AAA says gasoline prices rise with temperatures

We’ve all been eyeing gasoline prices and cutting down on trips as costs soar. A friend posted a picture of a pump in the San Francisco Bay Area that showed a gallon of regular gas creeping toward $7. I know, it makes your stomach turn. Several readers have questions about the cost, but Jennifer aimed straight for the point.

She asks: I know this is difficult to predict and I’ve heard different stories, but is there an estimate as to how high gas prices will rise in Las Vegas? Can you provide any insight?

It is difficult to predict, Jennifer. Most travel agencies don’t make predictions but track trends. It’s the belief at AAA that gas prices are falling slightly now. But, that’s not the end of the story. When temperatures rise, history shows, so do gasoline prices; so AAA officials believe we will see another increase next month .

Like any commodity, gas prices are driven by demand, and any type of impact on a global scale tends to affect our prices. Right now, experts are keeping a close eye on the tensions in Iran and Greece’s economic struggles. What could balance those issues out is China, the second-largest oil consumer in the world. We are No. 1. China insists it is pulling back on usage, which would benefit us all.

Here’s a reader who signed off as "completely baffled": Could you please tell us why the county has put huge, obviously expensive, and industrial-sized airport access signs on both northbound and southbound lanes of Eastern Avenue between Russell and Patrick roads? It seems utterly redundant and a waste of money. Surely, the preponderance of those needing that kind of direction to the airport comes from tourists on the Strip not locals in a predominantly residential area.

Not so, Baffled. Terminal 3 will be opening in three phases starting at the end of June, and McCarran International Airport won’t be the airport it once was. Tourists mostly rely on cabdrivers or shuttles to get them to the airport, so these new signs are equally important to local residents. Allow me to explain why.

For years, 92 percent of the travelers departed from the main building, and those flying to Hawaii or overseas used Terminal 2. On June 27, international airlines will move to Terminal 3, so it won’t be a big adjustment. However, beginning in early July, some domestic carriers will also move to the new terminal. There will be seven in all. So, if you are used to flying United Airlines out of the main building, you will now need to take care of ticketing and baggage at Terminal 3 and ride the tram to the D gates for departure.

The point is, locals will need to know of these major changes well before they reach McCarran so they park at the appropriate terminal. The signs are huge, and they are being placed on the three main ingress routes to allow plenty of time for motorists to figure out where their airline is based. Airport officials worked closely with the Nevada Department of Transportation and Clark County Public Works on a traffic study to determine the appropriate placement and size of the signage.

David would like a Lone Mountain update: I live off of Cliff Shadows Parkway and Strange Avenue. The city has been working on Lone Mountain Road for some time now, and it looks like it’s ready to open. Will this happen any time soon?

Good timing, David. The city of Las Vegas announced the completion of Lone Mountain Road to Cliff Shadows Parkway, and the grand opening is scheduled for Thursday. Anybody in David’s position knows that the only access to neighborhoods off Cliff Shadows was Cheyenne Avenue and Alexander Road. The city negotiated with the Bureau of Land Management, which owned the land between Cliff Shadows and Interstate 215, and was able to start the extension in January. The $711,000 project, which included upgraded traffic signals at 215, will provide a much needed third thoroughfare leading into neighborhoods like David’s.

Pat has a couple of cellphone-related questions: If you are seated in the driver’s seat of your car in a parking lot — engine off — can you legally use your cellphone?

Yes, Pat, you can use your cellphone if you are parked with the engine off. As long as you are not driving, you are fine. Law enforcement officials urge motorists who receive an emergency call to try to pull off to the side of the road before answering it.

Secondly: Can a passenger in your vehicle be using a cellphone while you are driving?

Absolutely. The intent of the new law is to keep drivers’ eyes on the roads. If drivers must make a phone call, they can use a hands-free set, but better yet, hand the phone over to the passenger so your full attention is on the road.

Jeffrey is hoping for something positive at the end of the Rainbow: I live in the southwest valley and I remember reading in your column back in 2010 that Rainbow was to be completed all the way through Erie Avenue by the end of 2011. We’re well into 2012 and much of that stretch is still dirt. What gives?

According to Clark County, the developers of Mountain’s Edge are responsible for finishing Rainbow Boulevard between Mountain’s Edge Parkway and Starr Avenue. Once the economy tanked and development stopped, so did the improvements of the major arterial that were expected to be needed.

The county is in the final stages of designing the Cactus Avenue overpass over the railroad tracks and installing a traffic signal at Mountain’s Edge Parkway and Cactus Avenue. The project, which is expected to go out to bid at the end of the year, includes improving Rainbow from Mountain’s Edge Parkway north to Blue Diamond Road.

Contact reporter Adrienne Packer at apacker@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904.