Reid is a Senator who represented Nevada from 1987 to 2017.

Part 2; a drive on Nevada State Route 171

The approach to Nevada State Route 171 begins from Tropicana Avenue eastbound via a right-hand turn onto southbound Paradise Road.

Southbound Paradise Road is at-grade and intersects University Center Drive. Traffic heading towards Harry Reid International Airport is directed to stay right whereas traffic heading to Interstate 215 is directed to stay left.

Paradise Road becomes a limited access grade and crosses through a tunnel under the runways of Harry Reid International Airport. Nevada State Route 171 begins at the southern portal of the tunnel and terminates at Interstate 215.

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