McCarran airport tunnel speed limit drops to improve safety

The speed limit in the tunnel, which was completed in 1994 and allows motorists to access McCarran from the 215 Beltway, was reduced by 20 mph a few months back.

Before making the change, McCarran officials met with Clark County Public Works and the Nevada Department of Transportation and it was decided that a gradual reduction in speeds heading toward the tunnel was the best game plan. As a result the speed limit dropped from 55 mph to 45 to 35, according to Joe Rajchel, McCarran spokesman.

Most readers who’ve reached out to the Road Warrior don’t have an issue with the speed limit drop; the concern lies with other motorists still traveling at the previous speed limit or higher.

“My issue is 99 percent of the people still travel at 55 or more with seemingly no enforcement,” Review-Journal reader Laura Langley said in an email. “In the beginning I did set my cruise (control) at 35 and as I was almost rear ended multiple times. I have moved to 40-ish. When will they start enforcing the 35 mph? Someone going the speed limit is going to get hurt.”

Despite the concerns, airport officials say the speed limit was reduced as a safety measure since the tunnel was a hot spot for serious crashes.

“There were nearly 150 traffic incidents to which Metro responded in 2018 and 2019, some of which included fatalities,” Rajchel said. “Roughly a fifth of those total incidents reported an injury. Reduced speeds are necessary to curtail the frequency of accidents.”

Since the speed limit was lowered Metro told airport officials there has been a marked decrease in crashes, Rajchel said.

During the usual weekday morning commute, traffic congestion regularly built up on the northbound tunnel leading toward the airport, UNLV and the resort corridor. The backups were also seen in the afternoon on the southbound tunnel.

With traffic regularly coming to a standstill in those areas, drivers would be heading toward the chokepoints at high speeds, with vehicles unknowingly stopped ahead.

“The resulting rear-end collisions would then cause more backups and delays that frustrated airport customers trying to catch a flight or return home after a trip, as well as locals using the tunnel to get to work or home after work,” Rajchel said. “The tunnels lead to multiple forks and decision points in each direction. The lanes flow into stoplights and stop signs, bridges and 35 mph zones on either end of the tunnel. It is important for drivers to keep in mind that it is not a freeway.”

Police have also increased enforcement efforts around the tunnel since the speed limit reduction.

“This was a decision made to reduce the number of accidents that occur in the tunnel, and make it safer,” Rajchel said.

U.S. 95 upgrade

A $17 million upgrade is coming to a 32-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 95 in Nye County.

The six-month construction is scheduled to start in September, with work occurring between 6 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Work is slated to conclude in the spring, the Nevada Department of Transportation announced last week.

The project includes new asphalt pavement and turn lanes, the creation of a 2-mile-long northbound passing lane, widening freeway shoulders and flattening side slopes for safer vehicle turnouts.

“This state-funding project will greatly enhance this critical stretch of rural freeway, creating a smoother, more efficient and safer traveling experience,” NDOT spokesman Tony Illia said.

Work will occur in 2-mile increments, with a flagger and pilot car operation in place to safely escort motorists through the work zone.

This stretch of U.S. 95 averages 8,400 vehicles daily, with 18 percent of that traffic including heavy truck travel.

The project will generate 222 direct jobs, something Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nevada, applauds.

“This substantial investment in Rural Nevada’s community will increase travel and safety for commuters and improve their quality of life,” Horford said in a statement. “It will also create economic opportunities by creating new jobs for Nevadans as we work to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.”

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Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.