Tips for driving between LA and Vegas to get out of horrible traffic
Here are some tips for dodging bumper-to-bumper traffic during that drive:
Northbound:
- Victorville Area: Take D St. exit, go north, stay on road awhile through Oro Grande and others, go east on CA-58 in Barstow to rejoin I-15. Extra time: 20 minutes
- Barstow Area: Take I-40 instead. Get on I-40, get off on Hidden Springs Rd (Barstow/Dagget airport), go east on National Trails, then north on Minneola, and head north to merge back with 15. If traffic extends past Minneola, you can get off on National Trails instead, go east, go north on Newberry Road, then east on Riverside, then north on Harvard, where you will connect with I-15. Extra time: 15-20 minutes
- Baker area: Take Kelbaker Road east to Kelso, then northeast on Kelso Cima Rd, then in Cima take Morningstar Mine Rd northeast, then Ivanpah north. then when you get to Nipton, you can either go west back to the 15, or east towards the 95. Extra time: 45 minutes if back to the 15, 105 minutes if through the 95.
Stateline area: Take Nipton exit, go east, go north on US-95 until you reach the new I-11. Go north until you reach the 215, then go north to get to the 15. Extra time: 1 hour.
Jean, NV area: Get off and go north on Las Vegas Blvd. Extra time: 20 minutes -- less if you can get back on the 15 sooner.
Southbound:
Las Vegas area: If traffic is bad between Vegas and Jean, take Las Vegas Blvd south all the way to Jean. Otherwise, if the traffic extends past Jean, make your way over to the 515, go south to the new I-11, take it south to the 95, until Searchlight. At Searchlight, travel west to Nipton Rd until you reach the 15. Extra time: 1 hour.
Stateline area: Exit Nipton Rd, go east, then south on Ivanpagh, then south on Morningstar Mine to Cima, then Kelso Cima Rd southwest to Kelso, then Kelbaker Rd northwest to I-15. If the 15 is still jammed there, you can go south instead on Kelbaker (this is about 5 miles more). Extra time: About 45-50 minutes.
Yermo area: Exit Harvard Rd. or Minneola Rd, and go south until you reach I-40, then go west to I-15. If there's no backup between Harvard and Minneola, you're better off getting off on Minneola, as the detour is less. Extra time: 15 minutes Minneola, 25 minutes Harvard.
Barstow area: Get of on CA-58 west, then go south on Main. Stay on the road awhile, past Oro Grande, until you hit I-15 again in Victorville. Extra time: About 20 minutes.
Always assess traffic to make sure these are worth doing!
Enjoy!
