Route Description
The McCarran Airport Connector begins at an interchange with Interstate 215 (exit 10) in Paradise. From there, the route follows unsigned State Route 171 as it transitions to a below-ground freeway alignment. The connector crosses underneath several local streets and a branch line of the Union Pacific Railroad as it heads northward towards the airport. SR 171 encounters a half-diamond interchange with Sunset Road (SR 562) before entering the airport, allowing drivers to shortcut between I-215 and Sunset Road. The state highway designation ends 0.639 miles (1.028 km) north of the interstate interchange at the south portal of the airport tunnel.
The end of State Route 171 is adjacent to the beginning of the Airport Tunnels. A separate tunnel is provided for both northbound and southbound traffic, with a third tunnel in between reserved for future transit use. The tunnels continue northward, crossing under the east–west runways and taxiways of the airport and emerging on the opposite side.
Curving westward after exiting the north portal, the MAC meets the main terminal grounds with ramps providing terminal access to and from the south. The freeway grade road ends with a traffic signal at Russell Road. North of the signal, the connector transitions to a one-way couplet network, with northbound traffic following Swenson Street and southbound traffic using Paradise Road. Another set of ramps provides airport terminal access to and from the north. Finally, the McCarran Airport Connector ends at Tropicana Avenue (SR 593), although the one-way roads continue north for about a mile to Harmon Avenue.
In addition to providing access to the airport, the connector also serves as a shortcut between I-215 and Tropicana Avenue (SR 593) near the Thomas & Mack Center on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus. Also, following the relocation of McCarran Airport's car rental facilities to a new, centralized complex at 7135 Gilespie Street, SR 171 and the tunnel are now used by all shuttle buses carrying customers between the main passenger terminals and the rental car facility.
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