After years of discussions and planning it appears that a major revamp of Tropicana Avenue near UNLV is slated to get underway later this year.
Work on Tropicana will occur between Wilbur Street to the east and just past Kelch Drive to the west. The stretch fronts UNLV and includes the intersections of University Center Drive and Paradise Road, two major access points to and from Harry Reid International Airport.
As part of the reconfiguration of Tropicana, westbound traffic will be moved underground, between Maryland Parkway and Paradise, in a diverging-diamond interchange design.
Eastbound traffic on Tropicana will still travel above ground, with traffic lights at the intersections of Paradise and University Center, where one-way traffic flows to the south and north, respectively. The two signals will operate differently than the current signals, with two-phase signals planned, reduced from the eight-phase signal in use now.
Work is expected to start in the second half of this year, according to an agenda item for next month’s Nevada Board of Regents meeting.
To carry out the Tropicana revamp and a planned extension of Tompkins Avenue near UNLV, the university plans to transfer 6 acres, at no cost, to Clark County for the needed right-of-way for the projects. The school values the acreage to be worth between $15 million and $20 million.
UNLV and Clark County have a long history of working together on land deals. Most recently, the county bought back the Sam Boyd Stadium site from the university for $5 million, despite the county receiving an appraisal valuing the land at $0.
The underground option was chosen as the preferred method in 2023, after UNLV and the county negotiated terms when an initial elevated expressway project for the area drew concerns from the university. UNLV leadership thought the elevated expressway would be an eyesore for the school, blocking branding and the Thomas & Mack Center.
Tompkins Avenue extension
A portion of 42 acres UNLV owns on Tropicana, just west of the main campus, also would be dedicated to Clark County at no cost to extend Tompkins Avenue between Koval Lane and Paradise Road. The short Tompkins stretch runs between Koval and Deckow Lane. The extension would create a new east-west road with Tompkins running through the north end of the 42 acres between Koval and Paradise.
The Tompkins extension and the Tropicana revamp are expected to benefit everyone in the area, which is why the university considers the land transfer to be worth the investment.
“UNLV also believes the monetary value of the Clark County investments in the Tompkins Avenue improvements and the Clark County Depressed Roadway project well exceeds $150,000,000 in cost — a major investment in roadway infrastructure and roadway improvements for Clark County, UNLV, the general public, the citizens of Nevada and visitors to Southern Nevada,” the item reads.
UNLV art
As part of the land agreement, UNLV would seek the right to paint a wall associated with the Tropicana project.
UNLV plans to enter into an agreement with the county to allow school students and others associated with the university to paint a wall that would face UNLV’s scarlet parking lot on the north end of the depressed roadway project. The agreement would allow the school to repaint the wall as needed as part of a UNLV campus public art program.
Thomas & Mack sign
To ensure there’s no conflict with the planned Tropicana reconfiguration, UNLV also would be tasked with moving its Thomas & Mack marquee sign, located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Tropicana and University Center. UNLV would carry out the work with no charge to the county.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X. Send questions and comments to roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com.