A $160M project to widen 3 mi. of the 215 Beltway in Henderson, Nev., includes adding two lanes in each direction, upgrading on-ramps and off-ramps and constructing a diverging diamond interchange at Green Valley Parkway. Designed to reduce congestion and accommodate the area's growing population, the project will also enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety.
City of Henderson, Nev., rendering
A rendering of the pedestrian bridge over Green Valley Parkway at Village Walk Drive in Henderson, Nev.
Work is set to start on a $160 million project to widen about 3 mi. of the 215 Beltway in Henderson, Nev., according to review-journal.com
Dignitaries participated on May 28, 2025, in a groundbreaking ceremony for a project that also will modify Green Valley Parkway over the highway over the next three years.
Las Vegas Paving is the project contractor.
The project will expand the freeway by two lanes in each direction between Pecos Road and Stephanie Street, transforming the 215 from three lanes and an auxiliary lane in each direction to one with five lanes and an auxiliary lane in each direction, reviewjournal.com reported.
Both the on-ramps and off-ramps between Pecos and Stephanie will be upgraded, with additional turn lanes built at Pecos, Green Valley Parkway, Valle Verde and Stephanie.
The project was designed to reduce choke points along the beltway, especially during rush hours.
Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero said the project is vital to the city's future. Henderson's population increased by 25 percent between 2010 and 2020; approximately 60,000 people moved to the area during that span, reviewjournal.com reported.
"This section currently experiences congestion due to the rapid population growth of the entire region, which has increased current traffic volume to exceed the roadway's capacity," Romero said. "This project will directly address those transportation challenges now and for the future."
The Clark County Master Transportation Improvement Fund is paying for the project and is a collaboration with Henderson, the county and the Nevada Department of Transportation. The project's bid was $145 million and there are an additional $15 million in costs tied to contingencies and labor, raising the total price to $160 million, reviewjournal.com reported.
Crews will start adding barrier rails on 215 where the widening is planned in the coming weeks.
"The first stage of widening the road is to dig out the slopes that you see on the side of the road and put in retaining walls," Conner said. "So, the first order of work that you'll see is the crew coming through and putting a lot of retaining walls in and underground utilities."
The widening project is the latest of several expansion projects on the 215. Those include widenings between Pecos and Windmill Avenue and also between Interstate 15 in the south valley to Charleston Boulevard in Summerlin, according to reviewjournal.com.
The project also includes two upgrades to Green Valley Parkway near the 215.
The Green Valley Parkway and 215 intersection will be rebuilt into a diverging diamond interchange. The nonstandard intersection will feature weaving traffic lanes, allowing vehicles to turn left onto freeway on-ramps without stopping or impacting traffic, reviewjournal.com reported.
Henderson has another diverging diamond interchange at the Horizon Drive and Horizon Ridge Parkway intersection over Interstate 11/U.S. 95. It has been open since 2015.
Contractors also will construct a bridge over Green Valley Parkway at Village Walk Drive south of the 215. This will allow cyclists and pedestrians to safely cross between the two sides of the outdoor shopping mall The District at Green Valley Ranch, without impeding traffic. It also provides a safe crossing for the 215 Beltway Trail that runs parallel to the freeway, according to reviewjournal.com.
A diverging diamond was the preferred method to increase traffic flow on Green Valley Parkway because demolition of the current bridge and widening of the road aren't required.
The new features are expected to lessen traffic congestion on Green Valley Parkway and the 215, reviewjournal.com reported.
"The reason the bridge alleviates traffic is the signals have to time for someone walking, even when no one is there," Conner said. "With the bridge, we won't have to time the walker. So, you'll get a green (light) longer at Village Park Drive."
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