North Las Vegas Airport Master Plan Would Permanently Close Half-Mile of Carey Avenue for Longer Runways
Why It MattersMeeting FAA runway standards at a designated reliever airport can force changes to surrounding public roads, a land-use cost for general aviation and charter operations built around the facility.
A heavily traveled road in North Las Vegas, Nevada, could lose a section of pavement to make room for larger runways at North Las Vegas Airport (VGT). The airport's Final Master Plan Report calls for permanently closing roughly half a mile of Carey Avenue between Simmons Street and Allen Lane so the airfield can add longer, wider runways. The plan is driven by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards and projected aviation needs over the next 20 years.
VGT is one of two FAA-designated National Reliever Airports in Nevada, offering general aviation, corporate, charter and flight-training operations as an alternative to Harry Reid International Airport. An airport spokesperson said VGT requires a runway extension to meet FAA standards based on the types of aircraft it serves, and that because of the extension and associated flight path, rerouting Carey Avenue was necessary under all alternatives considered.
More than 13,000 vehicles use Carey Avenue daily, and master plan traffic studies forecast that number to grow 23% by 2050. If the segment closes, motorists would be steered to nearby streets, including a new connector linking Carey Avenue with Lake Mead Boulevard. About 59% of displaced traffic is projected to shift to Lake Mead Boulevard, roughly 15% to Cheyenne Avenue, and the rest to other area roads. The plan also includes roadway upgrades meant to ease the strain. The traffic study found overall daily travel times and distances across the region are not expected to rise by 2050. North Las Vegas resident Jennifer Chavira, who uses Carey Avenue for work and errands, said she expects added congestion on the Lake Mead side, which she described as already congested, as are Rancho and Simmons.
Several steps remain before construction can begin. Part of the land involved belongs to the City of North Las Vegas, whose officials would need to approve selling it to the Clark County Department of Aviation. City leaders say the traffic study and proposed changes still require FAA review and approval, and the county has indicated work may not begin for close to a decade.
