Last month, local construction began on Interstate 11, a highway to connect Las Vegas and Phoenix. The two cities are the largest of their kind to not have a road between them and the beginning of the first phase shows just how far there is to go on the project.

The first local phase of the development is occurring between Henderson and Boulder City. What was once known as the Boulder City Bypass will be diverting the majority of traffic into Boulder City on US 93.

This move comes with different reactions from the community. Some love that this maneuver will mean less traffic backup while others fear that the businesses in the area will suffer due to less travelers coming through the area.

This local concern is minor compared to what the whole of the project has in store, though. I-11 is using multiple parts of existing highways in Phase One to lay the groundwork for the future vision of the freeway. Interstate 11 is a part of the CANAMEX Corridor which is outline in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

The funding for the initial phases of the project are coming from the Federal Highway Administration’s Advance Construction program. Up to $291 million, accounting for 92% of the project’s expected costs, will come from the FHAAC to reimburse the State of Nevada.

The whole of the project is covered by the federal Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. This law was signed in December 2015 and gives a 15% increase to high funding and an 18% increase to transit for the next 5 years, totaling $305 billion. $1.9 billion will go to Nevada, translating to $385 million a year.

Phase 2 of 3 will begin after the opening phase is complete (estimated late December) and should be finished in fall 2018.