Section of North Fifth Street expected to open by March

A 2002 traffic study resulted in the proposal to convert North Fifth Street in North Las Vegas into a super-arterial that will ultimately stretch from Owens Avenue to the Las Vegas Boulevard. This project, combined with the Nevada Department of Transportation’s Lake Mead interchange work at Interstate 15, is causing problems for motorists in the area. But in the end, it is expected to provide a swift and easy corridor similar to Desert Inn Road.

• Still, Bob is fed up: Can you find out when the portion of North Fifth Street between Oxford Street and Carey Ave will be opening up? It would have been nice to have it open to traffic before they closed Lake Mead until Dec 24th. Also, are there any plans to improve North Fifth between Las Vegas Boulevard and Oxford? They were buying up property in that area but nothing is going on there. What is the estimated completion date for the North Fifth Street overpass over the I-15?

OK, Bob, here we go. The section of North Fifth Street to which you referred is scheduled to open by April 2010. The good news is the city of North Las Vegas is actually ahead of schedule and expects the road to open by March. As far as that stretch between Las Vegas Boulevard and Oxford Street is concerned, that will be an eight-lane roadway with a gateway feature at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard. Construction on that portion is slated to begin by the end of this year and to be completed by the end of next year.

The overpass is also expected to be complete by the end of 2010.

• A reader who wishes to remain anonymous asks: On Buffalo Drive going northbound between Spring Mountain and all the way to Charleston, it appears to be two lanes. However the right lane is so wide, some people make a “third lane.” Is Buffalo only two lanes, or is it three lanes, and the county forgot to paint the lines on the road?

This stretch of Buffalo is a two-lane road in both directions. That right lane that seems wide enough to be a third lane was once actually marked as a “non-drive” lane, according to Clark County. The paint apparently has worn off, causing the confusion. The county’s public works division has plans to re-mark those lanes by the end of this month.

• Richard is confused: My home is just off Warm Springs Road. I’ve lived there for 25 years. It’s always been called Warm Springs Road. Now I note that someone has replaced the street name signs where Warm Springs intersects with Pecos and Eastern. The new signs identify the road as Warmsprings Road. Do we have a revisionist at work in the Public Works Department?

Whether you live in Henderson or the county, most people know that it’s Warm Springs Road. Warm Springs at Pecos defines the boundary between Henderson and the county; the sign is maintained by Henderson. The Eastern intersection is the county’s jurisdiction. So, what’s the deal?

The county isn’t sure, but the Public Works Department is sending technicians out to those locations, and spokeswoman Jennifer Knight said any erroneous signs will be replaced by the end of the week. Good catch, Richard.

• A Sun City reader asks: Bikes blow through stop signs when there is no traffic around. Are they required by law to obey traffic signs?

Yes, bicyclists are required to follow the same traffic laws as vehicles. Of course, if this is in a quiet neighborhood that officers do not patrol, the chances of receiving a ticket — whether you are in a car or a bike — are slim.

If you have a question, tip or tirade, call Adrienne Packer at (702) 387-2904, or send an e-mail to roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com. Include your phone number. Please include your phone number.