Nonstop to Strip? Forget about it

We'll start today off with one more situation that falls into the "You Can't Get There From Here" category. Well, you can, but it's somewhat of a pain.

Dahn questions why the Regional Transportation Commission does not offer direct bus service from McCarran International Airport to the Strip: It seems like it takes at least one transfer. This could be used to reduce traffic congestion on the Strip.

Well, Dahn, you are correct, there are no direct bus routes from the airport to the Strip. All involve at least one transfer. Of course, the Strip is about four miles long, so it depends on where you're headed, but there are several fairly simple routes recommended by the Regional Transportation Commission. The average time is about 25 minutes.

The two best routes might be 108 northbound, where you can transfer at Twain and Swenson to Route 203, which takes you to Spring Mountain Road within 20 minutes. Or 108 north to Flamingo and Swenson, then Route 202, which delivers passengers to the Strip at Flamingo. Or try Route 109 to the South Strip Transfer Station; from there, the Deuce takes you to Mandalay Bay.

The RTC's Tracy Bower said the Deuce bus route carries about 33,000 people a day, and once the ACE Gold Line is up and running next year, that number will increase to 50,000.

Another reader submitted a two-part question related to Clark County roads: First, at Fort Apache at Russell, the county widened Fort Apache north of Russell but has not done the same south of Russell. During rush hour, the amount of traffic going north makes it impossible to get through the light. The county should make it two lanes 200 feet south of Russell to alleviate this problem; there is plenty of room.

Clark County Public Works installed a new traffic signal at that intersection last year. The problem with the width of Fort Apache is that the owner of an adjacent parcel did not dedicate the right-of-way to the county so that it could fully improve the road. When the land is developed, the property owner will be required to make road improvements.

Second: Grand Canyon between Russell and all the way to Flamingo is not marked as a two-lane road in each direction except at the intersections of Tropicana and Flamingo. Most drivers are unsure if the whole road is two lanes or one lane. Can this be solved?

The road is improved to handle two lanes of traffic, but it is only striped for one lane because the county does not feel there is enough traffic demand at this time to create two lanes.

Brian from Henderson asks: Why are there street lights along Highway 95 until you get to Boulder Highway? The freeway between Boulder Highway and Russell Road has no lights. This seems dangerous when it is dark and rainy.

Unfortunately, Brian, no lighting is planned for this stretch in the near future. The folks at the Nevada Department of Transportation said that when that portion of Highway 95 was built in the early 1990s, it was considered a suburban/rural road and lighting was not required. The department is in the design phase of a widening project, and when that is completed in the next few years, high-mask lighting will be added.

Ira's beef is an exit sign from Highway 95 southbound: The sign reads Valley View Boulevard, and Decatur Boulevard is below that. Why are the streets in that order when Decatur is the first exit?

This has been discussed previously at the Department of Transportation, according to spokesman Bob McKenzie, but engineers insist the sign is correct -- for whatever reason. The sign leads to a collector-distributor offramp, and once motorists are on the offramp, both Decatur, which does come first, and Valley View are clearly marked. The department said the cost to replace the sign is too steep and, because it causes no confusion, officials do not see the need.

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