Major ‘Dropicana’ construction project starts on Tuesday

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - It’s the final countdown to ‘Dropicana,’ the major NDOT road construction project that will close down part of I-15 for several days.

Days are numbered for the Tropicana overpass with the huge impact on traffic beginning next Tuesday, Jan. 17.

It is about to be demolished and reimagined. “In a couple of weeks that bridge will no longer be there,” said NDOT spokesperson Justin Hopkins.

Part of the I-15 will be shut down completely for 3 days and Tropicana will be shut down for more than a week but the entire project won’t be completed until next year.

“The ramp from I-15 southbound to westbound Tropicana will be offline for about nine months and that big flyover you take to go from southbound I-15 to eastbound Tropicana, it’s gonna be 18 months while we do both sides of the Tropicana bridge,” Hopkins added.

“Make no mistake ‘Dropicana’ event is a huge deal not just for I-15 and Tropicana, but for all the surface streets in the area for the resort corridor for the other freeways that circle the valley,” he said.

The biggest impact will be felt the last weekend of January.

From Friday, Jan. 27 to Monday, Jan. 30 this entire section of I-15 just off the strip will be shut down. Adjustments will be made to try and help with all the traffic in the area during that closure.

One thing that the county is doing while we are doing ‘Dropicana’ they are pausing all of their construction activities around the Las Vegas Blvd and all the other projects in the area,” Hopkins assured.

‘Dropicana’ also includes the 8-day closure of Tropicana starting Sunday, Jan. 22 to prep for the big 3 day closure of I-15.

NDOT says don’t use the Las Vegas Strip to try to get around the project.

“If you are headed northbound on I-15 - try to get off on either east or west 215. That is going to help you avoid the area entirely but if you don’t, [you can] take I-15 to Russell then Russell to Decatur north to Flamingo and then back on to I-15,” Hopkins explained.

NDOT does say this will have a huge impact on traffic in the resort corridor and beyond. They suggest drivers download their app for real-time updates and directions around the construction.

FOX5 checked to see if there were any weekend happenings during the I-15 shutdown and found no VGK games at T-Mobile Arena or any events at Allegiant Stadium. The Pro Bowl will be the following weekend after the closure.

Copyright 2023 KVVU. All rights reserved.