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Nevada State Route 159

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jtowler82 (talk | contribs) at 20:34, 26 April 2020 (→Major intersections: Fixed typo for final mileage). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"Red Rock Road" redirects here. For the one in Arizona, see Red Rock Scenic Road. For other uses, see Red Road.
State Route 159 marker
State Route 159
Nevada State Route 159 travels west of the Las Vegas before becoming a major thoroughfare through the Las Vegas Valley.
Nevada State Route 159, highlighted in red.
Route information
Maintained by NDOT
Length18.524 mi[1] (29.811 km)
Existed1978–present
Major junctions
Major intersections CC 215 at Las Vegas–Summerlin South line
I-15 in Las Vegas
I-515 / US 93 / US 95 at Las Vegas–Sunrise Manor line
Section 1
Length15.833 mi[1] (25.481 km)
West end SR 160 in Blue Diamond
East end CC 215 (Bruce Woodbury Beltway)
Section 2
Length.337 mi[1] (542 m)
West endMartin Luther King Boulevard
East endGrand Central Parkway
Section 3
Length2.354 mi[1] (3.788 km)
West end SR 582 (Fremont Street)
East end SR 612 (Nellis Boulevard)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNevada
CountiesClark
Highway system
  • Nevada State Highway System
← SR 158→ SR 160

State Route 159 (SR 159) is a 31.204-mile (50.218 km) east–west highway in southern Nevada, providing access to Red Rock Canyon and serving as a thoroughfare in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. A portion of the west end of the route is designated a Nevada Scenic Byway.

Route description

View from the west end of SR 159 looking eastbound in 2015

State Route 159 has two distinct segments. The first segment is a rural two-lane highway that begins at its junction with SR 160. The highway proceeds northwest through the town of Blue Diamond towards Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. From there, the highway curves northeast around Red Rock Canyon to the Las Vegas city limits west of the Las Vegas Beltway. This segment of SR 159 is known on maps and signs as Blue Diamond Road (assuming the name from SR 160), but is also referred to as Red Rock Canyon Road.

As SR 159 enters the city of Las Vegas, it transitions into Charleston Boulevard, a major east–west section line arterial bisecting the Las Vegas Valley. The highway crosses the Las Vegas Beltway and runs through the planned community of Summerlin. SR 159 continues east to intersect Interstate 15 and then passes south of Downtown Las Vegas. From there, the highway ventures further east to intersect Interstate 515 and U.S. Routes 93 and 95 before reaching its terminus at Nellis Boulevard (SR 612). (Charleston Boulevard itself ends about three miles (5 km) east of Nellis Boulevard near Frenchman Mountain.)

History

Looking west down the entire length of Charleston Boulevard, from the slopes of Frenchman Mountain in 2005

A portion of Charleston Boulevard was previously designated U.S. Route 95 Alternate to bypass Downtown Las Vegas. The designation began at Fremont Street (SR 582) and continued west to Rancho Drive (SR 599), where it curved north to reconnect to US 95. The alternate route was discontinued in 1982.

Approximately 8.8 miles (14.2 km) of SR 159 in Red Rock Canyon was designated a Nevada Scenic Byway on June 30, 1995.[2]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Clark County.

Locationmi[3]kmDestinationsNotes
Blue Diamond0.000.00 SR 160 – Las Vegas, PahrumpCounterclockwise terminus; road continues south as Erskine Junction Way
Las Vegas–Summerlin South line15.83325.481 CC 215 (Bruce Woodbury Beltway)Interchange; future I-215; CC 215 exit 26
Gap in route
Las Vegas15.83325.481Martin L. King BoulevardInterchange; eastbound left exit and westbound entrances; under construction (ramp from MLK Blvd. SB to SR 159 west open)
I-15 – Los Angeles, Salt Lake CityInterchange; I-15 exit 41
16.1726.02Grand Central Boulevard
Gap in route
Las Vegas–Sunrise Manor line16.1726.02Fremont Street (SR 582)
I-515 / US 93 / US 95 (I-11)Interchange; I-515 exit 72
18.52429.811Nellis Boulevard (SR 612)Clockwise terminus; road continues east as Charleston Boulevard
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Public Transport

Current RTC route 206 functions on this road.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Nevada Department of Transportation (January 2020). "State Maintained Highways of Nevada: Descriptions and Maps". Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  2. ^ Nevada Department of Transportation. "Nevada's Scenic Byways". Retrieved March 24, 2008.
  3. ^ "Overview of SR 159". Google Maps. Google, Inc. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
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