Las Vegas Boulevard has long needed upgrades beyond simple repaving. Sidewalks need to be widened; outdated traffic signals and 50+ year-old underground utilities need replacement. Both Clark County and the City of Las Vegas are carrying out those improvements right now on a roughly four-mile stretch of the Boulevard, from Spring Mountain Road to Stewart Avenue. The new Las Vegas Boulevard will be a much easier, more attractive drive—but we’ve got some time until we get there.

The City is roughly halfway through a three-year upgrade of the Boulevard from Stewart to Sahara Avenue, explains construction project manager Cassandra Watson-Mihelcic. “The mainline utilities—storm drain, water and sewer—is probably about 98% complete,” Watson-Mihelcic says. The next phases of work include connecting those utilities to businesses, installing new streetlights and signals, landscaping and a full pavement replacement. The project is scheduled for full completion in April 2023, though some lanes of the Boulevard are already reopening.

The Spring Mountain-to-Sahara roadwork should be completed by the end of November, Clark County spokesperson Dan Kulin says. “Remaining work includes the installation of fiber optic cables, fencing, landscaping, bollards and smart [lighting] poles.” It’s only the first of a seven-phase Strip improvement project, however, which will stretch as far south as the 215 Beltway, including water line replacement, upgrades to traffic signals, new pavement and more.

In short: If you know anyone who’s planning to drive the length of the Strip for whatever reason, suggest that they hold off for a couple of years.