I drive Uber and Lyft Black around Las Vegas all day, so I see the city change before most people read about it. Here’s what my dash cam and phone caught on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 13–14: F1 crews shutting down one of the busiest intersections in town, the traffic spilling onto the back roads, and the old Mirage turning into Hard Rock.
1. Flamingo and Koval: closed 24/7 for the F1 bridge
Crews are installing the temporary Flamingo Vehicular Bridge for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Flamingo Road and Koval Lane intersection is closed around the clock until 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. Clark County says it normally carries more than 50,000 vehicles a day, so all of that traffic has to go somewhere. Harmon Avenue and Sands Avenue also have overnight restrictions this week, and Koval gets more overnight lane cuts Oct. 19–23. The race is Nov. 19–21.
2. Where that traffic goes: Industrial Road
Wednesday morning around 9:30, Industrial Road near Fashion Show Drive, behind the Strip, was bumper to bumper. That’s one of the routes drivers use to stay off Las Vegas Boulevard and I-15. Driver tip: until Friday night, give yourself extra time on any trip that crosses Flamingo east of the Strip, and if your app routes you onto Industrial or Dean Martin at rush hour, expect a crawl.
3. The old Mirage is becoming Hard Rock
Over on the Strip, the former Mirage is deep into its transformation into Hard Rock Las Vegas. The guitar-shaped hotel tower is about 660 feet tall, and the whole roughly $5 billion resort is expected to open in late 2027, with about 3,700 rooms and suites, a 174,000-square-foot casino and a 5,000-seat Hard Rock Live venue, according to FOX5. The Mirage closed in July 2024.
What it means for you
- Visitors: going from the Strip to the airport or east side this week? Ask your driver to avoid Flamingo and Koval, and leave early.
- Locals: Paradise, Tropicana and Desert Inn are your friends until Friday night.
Videos filmed by Vegas Daily Wire’s driver. Sources: FOX5 (Oct. 12), FOX5 (Oct. 4), FOX5 (Aug. 20).