Getting around town will be a tad tougher on New Year's Eve night with these closures announced:

From the Las Vegas Sun:

Getting around Las Vegas will be a little more difficult than normal Thursday night as thousands of people descend on the city to ring in the new year, closing the Strip to vehicle traffic for the night.

Las Vegas Boulevard will be closed from Sahara Avenue to Russell Road from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Beginning at 6 p.m., walkways, elevators and escalators along the boulevard will be shut down and hotels and other Strip business close their driveways.

Metro Police will beginning closing roads that connect to the strip at 6:30 p.m.

Because the Strip will be closed to allow for foot traffic, cars also will not be allowed to use the east-west arterials to go through the area, including Tropicana Avenue, Harmon Avenue and Flamingo Road.

Locals who want to get from one side of town to the other will need to use roads north of Sahara or south of Russell, or take one of the valley’s freeways.

Freeway ramps on Interstate 15 will be partially closed to only allow traffic to go west on the arterials beginning between 5 and 6 p.m.

If you want to get around the valley without driving, the Regional Transportation Commission is offering free bus service valley-wide from 6 p.m. Thursday to 9 a.m. Friday. Buses will then run on a reduced Saturday schedule for the rest of New Year’s Day.

The bus will also offer free service from the new Centennial Hills Park and Ride lot on Grand Montecito Parkway, near Durango Drive and Elkhorn Road. The buses will go from the lot to downtown Las Vegas from 5 p.m. New Year’s Eve to 4 a.m. New Year’s Day.

Because of the closure of the Strip, the double-decker Deuce service will only run on Las Vegas Boulevard from downtown to Sahara Avenue.

In addition, routes 105 (Martin L. King), 108 (Paradise) 116 (Koval/Industrial) and 207 (Alta/Steward) will have detours during the street’s closure.

Celebrations on the Strip officially end at 1 a.m., when cleaning crews move in to get the road reopened by 4 a.m.

The Fremont Street Experience will have restrictions as well on New Year’s Eve.

The pedestrian street will close at 5 p.m. Gates to enter a party, which costs $10 for locals and $20 for out-of-towners, open at 6 p.m.

New Years Eve also brings tighter restrictions for minors and drinkers on the Strip and in downtown.

City and county ordinances ban cans and bottles on the Strip and in downtown areas from 6 p.m. Dec 31 to 5 a.m. Jan. 1.

Metro also asks partygoers not to carry large backpacks or other bags that could carry cans or bottles.

A parent or legal guardian must accompany children under the age of 18 from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. on the Strip.

Don't Drink and Drive

Drunken revelers have several options for getting home safely this new year.

The Regional Transportation Commission will offer free bus rides along its regular bus routes from 6 p.m. today until 9 a.m. New Year's Day.

The Designated Drivers program makes sure both inebriated drivers and their vehicles get home safely. It's free over the New Year's Eve holiday. The program's number is 456-RIDE (7433).

And AAA Nevada will pour you into a tow truck cab and haul your vehicle home.

The ride is free for the first five miles; after that drivers must pay the company's regular towing fee, which varies.

The service is offered from 6 p.m. today until 6 a.m. New Year's Day. Its number is 800-222-HELP (4357).

If none of these options appeal to you, there's always a cab.

DON'T SHOOT, EITHER

North Las Vegas police are again promising stepped-up enforcement of firearms laws to reduce celebratory gunfire meant to ring in the New Year.

It's part of the city's "What Goes Up Must Come Down" campaign.

Additional officers will be on patrol tonight, with some specifically assigned to respond to gunfire calls.

The extra officers are necessary to "reduce this reckless behavior before someone is seriously injured or killed," Police Chief Joe Forti said.

Residents should call 911 if they see someone firing a gun and can help police pinpoint the shooter's location. But refrain from reporting "possible gunfire" because those noises often turn out to be fireworks, police said.