through the community of Summerlin (part of the city of Las Vegas), the beltway meets Summerlin Parkway at a partial system interchange. From here, the freeway continues north along the western foothills of Las Vegas to pass behind Lone Mountain. Soon afterward, the beltway curves to the east and downgrades from freeway to an expressway (with two at-grade intersections at US 95 south, Oso Blanca Road and Sky Pointe Drive) after it passes the Durango Drive interchange and intersects US 95 at an interchange currently under construction. From there, the beltway continues as a freeway nearly due east along the alignment of Centennial Parkway before entering northern North Las Vegas at Decatur Boulevard. From there, it swings northeast, passing by the large Aliante development before turning east again. Much of the final few miles of the route, from here on, are in undeveloped land, except near the interchange at North 5th Street. The beltway has additional interchanges at Losee Road, North Pecos Road, and North Lamb Boulevard before it swings southeast and reaches its clockwise terminus at I-15, US 93, and Tropical Parkway at an at-grade diamond interchange just west of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. History AASHTO approved the I-215 designation for approximately of (then unbuilt) highway, from Tropicana Avenue to US 95 (I-515) on April 17, 1993. As eventually built, this specific portion of the beltway is in length. Much of the beltway was built completely with local funds and expressway to freeway upgrades have continued to be built without state or federal money (except for the I-515 interchange upgrade). A tax measure voted on by the County residents increased funding for the beltway. As a result, it was expected to be fully upgraded to a freeway by 2013, rather than the previous goal of 2025. However, at present, it appears that this target date has slipped back at least a few years. The first section of I-215 opened to traffic in 1996 from I-15 to Warm Springs Road, including the Harry Reid Airport Connector and tunnel, which linked Harry Reid International Airport to southern metro Las Vegas without requiring motorists to use Tropicana Avenue or Russell Road to access the main passenger terminal. The southeast leg of the beltway (except for the I-515 connection) was completed ahead of schedule in 1999, while the northern end was extended from Decatur Boulevard in 1998 to Tropicana Avenue by 2000.