Traffic and Road Closures with NFL Draft in Las Vegas

Two years after being awarded the NFL Draft, and after the limited attendance of the event in in 2020 and 2021, the NFL draft week being held in Las Vegas is finally here with limited restrictions. The city will be hosting the draft from Thursday April 28 to Saturday April 30 and the city can expect thousands of fans and crowds at the Strip, Flamingo Road and the surrounding areas celebrating their favorite teams and young talent. However, locals and tourists must be weary of the road closures around the area that will make travel more difficult and frustrating. As frustrating as these closures may be, Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft says that the draft provides for an opportunity for the city, “…and will directly translate into jobs and opportunities for our local community and for the destination”. He also assured Las Vegas residents that the impacts of these closures will be reduced since the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has spent months communicating with event planners and city officials on planning and creating transportation alternatives.

Lane closure around the Bellagio and the Linq have been ongoing for the past two weeks and will be expected to go through May 6th. The following are the expected lane closures:

• Two outside lanes of Las Vegas Boulevard stretching from the Flamingo to the Bellagio entrance near The Cosmopolitan. An additional third lane will be closed on this stretch between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• The outside eastbound lane extending from 200 feet west of the Bellagio North Porte -Cochere to the Bellagio South Porte – Cochere.
• The outside eastbound lane of Flamingo from Bellagio north Porte-cochere through the outside lane of channelized right turn at Las Vegas Boulevard
• The southbound curb lane on Koval Lane stretching from Winnick Avenue to Krueger Drive

If you are a local who cannot avoid the area, or a tourist planning to drive, you can opt on taking Tropicana Avenue, Harmon Avenue, Spring Mountain Road, and Sahara Road to travel east-west in and around the Strip. However, if you are a tourist, you may find public transportation to be more convenient. The following are some of the public transportation options that are available:

• Monorail— This is probably the easiest ways to travel around the resort corridor during the draft and you can be dropped off directly at The Linq, the headquarters of the draft. The monorail has seven stations that runs for nearly 4 miles behind the Strip. If you are a Nevada resident you will receive discounted tickets.
• Game Day Express— This is RTC’s service that can be utilized during Raiders games and UNLV football games, but it will be available for the draft. They will run from 10:30 a.m. to 7p.m. On the days of draft, and will take riders to The Linq as well as Red Rock Resort, Green Valley Ranch Resort, Santa Fe Station, Boulder Station and M Resort.
• Ridesharing Apps and Taxis—Fans can opt to use a ride share service or taxi to get to the draft, however they must be dropped off in the designated drop-off area at the Tuscany Hotel, about a half-mile walk from the draft area.

Safety Precautions

While this is a fun and exciting event, it is always important to keep safety precautions in mind.  If you are visiting the area during this event, you will have to walk; as a pedestrian on the Strip it is important to follow crosswalks, posted signs, and any officials who may be in the area directing traffic. Additionally, it is important to follow posted signs within the venue, and it may be helpful to look up prohibited items or other useful information beforehand, so you are prepared. Lastly, drink responsibly and do not drink and drive. As mentioned above, there are several modes of public transportation being offered during these days and it is best to take advantage of those than get behind the wheel.

[1] https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/nfl-draft/nfl-draft-to-close-portion-of-las-vegas-strip-later-this-week-2566072/

Image Credit: swimfinfan