Harry Reid Airport Key Routes Closed to Motorists After Deadly Car Crash

Posted on: April 20, 2023, 11:14h. 

Last updated on: April 20, 2023, 05:17h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More

Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

UPDATE: The southbound Airport Connector to Harry Reid International Airport reopened at about 1 p.m. PT on Thursday, It was closed for some seven hours because of a deadly car crash. 

EARLIER: There were extensive delays Thursday morning for traffic heading to Harry Reid International Airport after a fatal three-car collision.

Las Vegas motorists will find that the southbound lanes on Paradise Road before the entrance to the Airport Connector are closed to traffic, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS. Multiple northbound lanes of Paradise Road were reported closed, too, Las Vegas TV station KSNV reported.

As of mid-morning, northbound Airport Connector traffic is being rerouted to Russell Road after the tunnel, according to KLAS. There was no time frame for when the roads would reopen to traffic.

The accident occurred at about 5:45 a.m. on Paradise Road, south of Russell Road. The crash led to one vehicle rolling over. Two other vehicles were involved.

The airport tweeted that drivers should “expect traffic delays for several hours. Utilize alternate routes and give extra time if heading to LAS.”

One Fatality

One man was declared dead at the accident scene. Police hadn’t released his identity as of Thursday morning. At least two other victims were transported to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center for treatment of their injuries.

Authorities didn’t have updated information on their conditions by mid-morning on Thursday.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers were on the scene throughout the morning while investigating the accident’s circumstances.

Being the only commercial airport in Las Vegas, the Harry Reid Airport traffic congestion may impact gamblers, tourists, convention attendees, and others driving or getting rides between the airport and hotels/casinos on the Las Vegas Strip or those casinos in downtown Las Vegas.

Prior Delays

Earlier this week, Harry Reid passengers using Southwest Airlines found several delayed flights and a few canceled flights on Tuesday. The brief glitch was blamed on an intermittent technology issue that impacted Las Vegas and much of the US.

At least 202 Southwest flights at the Las Vegas airport were delayed on Tuesday. Three flights at Harry Reid also were canceled, the flight tracking site FlightAware reported.