MOB Traffic helped manage the most successful EDC to date. 

With more than 250 artists, 5,000 staff members, and 540,000 attendees, the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for three days every May, requires meticulous planning. In particular, traffic and pedestrian management are always among of the festival’s top priorities, as EDC is generally considered the biggest electronic dance music (EDM) festival in North America and one of the largest in the world. 

As one of the Las Vegas Valley’s biggest events, it requires an “all hands on deck” approach for traffic control, with approximately 150 troopers and officers dedicated to managing the flow. Working alongside the Nevada State Police to help mitigate traffic delays along I-15 southbound and the I-215 northern beltway is Masters of Barricades (MOB Traffic), the largest privately-owned barricade company in the region. 

“We provided 7,000 42-inch delineators, 1,700 28-inch cones, 415 mounted signs, 54 message boards, and worked with Insomniac to deploy an additional 40 light towers,” said Paul Ames, special events manager for MOB Traffic. “It was especially challenging because, unlike smaller events, more than 5,500 of these delineators were placed in the public right-of-way, which meant they could not be preset along extensive stretches of roads. They have to be set on the same day of the event.”

As this was the second year MOB Traffic was in charge of the entire traffic plan for EDC and Insomniac, Ames said his team built on last year’s plan to accommodate 185,000 attendees every night, which was an additional 15,000 people every day compared to the previous year. Aside from a massive volume of carnival-goers gathering for the 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. festival, MOB Traffic had to consider various means of arrival — EDC shuttles, taxis and rideshares, private car services, Camp EDC pedestrian and shuttle traffic, helicopters, and drive-in event traffic. 

“Traffic control for this festival required juggling a team of 14 to 22 people from noon to 8:30 a.m. on all three days, depending on what we were doing,” says Ames. “We had an additional 62 staff members running back-to-back shifts to help manage rideshares, offsite shuttle locations, and crosswalks from noon to 8 a.m.” 

To help manage the entire team, MOB Traffic set up an onsite command post with Lindsay Kullman, general manager, and Jonathon Smedley, special events administrator, splitting a 3 p.m. to 8 a.m. shift every day. Along with Ames, it was their job to ensure all MOB Traffic team members were operating with a heightened sense of awareness and adequate time to rest between very demanding shifts. 

It only makes sense that the event presents some unique demands for everyone involved. EDC Las Vegas is renowned for pushing the festival boundaries with innovative stage designs and enhanced experiences, ensuring a weekend filled with unforgettable moments. Along with this, Insomniac is well known for its commitment to PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect). 

“The amount of resources that goes into public safety is second to none. There is live camera coverage of the entire venue and surrounding roads, with representatives of all law enforcement agencies, Clark County, Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), and onsite security operating in the command post,” says Ames. “We use this to our full advantage, with our command center representative making real-time decisions to adjust traffic speed entering or leaving the venue. When you add Insomniac’s high level of professionalism and attention to detail, everything about this event works. It’s a pleasure working with them.” 

This year, despite record attendance, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) reported fewer citations and arrests than in the previous year, suggesting smoother crowd and traffic management. Some credited the festival’s bi-directional traffic needs. While adding complexity, Las Vegas Boulevard was configured with four inbound lanes and one outbound lane to accommodate arriving attendees. In the early morning, the setup flipped to prioritize outbound traffic. 

“Restriping the Las Vegas Motor Speedway off-ramp to add a third lane remained a key strategy,” Ames said, echoing last year’s successful tactic. This adjustment, combined with NDOT pausing roadwork, minimized delays compared to those in prior years. “Our biggest challenge was placing all of the delineators on day one. It’s always a race against time to set up before the opening ceremony at 5 p.m. on Friday. We settle into a routine once this initial job is complete.”

While there were some traffic delays on the last day, especially on I-15 southbound, news stations reported the traffic was orderly. Many commuters planned alternate routes as carnival-goers headed home. During the rest of the event, EDC attendees were advised to check the travel page on the festival’s website for the latest information on location, directions, parking, and shuttles. Overall, the EDC Las Vegas was a triumph of logistics and community spirit. 

Looking ahead, Insomniac announced EDC Las Vegas 2026 will be held May 15–17, marking the festival’s 30th anniversary. Future “owl” tickets went on sale May 23, 2025, with general admission and VIP passes already sold out. Hotel EDC at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas will return as partners, offering themed rooms and pool parties. Insomniac’s statement teased that “EDC 2026 will celebrate three decades of dance music with surprises that will elevate the experience even further.”

“When you get it right, attendees can focus on the music and magic of EDC,” said Ames. “Seeing EDC 2026 sell out in record time suggests everybody got it right.”