Las Vegas as a destination has years of history behind it and is well-regarded for its impact in America. It is often visited by people from around the world and has become a major tourist attraction.
The focus of this read is going to be Las Vegas Boulevard and all that it has to offer.
The history of this major road is exceptional, and something people talk about all the time when it comes to local facts and information.
Let’s take a look at what this road is all about and what makes it unique.
Name
Let’s start with the name of this road. It is now called the “Las Vegas Boulevard”, but was it always like this? What was it named before all of the attractions were put in place and it was extended? It has gone by several names over the years and has officially been changed around.
It began as the 5th Street and also held names such as Main Street, the Arrowhead Highway, US 91, and US 466. These names were interchanged depending on various portions of the long road. It was often broken into smaller segments when doing this instead of having one extended name as it does not.
The major name change came when it was called the Los Angeles Highway. This was the initial name they gave it and the name remained for a long time, but then it was changed when the government felt it was best to give it a tourist-friendly name that suited the setup.
This is when the heads came together and named the major road “Las Vegas Boulevard”. It is often cited as the centerpiece of this city and where all of the action takes place in this day and age.
Route
Let’s move onto the route as it is an extensive one. Before looking at the route, it is best to assess the distance this major road covers from start to finish. When measured, it comes out to be 51.4 miles in length from one end to the other. This includes various parts of the town (including the Strip).
Most people will use this as the primary connector between different parts of the city.
The route is mixed when it comes to what a person gets to see as they ride on it. Since it is well-regarded for running right through the heart of downtown, it connects to almost every part of the city, and that is why it was called the “Highway” at one point.
It begins at the Apex and then moves towards the Mojave Desert. It continues to move through Northern Las Vegas where there are many manufacturing plants on the sides. These tend to continue for a few miles before the motorway begins to go through some of the older commercial locations.
These are not as prevalent now as they were before. In fact, the government is looking to run additional construction projects to extend this road and get it to connect with some of the other Northern parts as well.
Once past these older commercial locations, a person that is driving down Las Vegas Boulevard or “The Boulevard” will get to see older casinos. This is when the city limits are going to start showing. This is where some of the older casinos are and then it is time for the “Las Vegas Strip” as the name goes.
This is where most tourists come and where locals go to have fun. It is the heart of what Las Vegas has to offer and is well-regarded for the setup. This stretches for 4 miles and is a continuation of the road. This is where most people tend to stay and during the night it can be one of the liveliest locations in the world.
The route goes through this location and then moves onto some of the additional hotels and motels that are located for tourists and locals. This is when the road begins to simmer off and complete its path.
Most people go beyond this point to leave the city as the road extends further down moving into the Interstate 15.
Construction
What about development that has taken place on this road over the years? It was a smaller road during the beginning years when it was not required to go past the “Strip.” It would only act as a through road according to locals. This was one the upper city limits were where the road stopped.
It would only go up to some of the older casinos and motels.
Now, it has gone past this, and that is where the “Strip” tends to show up. There is a lot of construction that has taken place in the region. Las Vegas Boulevard has been extended on both sides to add more lanes, and it has been spread from North to South as well.
The goal was to make this the hub of all roads and make sure it connected from one end of Clark County to the other. This is what it does not, and that is the role it is made to play by the Las Vegas government.
The name it was given during 1959 was listed as such because the government wanted to make sure it connected with the city as a whole rather than a portion. This meant, it also had to physically demonstrate this connection to help create the relationship from one end of the city to the other.
This is why the extension was done, and it became the main road in town. It is not just a through road as it might have been in the past and is not one of the major roads people use when getting to various parts of town with relative ease. It is easier to go down this route as it connects to everything.
It was in 2009 when the local government felt it was best to give the road a special signifier in the name of “National Scenic Byway” to highlight its importance.
Public Transportation
For those who are looking to travel from one end to the other, it is best to understand how public transit has worked throughout the history of this road. There were a few bus routes that used to go through the region when it came to the North side, but this has changed now.
It has a vastly spread out network of transportation that is widely used by people from all parts of the city.
Various RTC Transit routes are running throughout the day on Las Vegas Boulevard. The Deuce also has service for those who are looking to get to the casinos. For those who are looking to travel earlier in the morning (before noon), there are services set up near the South Strip Transfer Terminal.
Las Vegas and the government have made sure to not only connect this major road to all parts of the core but make sure it is easy to move around as well. A lot of focus has gone to this part of Las Vegas Boulevard and ensuring it is as accessible as required for citizens in the area and tourists as well.
The Strip
When it comes to Las Vegas Boulevard, there is one part that is most important, and that is the Strip. This is where the action happens, and it is best to look at the history of this location to not only understand what this road offers but understand the value of the 4-mile tourist destination.
Most people access this portion of the road, so it is best to look at it and the history of the Strip.
After going past Sahara Avenue, the fun starts as some like to say. It goes past Mandalay Bay all the way to Russell Road. Most people tend to stay in this area because all of the casinos are located in this region both on the left and right.
The road connects to all of these areas, so a person can enjoy the sights and everything that is on offer in Las Vegas. It is a sight to see for most people and is one of the brightest parts of the road for those who are coming for the first time. It can be a mesmerizing sight.
Once, a person has gone past the South Strip; it becomes a collection of malls that are available for those who wish to do a bit of shopping and sight-seeing.
The Strip has grown every year with more and more developments coming in. A lot of money gets pumped in when it comes to Las Vegas, and that has remained the same for years. Most of the developments in Las Vegas begin here because that is the major money driver for this region.
History shows it continues to bring in the highest revenues for Las Vegas, and it is not going to be stopping in the future with how trends are lining up according to studies.
This begins to highlight why the Strip receives a lot of attention.
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