NDOT channels network for socially connected roadies

The Nevada Department of Transportation has a pretty nifty social network presence, including a special YouTube channel solely devoted to highway construction projects across the state.

You don’t need to be a transit geek to follow along.

Up-close, behind-the scenes videos are paired with animated graphics and easily understandable explanations for the latest road work, including the $1 billion widening of the Spaghetti Bowl interchange in downtown Las Vegas known as Project Neon.

“Sometimes when you’re talking about roads, it can be very difficult to visualize in black and white,” NDOT spokesman Tony Illia said.

“Having a great visual goes a long way toward helping people better understand what we’re doing in terms of construction,” Illia said. “It’s a much more dynamic media environment today, so we don’t want to be wed to a single (social media) platform.”

NDOT’s YouTube channel launched five years ago this week, with more than 300 videos on file. The largest demographic of those tuning in are 25 to 34 years old, with an average viewing time of two minutes. All the filming, editing and post-production are done in-house at little cost to the agency.

Along with Project Neon, Illia said that some of the most popular “hits” include ongoing construction of the $47 million Centennial Bowl interchange in northwest Las Vegas and the $318 million freeway segment known as Interstate 11, running 15 miles between Henderson’s southern border and the O’Callaghan-Tillman Bridge near Hoover Dam.

The videos also provide detailed explanations for smaller projects, including road paving, freeway bridge inspections and the newly created Stormwater Management Program, which tracks discharge from NDOT construction.

The agency’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts can be found at NevadaDOT.

“We just want to grow the viewership and let people know that it’s out there, that it’s another resource,” Illia said.

TOWN CENTER TRAFFIC

Matt from Summerlin wanted to know why crews have been digging around for the past month on Town Center Drive, between Summerlin Parkway and Charleston Boulevard. The work, he said, has created “a couple dozen potholes” and led to the removal of some curbs near some roundabouts in the area.

“I hope there is a plan to fix the potholes and replace the curbing,” Matt wrote in an email to the Road Warrior.

Indeed, there is a plan in place. Expect construction and lane closures to last through mid-November during the road repaving project, said Margaret Kurtz, a spokeswoman for the city of Las Vegas. The roundabout right-turn islands were removed to help ease the paving work.

Soon, crews will install a new set of islands that will be strong enough to withstand run-ins with vehicles, Kurtz said.

HENDERSON HEADACHE

Debbie raised some concerns about the intersection of Horizon Drive and Pacific Avenue in Henderson. Drivers in the right lane of westbound Horizon must turn right onto Pacific. However, some drivers who are either trying to skip past traffic — or perhaps, don’t know their way around town — are jumping the line and heading straight through the intersection to access U.S. Highway 95.

“I can’t tell you how many close calls there have been for accidents,” Debbie wrote in an email to the Road Warrior. “Can you tell the power-that-be what a dangerous situation this has become?”

City officials are well aware of the issue, Debbie. Reviews are underway of Horizon’s design as part of a larger pavement rehabilitation project, said Henderson city spokeswoman Kim Becker.

“The intersection with Pacific is one of the specific areas we are looking at for possible reconfiguration,” Becker said. “We’ll know more once the review is complete.”

RAINBOW CONNECTION

Bob from Las Vegas wanted to know when Rainbow Boulevard will finally run between Cactus Avenue and Blue Diamond Road.

Construction is expected to start sometime this month, and the connection should be completed in January, Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin said.

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