Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau
Semitrucks are lined up outside the central and south halls as setup continues for the 2018 CES on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Monday, Jan. 8, 2018 | 2 a.m.
When the 175,000 conventiongoers converge in Las Vegas for CES this week to see the latest and greatest in technology, traffic near the sprawling exhibit spaces will be a nightmare.
CES takes place at 11 official sites, including the Las Vegas Convention Center, Sands Expo Center, Westgate Las Vegas, Venetian, Palazzo, Wynn and Encore.
Peak traffic periods are from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.
“We expect a lot of volume on Monday as conventioneers arrive, and then again Thursday and Friday as they depart,” RTC spokesman Adam Mayberry said. “Throughout the week, the Tropicana Avenue intersections that access the airport, at Paradise Road and Swenson Street, will be very busy.”
The popular trade show is only open to registered vendors, exhibitors, buyers and media, so braving the traffic to attempt to see what the buzz is about is not worth the traffic battle for the public.
The busiest roads during CES, based on history, observation and experience by the traffic management team at RTC’s Freeway and Arterial System of Transportation (FAST):
East-west
1. Spring Mountain Road-Sands Avenue, between Interstate 15 and Swenson Street
2. Desert Inn Road between Valley View Boulevard and Maryland Parkway
3. Convention Center Road between Las Vegas Boulevard and Paradise Road
4. Flamingo Road between Valley View Boulevard and Maryland Parkway
5. Sahara Avenue between Interstate 15 and Joe W. Brown Drive
6. Tropicana Avenue between Dean Martin Drive and Maryland Parkway
7. Harmon Avenue between Las Vegas Boulevard and Swenson Street
North-south
1. Paradise Road between McCarran International Airport and Sahara Avenue
2. Swenson Street-Joe W. Brown Drive between the airport and Sahara Avenue
3. Las Vegas Boulevard between Russell Road and Sahara Avenue
4. Koval Lane between Tropicana and Sands Avenues where it dead-ends
Interstate 15 interchanges
1. Spring Mountain Road
2. Flamingo Road
3. Sahara Avenue
4. Tropicana Avenue
The RTC cautions that it will likely be tough to find an empty street when traveling within a couple of miles of CES sites. One blessing: Neither the Vegas Golden Knights nor the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels have home games during CES.
To the west, the Frank Sinatra Drive/ Sammy Davis Jr. Drive corridor is a possible alternative route. To the east, the RTC recommends using Maryland Parkway.
“We encourage motorists to allow for extra time, and of course patience during this time,” Mayberry said.
The RTC’s Strip Downtown Express will begin service at 7 a.m., two hours earlier than normal Jan. 9-12 for CES. The RTC also recommends using the monorail as an alternative to driving in the area.
