Tinted headlights may be trendy but they’re illegal in Nevada

The novelty tints may look cool and distinctive, but they’re poor at projecting the right amount of light and make it hard to see what’s in front of drivers.

Plus, they’re illegal, according to Nevada Highway Patrol trooper Jason Buratczuk.

All vehicle headlights must have a certain illumination output based on the Kelvin scale, ranging from traditional halogen bulbs to high-intensity white lights with a bluish tint found on many newer models.

In Nevada, that legal output range is 5,000 to 6,000 kelvins.

Drivers who place tinting film over their headlights can expect to get a citation and will be required to restore the original lights, Buratczuk said.

Basically, leave the colorful lights to the Strip and downtown Las Vegas.

As a side note, Buratczuk reminds pickup drivers that those super-bright fog light strips are for off-road use only and are not permitted on Nevada’s freeways.

Starr primer

Jana from Las Vegas wanted an update on the Starr Avenue freeway interchange at Interstate 15 currently under construction in the southern end of the valley. Specifically, Jana wanted to know how far Starr will be extended on either side of I-15.

Tony Illia, a spokesman for the Nevada Department of Transportation, said the new interchange is expected to ease traffic congestion in Henderson and the south valley by filling a missing link on Starr between Las Vegas Boulevard and Dean Martin Drive.

Construction started in November on the $34 million project, 1 mile south of the Cactus Avenue exit and more than a mile north of St. Rose Parkway.

By the time work wraps up in mid-2019, Starr Avenue will run six lanes with landscaped medians, bicycle lanes and sidewalks, Illia said. Plans also call for the addition of crosswalks, lights, traffic signals and drainage improvements.

Misaligned lanes

Patrick from Henderson recently noticed that the traffic lanes were misaligned on a section of southbound St. Rose Parkway around Coronado Center Drive.

“There are no lane markers through the intersection as some drivers mistakenly shift into the incorrect lane,” Patrick said.

Illia, the NDOT spokesman, said that crews will correct the pavement markings, if needed, “in the near future.”

Stephanie not smooth

Cathy from Henderson wanted to know whether city officials plan to repair and resurface a bumpy patch of southbound Stephanie Street, between the 215 Beltway and Arroyo Grande Boulevard.

“It is so rough that it shakes the car unbelievably, and has been that way for a long time with lots of holes on the top layer of pavement,” Cathy said.

Henderson city spokeswoman Kathleen Richards said a resurfacing project is planned for this section of Stephanie Street and construction should start soon.

Dedicated left turn

Elaine from Las Vegas wanted to know why the city does not have a dedicated left-turn lane for drivers headed from westbound Tropical Parkway to southbound Durango Drive in the northwest area.

“Due to the high traffic coming from Walmart, Sam’s Club, Home Depot and others, I have seen many near-miss accidents here,” Elaine wrote in an email to the Road Warrior.

Las Vegas city spokeswoman Margaret Kurtz said that traffic engineers are planning to install a set of flashing yellow arrows that will make it easier for drivers to turn left at this intersection.

“It appears we will have to install a new pole and foundation on the northwest corner of the intersection to accommodate left-turn signals,” Kurtz said.

Expect the work to be completed in a few months.

Repaving Tropicana

William from Summerlin wanted to know why crews have spent about a year working on a section of Tropicana Avenue between Grand Canyon Drive and Hualapai Way.

Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin said several private development projects are underway in that area. When that work is completed, Kulin said that county road crews will repave that section of Tropicana later this year.

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