Foliage removed for widening

A reader asks: What happens to all those trees and bushes that were torn out of the ground on I-15?

The reader is referring to the trees and bushes that line the sides and center of I-15 north of the Spaghetti Bowl.

Much of the foliage has been removed because of the ongoing $240 million I-15 north widening project.

Bob McKenzie, spokesman for the Nevada Department of Transportation, told me the trees that can be saved are being moved to golf courses.

"Many are too old," McKenzie said. "Many of the older pines have outlived their usefulness."

Rob Thewes asks: I recently noticed signage showing the north and south Frontage Roads for the Beltway had been renamed for Roy Horn and Raphael Rivera. Can you tell me who Raphael Rivera is/was?

About a month ago, Clark County renamed the Frontage Road network along the Beltway in the southwest valley for four notable Las Vegas figures.

Before I get into who they were, here is a breakdown of the new Frontage Road names:

• Eastbound from Tropicana Avenue to Sunset Road is Jerry Tarkanian Way

• Eastbound from Sunset to South Decatur Boulevard is Roy Horn Way

• Westbound from South Decatur to Sunset is Raphael Rivera Way

• Westbound from Sunset to Tropicana is Brent Thurman Way.

So who are these guys?

Tarkanian and Horn are famous enough. The other two names might not ring such an obvious bell.

Tarkanian is the former University of Nevada, Las Vegas basketball coach who led the team to the 1990 national championship.

Horn is the exotic animal and tiger trainer who, with partner Siegfried Fischbacher, had a long running show on the Strip until he was bitten by one of the tigers on stage.

Thurman was a bull rider killed during the 1994 National Final Rodeo. He died a few days after a bull stepped on him.

And Raphael Rivera was the first non-Native American to discover Las Vegas, in 1829. John C. Fremont would not come along until 1844.

A reader asks: Let’s say I don’t want to wait four hours at Primm next time there is blasting at Mountain Pass. Are there any other potential alternate routes I can take to Southern California?

The reader is referring to the blasting in association with an ongoing I-15 widening project south of the Nevada-California border. The blasting is being done from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today and every Wednesday starting Jan. 7 through the end of April.

There are several alternate routes for those who can’t avoid heading to Southern California during blasting periods. (Northbound I-15 traffic should only experience 15 minute delays because of the blasting).

Motorists might consider heading south on U.S. Highway 95 from Las Vegas to Interstate 40, then head west on I-40 to Barstow, Calif., and link back up with I-15 west.

That way will add an extra 80 miles and 80 minutes to the normal I-15 trip to Barstow, according to the Web site Google Maps (www.maps.google.com).

Another way to go is to head to Pahrump and follow state Route 372 west to Shoshone, Calif., then south on California state Route 127 to Baker, Calif., and then west on I-15.

That will add about 50 miles and 90 minutes to the normal I-15 trip to Baker, according to Google Maps.

Those are the easiest and most direct routes I could find.

If you have a good map and compass, you might try using U.S. 95 to get to back roads in California through Nipton, Cima, and Kelso. But I think that route is for the more adventurous spirit.

Hit n’ Run

Last Sunday I went out of my way to show support for the New York Giants football team as they faced off against the Dallas Cowboys. Of course the Giants lost and some Cowboy fans reminded me that I should eat some crow.

So I did, while admiring the intricate details in the Giants’ 2008 Super Bowl victory ring.

If you have a question, tip or tirade, call Francis McCabe at (702) 387-2904, or send an e-mail to roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com. Please include your phone number.