One-lane merger causes bottleneck

This week readers want to know why there is a slowdown where traffic from Summerlin Parkway merges onto southbound U.S. Highway 95, and who has the right of way during a U-turn. Also, a reader pays homage to a North Las Vegas police officer.

Frank and Lindsey ask why, now that all the construction is done at the Rainbow Curve, there is still a backup on eastbound Summerlin Parkway as traffic merges onto U.S. 95 south.

This is a major problem during the morning commute for folks driving from the west side of the valley.

Rudy Malfabon, deputy director of the Nevada Department of Transportation, explained that there is a bottleneck at the Summerlin Parkway onramp to U.S. 95 south. The problem is the ramp goes from two lanes to one lane just before the merge with U.S. 95, Malfabon said.

The merge was designed to maintain three regular lanes on U.S. 95 at that point, Malfabon said.

I know you're thinking: "But Road Warrior, there is a fourth lane at that point on U.S. 95. Why can't one of the four lanes be used to help the flow of merging traffic?"

That's because the fourth lane is a high-occupancy vehicle, or HOV, lane.

Something tells me those HOV lanes are not going to be very popular with folks in the Summerlin area.

Malfabon did say that there are plans to put in a flyover HOV lane from the Summerlin Parkway to U.S. 95, which may help alleviate some of the traffic flow issues.

But that isn't going to happen in the near future. Which reminds me of advice former Road Warrior Omar Sofradzija was oft heard saying on his TV commercials: "Do not take the Summerlin Parkway."

Cyndi asks who has the right of way when a vehicle makes a U-turn. Specifically, Cyndi wonders whether, when she's attempting a U-turn and another car is turning right onto the same street she's traveling, the other car should wait for her to complete her U-turn before making its turn.

U-turns are a part of life in the valley, especially with the number of divided highways and strip malls we have.

It seems to me, Cyndi, that when you are making U-turns you are encountering drivers employing the "Rolling California Stop," a term for a motorist merely giving a wink and a nod at a red light or stop sign before turning right.

Thankfully, Cyndi, you don't have to rely on whether I'm on your side or not. The law is, and that's what matters -- as long as you are making a legal U-turn and not running a red light or stop sign.

Section 484.319 of the Nevada Revised Statutes is the governing law in this case.

"When proper signs have been erected, the driver of a vehicle shall stop or yield at a clearly marked stop line. ... After having stopped the driver shall yield the right of way to other vehicles which have entered the intersection from such through highway or which are approaching so closely on such through highway as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time such driver is moving across or within the intersection."

That means motorists at a stop sign or red light must wait for you to finish your maneuver before entering the road you are driving on.

As far as vehicles leaving a private driveway, from a home or a shopping center, section 484.321 states motorists must yield the right of way to any other vehicle approaching on that road.

Hit n' Run: A faithful Road Warrior reader wanted to pay a compliment to a member of the North Las Vegas Police Department.

The reader recently stopped at a local grocery store at Decatur Boulevard and Ann Road and saw a police officer order a person parked in a no-parking zone to move their vehicle.

"It did my heart good to see this lazy moron get told to obey the law like everyone else," the reader wrote. "Kudos to you! Too bad more officers don't make these scofflaws park and walk like the rest of us. And we wonder why Americans are obese?"

Ahhh ... you can tell it's the season of giving by the readers' sarcastic manner and gleefulness in watching someone get yelled at by a police officer.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2904.