McCarran’s Terminal 3 access, egress revisited
In one week, Terminal 3 at McCarran International Airport will open, which is a big deal because it is supposed to be a state-of-the-art facility. The $2.4 billion concourse will sport 14 gates that will host 16 international and several domestic airlines. It has eight miles of baggage conveyers and 300 slot machines. It is a total 1.9 million square feet, and a highlight is the 10,000-square-foot duty-free store. That’s a lot of information, but wait, there’s more, and Pat wants it.
A few weeks ago in your column, you wrote about the opening of the new terminal at McCarran. In that column, you gave the airlines and what terminals they would be using. I meant to cut that out for trips in to pick up friends but forgot. Could you please reprint sometime in your column as it would be most helpful.
I would normally just email Pat with the information because it has been addressed here before, but some things have changed, so it’s worth notifying everyone: Today, Hawaiian Airlines and Omni are moving from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1, the main terminal. Omni will depart from the B gates, Hawaiian the D gates. On June 27, Virgin Atlantic, Copa, Korean Air and British Airways will move into the new Terminal 3. The next day, Terminal 2, the old-school terminal, will close, and the remaining 12 international carriers will transfer to Terminal 3. On July 31, Alaska, Frontier, JetBlue, Sun Country and Virgin America move to Terminal 3. On Aug. 22, passengers flying Hawaiian and United will do their ticketing, baggage check-in and security at Terminal 3, then take the tram to the D Gates.
Several readers have recently asked this: The small cactus and creature sculptures that the city of Las Vegas is placing in their medians are great. Where can we buy them for our own yards?
Readers either love these things or hate them and complain that they are a giant waste of money. They do dress up this place a bit. The city most recently decorated the median on Ann Road with rock-filled rebar in the shape of saguaro, agave, prickly pear and scorpions. Unfortunately for those who would love to buy them, they are made by city staff members and are not for sale.
Then there are the coyotes and rabbits. If you are interested in hunting metal wabbits, head on over to Laser Cutter’s website at nvlaser.com (it’s a Las Vegas-based company). The city assembles and paints these things and, apparently, there are many parts. The sheet metal saguaros and barrel cactus come from a Kansas-based company called Desert Steel. Its website is desertsteel.net.
Following up on Sunday’s column, Leslie is interested in driverless vehicles: How would these vehicles react to school zones?
Google has logged more than 250,000 miles in these vehicles and have put them through all sorts of situations. The company creates a detailed digital map with all unique features of the road, including school zones, using cameras, sensors and radars. The cars are first tested with the driver in control, to ensure they detect acceleration in traffic as well as slow down. Then they give it a whirl on autonomous mode with the motorists at the ready should something go awry. The cameras affixed to the vehicles read and interpret traffic signals and signs.
And … when and where in Nevada will they be tested?
That has yet to be determined. We do know that Google chose our state because Nevada’s laws are more "forward-looking," according to Jay Nancarrow, a spokesman for the company. Google plans to be involved in the legislation’s future discussions on improving driver safety. The company also was attracted to Nevada because of the different terrain and road conditions the vehicles could unexpectedly face. The when part is still a mystery, but we’ll try to stay on top of that.
Finally, what’s the purpose?
Well, Leslie, the advocates of autonomous vehicles say that traveling will be safer and more efficient because they will be traveling essentially one speed and you won’t have one guy driving 85 mph in a 55 mph, leaving open the potential for an ugly accident. You won’t have a vehicle traveling 25 mph on the freeway or the person unsafely swerving in and out of lanes. Plus, how cool would it be just to kick it on a road trip?
If you have a question, tip or tirade, call Adrienne Packer at 702-387-2904, or send an email to roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com. Include your phone number.
• From 9 p.m. today until 5 a.m. Thursday and from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday next week, northbound Interstate 15 will be closed between Lake Mead Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue for bridge work.• The Interstate 15 northbound access road is open. Northbound I-15 traffic now enters the access road at the I-15/Interstate 215 interchange to exit at Russell Road, Frank Sinatra Drive and Tropicana Avenue. Drivers traveling on eastbound Interstate 215 to northbound I-15 enter the access road to enter I-15 south off Tropicana. Traffic from I-215 westbound uses the access road to exit at Russell Road. There is longer access to Russell Road from the Las Vegas Boulevard ramp from Interstate 215. Russell is accessed from Las Vegas Boulevard.
• For the next two weeks, expect delays on Rainbow Boulevard between Alexander and Craig roads as crews repair a sinkhole in the outside southbound lane.
• Through Friday, expect delays on Tree Line Drive at Sahara Avenue as the sewer line is replaced. No left turns will be allowed from Tree Line onto Sahara.
• Through Aug. 31, expect delays on Shadow Lane between Charleston Boulevard and Alta Drive. The work includes street widening, replacement of sewer lines and upgrading of traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Through June 29, expect delays on U.S. Highway 95 at MacFarland Avenue for a sewer project in Indian Springs. Work hours will be from
6:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. From today through July 14, the south access road from MacFarland Avenue to the access onto U.S. 95 will be closed.
• Through July 2, expect delays on Valley View Boulevard between U.S. 95 and Desert Inn Road.
GASOLINE PRICES
The average price of gasoline in the Las Vegas Valley on Tuesday was $3.63 per gallon; the current state average is $3.69; the national average is $3.52.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
