A daring desert drive

Our drive will take us through Las Vegas, NV, Searchlight, NV, Needles, CA and Blythe, CA, and several small towns inbetween. While in Las Vegas, we'll look at US 95's alignments through the city, both old and new, as well as the new freeway construction and some of the local state routes. Then we'll descend south with US 93, detour for a swim in Lake Mead and dive off into the Mojave Desert for a romp with old US 66 in Needles, finally rocketing through the desert between Needles and Blythe, skirting the resorts and marinas of the Colorado River Valley on our way back to civilization.

Principal photography completed July 2005, with significant updates July 2007; write-up completed December 2007.

Sections

• Back to the main Roadgap page

Las Vegas Metro Area, NV

• Part 1: Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Expressway (US 95 Fwy, ClarkCo 215, I-215, I-515)

  We start by examining the present-day freeway routing of US 95 in Las Vegas. This includes modern routes US 95, I-15, US 93, I-515, NV 157, ClarkCo 215, BR 95, NV 582, I-215 and NV 564, and portions of the former Gragson Expwy and present-day Las Vegas Expwy.

• Part 2: Tonopah Highway, Fremont Street and Boulder Highway to Henderson (Old US 95, BR 95, NV 599, NV 579, NV 582)

  We then retrace our steps to examine US 95's previous alignment in the city and take in some of the sights and history of old Las Vegas. This includes modern routes US 95, BR 95, NV 599, NV 579, NV 582 and former routes NV 601 and NV 604, as well as old NV 5 and what is now designated Historic US 91-466 and Historic Alternate US 91-466.

• Part 3: Boulder Hwy in Henderson and the Hoover Dam (US 93/US 95, Old US 95/US 93/US 466, NV 582)

  On our way south, we pass through the city of Henderson, and make a detour to the spectacular Hoover Dam and the (as of this writing) Hoover Dam Bypass under construction along US 93. This includes modern routes NV 582, NV 593, NV 564 and modern US 95 and US 93.

Southern Nevada and California

• Part 4: US 93 to Needles

  Leaving Vegas metro, we split from US 93 and course through southern Nevada, taking a brief stop in Searchlight, to our junction at I-40 and Needles. This includes modern routes US 95, US 93 (and the current truck bypass), NV 165, NV 164, NV 163 and I-40, as well as what is now presently designated Historic Route 66.

• Part 5: US 95 in Needles, Old US 66, and AZ 95

  We spend an entire section just in Needles to trace its twin alignments of US 95 (along with US 66), and take a detour into Arizona to visit US 95's ancestor in that state. This includes modern routes US 95, I-40, BR 40, AZ 95 and MohCo 227, as well as old US 95 and what is now presently designated Historic Route 66.

• Part 6: I-40 to Blythe

  Finally, on a race to photograph while the sun's still out, we hurtle into the southern Mojave for the finish line in Blythe, completing US 95's full official routing within California with this last section. This includes modern routes US 95, I-40, I-10 and BR 10, as well as old US 60/old US 70 and old US 66.