MOB Traffic revved up traffic management to be part of it.
In what is being called the biggest event in the history of Las Vegas, the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Vegas Grand Prix was ultimately a success after a few bumps along the way. Masters of Barricades was proud to be part of it — not during the year-and-a-half construction ahead of the big show but certainly when it counted.
"We were subcontracted by Parking and Transportation Group (PATG) to handle what we do best," said Paul Ames, title. "We were responsible for north- and southbound lane closures on Las Vegas Boulevard; eastbound lane closures on Harmon, Flamingo, and Spring Mountain; and the eastbound offramp from I-15 to Spring Mountain and Flamingo."
The closures required more than 1,000 delineators and traffic drums, along with 100 signs and nine arrowboards. The event required daily set-ups and tear-downs over six days and a dozen on-site staff members. Road closures typically lasted from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on each of these days (or later when the race was delayed).
Ames said MOB Traffic's portion of the traffic management plan for PATG was business as usual, except for a glitch nine minutes into the race. Although unrelated to their work, the race delay required adjusting the entire time frame.
"There was some trepidation when Carlos Sainz Jr. ran over a water valve cover and damaged his vehicle just nine minutes into the race because we all had to adjust for the two-and-half-hour delay it caused," said Ames. "But you have to expect the unexpected anytime you have an event of this size, especially one that includes cars exceeding 210 miles per hour.'
Oscar Piastri completed the 3.8-mile circuit in 1:35.49, earning the DHL fastest lap award. Despite his lap time, Piastri finished tenth in the race. Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the race. He overcame a 5-second penalty after colliding with George Russel and beat Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
By the end of the race, all of the anticipation and anxiety leading up to it seemed to dissipate for drivers, fans, and properties. Lewis Hamilton told Autoweek that the "race was very good, one of the best races" of the year. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz also said the layout was "decent" regarding side-by-side action.
While television viewers couldn't truly grasp the magnitude of the Las Vegas layout, fans in the stands enjoyed every minute of it. Not only did fans take in the three-way fight for a win in the closing stages, but there was also an abundance of off-track showmanship that has become synonymous with how Las Vegas does sports.
The biggest issue for the racers was confined mainly to the timing of the event, especially when Friday's race was delayed and eventually ended at 4 a.m. Part of the challenge is catering to European viewers and part of the challenge is shutting down one of the most famous roads in the world. Some people are saying that an 8 p.m. lights out like F1 races in Singapore or Saudi Arabia might be better next year.
Another interesting note for Las Vegas next year is that it will be part of a triple-header featuring Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Many racers have asked for it to be pushed back, but most plans call for Las Vegas to keep a pre-Thanksgiving date locked in for the long term.
"There were plenty of concerns going into the race, with many people saying it's all about the show in Las Vegas," said Ames. "People sometimes miss the hard work that makes showmanship even possible in this town. Or as I like to remind people, traffic management is often the first impression of any event. I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve PATG and glad we did it right."
Ames hopes all the lessons learned during the return of Formula 1 to Las Vegas will make its residency here a permanent fixture. He said Masters of Barricades was thrilled to be part of the biggest show on Earth and is confident MOB Traffic will be there to help next year.
"We're thrilled to be involved at any level," said Ames. "When it comes to traffic management and barricade placement on or along the Las Vegas Strip, we know what to do. This is our backyard and we have the experience to get the job done right."
Masters of Barricades is a full-service traffic management and barricade company that manages the most prominent events and road closures in Las Vegas. MOB Traffic is the region's largest privately owned traffic control, special event, pedestrian management, and barricade provider. For more than ten years, it has provided superior responsiveness and world-class customer service in the Las Vegas metropolitan area and across a growing regional service territory.
