Widening project mostly finished
This week readers want to know if the widening of the Las Vegas Beltway at south Decatur Boulevard is finished; are there any plans to fix the Beltway’s offramp to Charleston Boulevard, and is Central Christian Church helping pay for the Galleria Drive interchange with U.S. Highway 95?
A reader asks: Is it true that the widening of the Las Vegas Beltway at south Decatur is all finished? Or is this just a cruel joke?
Yes, it’s true.
It’s finished. "Substantially."
At least that’s the way it was described to me by Bobby Shelton, Clark County public works spokesman.
All the major work is done. It wrapped up with some painting last week, Shelton said. Now the county is inspecting the work and the contractor is finishing up "punch list" items.
A "punch list" consists of some finishing touches the contractor needs to complete before the job is officially completed, such as a spot of paint, replacing a missing bolt or erecting a sign.
Shelton said the contractor has 30 days to complete the work. He said the impact on motorists due to the completion of the punch list would likely be minimal.
This is great news for anyone having to use this section of the Beltway.
The roadway was constantly clogged as the Beltway narrowed from three lanes to two heading west toward Decatur.
The completion of the widening project should reduce the commute time for a number of valley motorists.
Matthew Goldstein asks: When exiting the northbound Beltway at Charleston, drivers are met with four lanes on the offramp. One turns left onto Charleston towards Red Rock Canyon. One turns right towards Red Rock Casino. And two go straight back onto the northbound Beltway. The problem is the one right turn lane. Traffic backs up onto the Beltway because everyone who wants to turn right needs to merge into one lane. Is there a reason why there are not two right turn lanes?
I spoke with Shelton and he said the county public works department is aware of the problem.
But right now there is no specific time frame to make changes to the offramp, Shelton told me.
"One of the reasons the intersection is currently the way it is, is because it allows for a ‘right-on-red’ movement," Shelton said.
He said there are several solutions being considered, including a dual right-hand turn.
But if and when that happens, no right-on-red turn will be allowed because of the configuration of the intersection, he said.
Although area businesses are in favor of fixing the intersection, finding the funding is an issue right now, Shelton said.
"For now motorists will have to have patience until a design to enhance the intersection can be determined and then implemented," he said.
Josh H. asks: Is the mega-church out in Henderson helping to pay for the new Galleria Drive interchange with U.S. 95?
Ed McGuire, quality control manager for the Henderson public works department, told me that Central Christian Church is not helping fund the new interchange but it is paying for nearby road improvements.
As part of their development agreement, Central Christian will pay $450,000 to improve a service road that runs south of the church off New Beginnings Drive and parallel to U.S. 95, McGuire said.
The agreement calls for a widening of the service road, which empties onto Galleria Drive (also known as Stufflebeam Avenue) on the east side of the freeway. The project would increase the size of the service road from two lanes to five lanes, including a center turn lane.
Once the Galleria interchange is complete, churchgoers will have two options for getting on U.S. 95. Currently, the Russell Road interchange is the only option available.
The Galleria interchange is expected to be completed this summer.
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.
The Las Vegas Beltway at the Far Hills Avenue intersection will be reduced to one lane in each direction from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday as construction crews install utility crossings for that section of the freeway. The lane restrictions will be in place around the clock. Motorists should plan to use an alternate route while these lane restrictions are in place. The new traffic signals at the intersection of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Discovery Drive intersection began operating today, the Las Vegas Public Works Department announced. The signals will allow vehicles to travel north and south from Discovery onto Martin Luther King. Before, vehicles could only head north on Martin Luther King from Discovery. Motorists are advised to proceed with caution until becoming familiar with the new signals. The southbound onramps and offramps on Interstate 15 at Nipton Road, just south of the Nevada-California border, will be closed for about four months, the California Department of Transportation announced. The northbound onramps and offramps at Nipton will remain open. The closure is part of the ongoing interstate widening project in San Bernardino County, Calif. Southbound I-15 motorists should exit at Bailey Road and then head northbound on I-15 to exit at Nipton. Motorists wanting to head south on I-15 from Nipton, should head north on the interstate to Yates Wells Road, exit, turn left and take the onramp to I-15 south.
