Warm Springs bridge at I-15 will completely close

The Sunset Bridge over Interstate 15 that opened last week is a pretty big deal to businesses and residents in the southwest area of town. Readers had a few follow-up questions related to Sunset and its sister east-west corridor, Warm Springs Road. We’ll start it off with Bob, who has a couple of questions.

Are they closing the Warm Springs bridge completely while they expand and how long do they expect this project to take?

Yes, Bob, they have no choice except to close the bridge because, well, for a time, there will be no bridge. The Nevada Department of Transportation is tearing down the span because it is so old and not worth simply widening. A brand spanking new four-lane bridge will replace the rutted two-lane road we have today. The Warm Springs bridge will be torn down next month and will re-open late this summer.

…. And: I assume there will be no ramps on or off of I-15, is that correct?

Yes, the configuration of Warm Springs will be the same as it is now. Like the Sunset Road bridge, there will be no ramps linking these roads to the interstate.

Sue wants more Sunset: I read your story about the Department of Transportation finishing the Sunset Road bridge and that is fantastic news. But are there plans to extend that road farther west than just Valley View Boulevard?

Yes, but before we get to that, I’d like to clarify something about this project. The Sunset Road bridge construction was overseen by the state, but Clark County actually funded the $22.6 million project. Oddly enough, the county never released an announcement about the bridge opening; those came from the state and the contractor. Even stranger, in my humble opinion, was the absence of any county officials at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. It was after all, their money.

A bid recently went out to continue Sunset west to Decatur Boulevard, which will provide a significant relief to commuters in that area. For years, problems with acquiring land and rights of way from Union Pacific Railroad stood in the way of that extension, but those have since been resolved. Eventually, according to county sources, Sunset will actually connect to Durango Drive in the far southwest.

Robert asks: I live in Mountain’s Edge and eagerly awaited the completion of the Blue Diamond lane expansion. However, now that it is “finished” there is an area westbound, just east of the Buffalo intersection that is extremely rough. I noticed this back during the construction and assumed it was a flaw that would be fixed prior to completion of the project but it now appears that the project is complete yet that horrible section is still there. Is this going to be fixed? Or is it, as some people have suggested, a wake-up call for westbound traffic approaching the Buffalo intersection?

First off, Robert, this is definitely not an intentional rough patch designed to awaken sleepy or spacey drivers. Scott Magruder, spokesman for the Nevada Department of Transportation, said the agency uses rumble strips but never in the middle of a roadway. Both westbound and eastbound lanes of Blue Diamond Road will be repaved this year between Charleston and Rainbow boulevards. As far as the timing, crews must wait for the temperatures to be consistently above about 60 degrees.

Larry doesn’t think a little beauty is too much to ask: Henderson exit 57 at College Drive. That section of the freeway was completed in 1995. Sixteen years later, nothing more has been done to this eyesore. Not trees. Not plants. Not even grass. It does sport plenty of brown dirt. Other exits are landscaped as part of the original project or soon after. Can you tell me when something is going to be done to beautify this small part of our city?

Well, unfortunately, this is not in the state transportation division’s plans, Larry. The more comprehensive landscaping spreads are typically seen around expensive road projects, and there is a reason for that. The federal government strongly urges the state to use 3 percent of federal funding for roads to go toward landscaping. So when the state embarks on a major endeavor, such as the widening of Highway 95, they have millions of dollars to spend on the aesthetics. On smaller endeavors, such as the College Drive exit, the state doesn’t have the money to spruce it up. The state’s landscaping priorities also tend to be in more urban areas.

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.