After a groundbreaking debut of its visual capabilities, Sphere is on track to continue making entertainment history...
Timeline
Coordinated with stakeholders and partners locally and across the world to prepare design packages in order to expedite permitting while still delivering high-quality designs on an unprecedented schedule
Adaptability
Redesigned miles of public roads and three private properties to meet Formula 1® and FIA standards while preserving the city’s vibrant atmosphere
Strategy
Developed a comprehensive transportation management plan to address previous challenges and also created a bilingual, interactive website to clarify and streamline multimodal transportation for visitors and locals
2024: Interactive Track Updates and Transportation Management Website
In addition to our previous work on the Formula 1® Las Vegas Grand Prix track and infrastructure, we also created a GIS-based platform that offers a guided tour of the track’s construction progress, bringing the detailed engineering data from our transportation management plan to life in an engaging, customized format.
In November of 2023, the Formula 1® Las Vegas Grand Prix returned to the City of Lights and made its mark on the Strip for the first time in more than 40 years. Visitors witnessed an adrenaline-fueled race around a 3.8-mile circuit, watching drivers take 50 laps at top speeds around iconic landmarks like the Las Vegas Sphere.
To host the premier sporting event, the entire event area—which includes both public streets and private property—was adapted to accommodate Formula 1 cars and support the safety and mobility of hundreds of thousands of spectators. In partnership with Miller Project Management and Tilke Engineers and Architects, our team provided the following services to drive the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix forward:
- Civil engineering design
- Roadway reconstruction design
- Permitting
- Traffic signal modifications
- Surveying support
- Utility design for pit building property
- Landscape architecture for pit building site and Las Vegas Boulevard
- Structural design of retaining walls and specialty structures
- Transportation management planning
- Strategic communications support
- Roadway striping design during and after the race
As the engineer of record for the site civil engineering and roadway reconstruction design, our team engineered the repaving of Harmon Avenue, Koval Lane, Sands Avenue, and the southbound lanes of Las Vegas Boulevard. The roadway reconstruction also included replacing portions of existing medians to accommodate the track design and runoff areas, designing pavement markings, replacing bus pads, and installing more than five miles of ITS conduits.
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Creative Surveying & Site Development
To survey miles of active roadways and private properties, our team partnered with subconsultant SAM to avoid disrupting the 24-hour Las Vegas scene while still achieving a comprehensive model of the track and pit building site. Our teams utilized a combination of aerial survey techniques as well as the unique method of truck-mounted LiDAR to map and model the entire Formula 1 track without major road closures.
After the surveying phase, we prioritized demolition plans for existing structures on a 40-acre site near the Las Vegas Sphere that Formula 1 purchased to host the pit building with garages and VIP hospitality spaces. Once demolition started, we moved into engineering plans for the pit building property, which included paving, grading, drainage, utility, and landscape architecture plans. We were able to complete the site grading with the structural design of 16-foot-tall retaining walls and more than 250,000 cubic yards of fill to raise the pit building property to Formula 1-specified elevations.
Additionally, our team supported the design of two underground pedestrian tunnels to connect the outside of the pit building site to the basement of the building. Our efficient and creative strategies for surveying and site development met Formula 1’s requirements and supported greater mobility for guests.
Permitting and Coordination on a Streamlined Schedule
The timeline for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix event was ambitious from the beginning: the event date was just 19 months away from the start of our survey and conceptual design. Additionally, permitting for the project was complex and needed to align with the expedited timeline. Kimley-Horn partners in Las Vegas and across the US worked together to create and implement a schedule that elevated quality services—all while ensuring that designs were approved and permits were issued within the aggressive timeline.
From the early stages of the project, our team brought in multiple jurisdictions as partners rather than just plan reviewers. We coordinated the civil design with Clark County, Las Vegas Valley Water District, Clark County Water Reclamation District, and other utility companies and authority having jurisdictions, who supported us in navigating the expedited permitting process while integrating voices from all jurisdictions.
In partnership with the owner’s representative, Miller Project Management, we also spoke with both public and private stakeholders—from agencies to casino owners—to answer their questions and share status updates. This strategic approach to stakeholder engagement ensured that the multi-faceted project could proceed with minimal interruptions while also accommodating the normal activities of the Vegas scene.
Accommodating Las Vegas Locals and Visitors
One of the most integral elements of the Formula 1 project was the transportation strategy. For the 2024 race, our team prepared an extensive transportation management plan, including sections detailing roadway reconstruction, traffic signal modifications, and multimodal transportation plans for both race and non-race days. The impacted corridor required the adjustment of traffic signals, including loop and camera detection layouts, to accommodate ongoing construction activities. Additionally, our roadway reconstruction plans were created to align with both Formula 1 and motor sporting jurisdictional body Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile standards and allow the track to function as normal public streets before and after the event.
We coordinated with a variety of stakeholders to preserve mobility and provide a seamless experience for residents, employees, Formula 1 fans, and tourists staying in the more than 23,000 hotel rooms within the confines of the track. Our team prepared layouts and profiles for four vehicle bridges to support the passage of vehicles into and out of the track during the race. Overall, we prioritized reduced impacts to the surrounding properties—preserving the iconic vision of Las Vegas and adapting our work to a dynamic pre-existing environment.
Developing an Innovative Website to Boost Mobility Experiences
In 2024, the Kimley-Horn team addressed the need for a more accessible and user-friendly portal about race impacts to the surrounding area. In partnership with F1 Global, we developed an interactive website for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Leveraging GIS technology, the platform shows track construction progress and creates a streamlined way for people to interact with our transportation management plan and customize it for their own needs. The innovative site, which seamlessly integrates with the Formula 1 brand and offers information in English and Spanish, helps both visitors and locals navigate construction and multimodal transportation options during the unique race environment.
The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix is projected to be a part of the region’s annual event roster for several years (and possibly more), and the roadway and traffic infrastructure was designed with the future in mind. As motor sporting enthusiasts around the world keep their eyes on the Grand Prix, our team is ready and willing to fuel whatever new Las Vegas dream is just around the next turn.
