Las Vegas fills a broad desert valley ringed by mountains, and its freeways cross in the middle at the Spaghetti Bowl just north of downtown. I-15 runs north-south through the valley, along the west side of the Strip, connecting Las Vegas with Southern California and Salt Lake City. US 95 runs northwest toward Summerlin and Centennial Hills and southeast toward Henderson, where it is also signed as I-11 toward Boulder City. The 215 Beltway loops around the south, west and north sides of the valley. Las Vegas Boulevard runs through downtown and down the Strip, and Charleston, Sahara and Flamingo are the main east-west arterials.
The Spaghetti Bowl, I-15 along the Strip and the Beltway interchanges with I-15 and US 95 are the usual slow spots, and the Strip itself is gridlocked on weekend nights and during conventions. Breakdowns in that traffic are common, especially in summer when cooling systems are already stressed. The rest of the valley is laid out on a broad grid of wide arterials, so a mechanic can reach most homes and lots without fighting the Strip at all. Convention weeks add heavy traffic around the resort corridor and the convention center.
Harry Reid International Airport sits just east of the south end of the Strip, and its long-term garages and economy lots see plenty of dead batteries after a trip. Buses run up and down the Strip and across the valley, but most locals drive everywhere.
Thousands of workers commute to the resorts every day and night, so employee garages and lots behind the casinos are some of the busiest parking areas in the city at every hour.
