MLK ramps on 95 open at last
I've fielded this question at least a dozen times since I've taken over this job: When will the onramps and offramps on U.S. Highway 95 at Martin Luther King Boulevard open?
Here's the answer you want to hear: Today!
At about 3 p.m., the city of Las Vegas plans to open the Martin Luther King onramp to U.S. 95 north and the offramp from U.S. 95 south.
"We are very excited that these ramps will be open," city spokeswoman Debby Ackerman said. "We just ask people to keep in mind that Martin Luther King is still under construction."
Crews are working to widen Martin Luther King to three lanes in each direction from Alta Drive north 21/2 miles to Carey Avenue. The entire project is scheduled to be finished in early 2010.
• T.J. asks: Do you know when the construction at U.S. 95 and Galleria Road in Henderson is supposed to be completed?
According to the Nevada Department of Transportation and the city of Henderson, the grand opening for this interchange is scheduled for October, but the project won't actually be finished and ready for traffic until mid-November.
• Along those same lines, Jim wonders: With the addition of the Galleria bridge over U.S. 95, will we finally get a bridge over the Pittman Wash? We have been waiting 15 years to connect to Whitney Ranch.
Unfortunately, Jim, there will be no bridge across the Pittman Wash on the west side of Stephanie Street. That will remain a T-intersection, according to Henderson traffic engineers.
• Keith and Janet also have a Galleria question: We live out in Henderson in the Tuscany community off of Lake Mead Parkway and Mohawk Drive. Galleria Road goes past our community, however, going west it does not yet go through to Boulder Highway. Also, any idea what the future plans are to having the road go through and connecting to Lake Mead Parkway?
The Galleria connection to Boulder Highway should be complete by November. The city has signal poles, the final leg of the project, on back order. Galleria will not link up with Lake Mead Parkway, but it will connect with Lake Las Vegas Parkway. Eventually. The city will extend Galleria to Mosier Drive, but after that the road project is in the hands of private developers.
• Jim (another Jim, just so you don't think the previous Jim is overly inquisitive) wants to know: Why are travel lanes still being restricted when roadwork is completed? As an example, roadwork on Interstate 15 is completed from Lake Mead Boulevard to Cheyenne Avenue going north. Yet, barriers are preventing travel on the new lanes, even though opening just one lane would alleviate congested traffic by allowing exit to Cheyenne instead of maintaining restricted lanes until reaching Cheyenne.
Jim, Bob McKenzie of the Nevada Department of Transportation said those lanes have not been opened because construction lane shifts still take place in the area. The barrels are still in place to control traffic and keep vehicles from traveling into the interchange where the work is being done.
• Larry, Russ and several others inquired about Jones Boulevard: Will it ever connect to Blue Diamond Road from the north?
That's the plan, according to Clark County Public Works Director Denis Cederburg. But, unfortunately, the lack of funding is getting in the way of completing this project. Cederburg noted that if you look at the new Blue Diamond bridge at its connection to Jones to the south, you will see to the north a short stub of pavement, which is for future connection. There is no telling when the funding will come through to finish this arterial which is so important to residents in the southwest.
• Sticking in that same area, Kathy asks: When will Decatur Boulevard (between the Las Vegas Beltway and Russell Road) be finished?
That stretch, also vital to residents in the southwest, is expected to be finished in March or April, Cederburg said.
• Ed wonders: Will hybrid vehicles with single drivers be able to use the high-occupancy vehicle lanes on the freeway?
While this is permitted in some states, Nevada is not allowing it at this time. "At this time we're sticking with the requirement of two," said McKenzie, of the Nevada Department of Transportation, referring to the driver and at least one passenger. "It may in the future be addressed, however, not at this time."
If you have a question, tip or tirade, call Adrienne Packer at (702) 387-2904, or send an e-mail to roadwarrior@review journal.com. Include your phone number.
Lane reductions on Flamingo Road and Las Vegas Boulevard will continue through Friday as NV Energy works to install underground power lines. As it has the past several weeks, traffic will be reduced to two lanes in both directions beginning about 1,000 feet from the intersection. The work will also affect the eastbound Flamingo lanes west of Las Vegas Boulevard between Audrie Street and Koval Lane.
Here’s some new and important information related to the work around Flamingo Road:
The alley between Bill’s Gambling Hall and Battista’s/Stage Door Casino will be closed during overnight construction hours — 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. — for the next two weeks.
Also, from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. today, the westbound right turn lanes on Flamingo between Las Vegas Boulevard and immediately east of Interstate 15 (just south of Caesars Palace) will be closed. This is expected to affect westbound Flamingo traffic headed toward northbound I-15.
On U.S. Highway 95, the Eastern Avenue northbound onramp and offramp and the Charleston Boulevard southbound onramp and offramps will be closed from 9 p.m. today until 5 a.m. Thursday.
On Thursday, the Charleston Boulevard northbound onramp and offramp and the Boulder Highway southbound on and offramps will be closed during those same hours.
Oakey Boulevard will be closed to westbound traffic between Western Avenue and Rancho Drive from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. This closure will remain in effect until further notice as crews install concrete flood control boxes. At Western, traffic will be detoured to northbound Wall Street to Martin Luther King Boulevard to Charleston Boulevard. The alternate route to the south is from Western to Scotland Lane to Highland Drive to Sahara Avenue to Rancho. Eastbound traffic on Oakey will be reduced to one lane.
Lane restrictions will also be in effect downtown where crews are installing and upgrading the power infrastructure on Main and First streets. The work is taking place on Main between Boulder and Clark avenues and on First Street between Coolidge Street and Gass Avenue. Crews are working on Coolidge and Gass between Main and First; and west of Main near Clark all the way to the Las Vegas Symphony Park development site.
During construction, which will occur day and night, Main will narrow to one lane in each direction, which means parking on the street in work zones will be temporarily unavailable.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
