Most major cities throughout the US have planning commissions that approve construction projects before they can be built.

I could be wrong but I don't think that they do that in Las Vegas.

The present congestion on the Strip often brings traffic to a standstill.

On a recent visit it took us over 60 minutes to travel the one mile stretch between The Tropicana to the Barbary Coast and another 20 minutes to reach the TI.

And now they are building thousands of new hotel rooms and condominium apartments from one end of the Strip to the other apparently without any the benefits of any deep thinking process concerning ingress and egress, and open routes for emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire trucks.

The day these mew condos and hotels fill up will be the day that the Strip becomes a major parking lot.

Is anyone aware of any plans that will alleviate some of that traffic and get it back to normal once again? There must be some plan afoot to eliminate the need for our own feet to travel up and down the Strip when the saturation point is reached.

Anyone got the inside scoop?

I can not imagine Las Vegas not having a planning commission that must review projects prior to implimatation?
To ride along somewhat on will's coat tails; can anyone foresee the strip becoming a pedestrian mall such as the downtown Fremont area has become? I (along with many of you) can certainly remember when Fremont St. was a drive thru and the intersection by the Fremont and Golden Nugget was a Mouse intersection (walk any direction). Then, we never imagined what it has become. The Monorail was supposed to alleviate some of the strip traffic but it doesn't seem to make a difference! Monorail location is crappy in my opinion!....

The condos have been a big concern of mine and I don't know if anyone thought it through. I would have guessed that a planning commission would be part of the City Of Las Vegas, which doesn't include the strip. However, as I drove up Durango today, near 215, I saw a site where there will soon be another Stations casino. there was a big sign that said something like "This property is zoned for a casino and hotel resort". I doubt if that area is covered by any city.

Growth is a realistic concern. I'm surprised that it isn't more of a local media issue than it has been.

Will - I was wondering the same thing myself, with all the news on the "city" they're putting in where the Boardwalk is now. If that develops like they say it will, I can't imagine how they're going to handle all the traffic.

The only thing I can think of to relieve some of the traffic is that it looks like (at some point in the future) you'll be able to travel west on Harmon Ave. past I-15 - at least I think that's right. Maybe JMT has more info on that.

My question is, does a hotel & casino or a condo, make more traffic on the strip? I'm guessing square foot wise, the condos cause less congestion (ie less people per square foot).

The other thought that has crossed my mind is, that most locals don't frequent the strip anyway, so they probably arn't as concerned as to what happens anyway. With the thinking...better there, then in my neighborhood.

Might be interesting to do some research here and I'm willing to do it for informational purposes if some of your kind folks are willing to lend a hand.

First of all I have to make a list of each new hotel/condo project that is either planned or under construction on the Strip and on Koval Lane from Tropicana Ave to Sahara Avenue.

Then I'll gather the info regarding the number of rooms in each project and multiply that by a factor of two and a vacancy factor of 30 percent or a more realistic figure that someone may have stats on.

Figure three cars for every five units because some people just don't drive while in town.

On the top of my head I can immediately think of the following projects underway or being planned for the Strip and Koval Lane and I will add to it when I get time unless you folks want to help

I did visit a number of these sales offices on my last visit.

Here's the list from the top of my head...

The Residences at the MGM Grand.
The ......... between Bellagio and Monte Carlo.
Trump Tower vicinity of Wynn LV.
Sky down by Circus Circus.
Evanna's place across from the Sahara.
The new Turnberry project planned for the old water park location.

Then there are two major places going up on Koval.

JMT and others: I was employed by our county for several years and have been active in many planning issues (and still am). I believe that every county, at least in Oregon and every location I know of has a planning commission and most items even have to pass a "Design Review Board" prior to a building permit being issued. I know as I was damned if I did and damned if I didn't......Can't win either way but darn seldom!!

The "Plot" thickens ........

I don't mean to scare anyone unless you plan to be drivng down the Las Vegas Strip during peak traffic hours over the next five years or so but here is a sample of the newly built and planned hotel/condo units going up on and around the LV Strip.

This is not all inclusive and I am still attempting to associate the number of "units" in each project and the opening dates which should prove to be of interest to some of us.

OK, here goes in no particular order ....

Trump International Towers, 64 floors on the Strip.

Ivana Trump Las Vegas, 80 floors, 945 units on the NE cornor of Sahara and the Strip.

The Residences at the MGM Grand on the Strip and Tropicana will eventually consist of four towers.

The Cosmopolitan - Two towers of 61 stories each on the Strip. About 2,200 condo/hotel units with a 400 foot Strip frontage between the Bellagio and the Project CityCenter. (This appears to be one of the most attractive and unique condos on the Strip.)

The Project CityCenter will be a multi-billion dollar project built on the Strip on 66 acres between the Bellagio and the Monte Carlo and is expected to be completed in 2010. It will consist of a 4,000 room hotel/casino, three 400 room boutique hotels and 1,650 condo/hotel units and private residences.

Sky Las Vegas - On the Strip just north of Circus Circus - 450+ apartments.

And the Las Vegas Hilton time share units just north of the Sky. (This one is completed.)

And the new Turnberry project planned for the old water park area and south to that old casino location which name I cannot recall at the moment.

Aqua Blue on Koval next to the Platinum behind Paris and Aladdin.

Platinum on Koval Lane next door to Aqua Blue.

Las Ramblas (Harmon between Koval and Paradise just west of Hard Rock - George Clooney is involved in this one - 4,400 units in 11 towers.
One heck of a major project. I visualize this being across from Alexis Park just a bit west of
Hard Rock.

The Hard Rock is planning a major project in the vicinity of their casinof.

Metropolis Las Vegas on East Desert Inn Rd overlooking the Wynn Golf Course. I believe I saw this completed project from my Wynn LV window across from the north edge of the golf course.

The first ever hotel to open in Vegas without a casino will be the Majestic. The $350 million resort will have 378 five-star suites from Conrad Hotels on the bottom and 286 luxury condos by Majestic Resorts on the top 30 floors. It will be located behind the new Wynn Las Vegas and should open in December of 2006.

And the four Turnberry towers.

I know I am overlooking a few others in the general area which will have a major affect on the traffic conditions.

Here's a PROPHECY ..... I predict that the "Las Vegas Strip" south of the airport and all the way down to St Rose Parkway will be completely developed by 2010, so if you plan to be a casino barron, I suggest you get in now. Next month may be too late.

Las Vegas One is coming up in that area. I strongly suggest you do some sightseeing out there soon.