Why good ideas for fixing Vegas traffic don’t make the cut

Two inquiries that reached Warrior Central this week involve right-of-way and property acquisition.

Warrior reader Coleen has seen the aftermath of accidents in the southwest valley on South Durango Drive:

“South Durango has to be the most dangerous stretch of Las Vegas at the moment. I travel there two or three times a week and saw debris scattered over the road after an accident with multiple vehicles between the 215 Beltway and Warm Springs Road.

“And if that little stretch isn’t scary enough, south from Warm Springs to Blue Diamond Road, the road goes from three lanes to two lanes to one crummy lane that is burdened with construction vehicles and badly needs to be resurfaced.

“I would think that with all the new growth in housing and businesses that addressing the north-south traffic on Durango would be something the county needs to address, and soon.”

Neighborhoods across the valley are hampered by roadways that engineers creatively refer to as “sawtooths” — that is, a street that starts out with three lanes that quickly shrinks to two or one.

A classic example is something that is being fixed with fuel tax indexing funds in North Las Vegas on Simmons Street, between Alexander Road and Cheyenne Avenue. Workers started the ongoing project in June.

The problem is that there are so many of them — and in many cases, the city and county don’t have access to right-of-way without the costly process of eminent domain.

That’s the case on South Durango, according to Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin, who said access is the primary issue.

There’s a similar problem in North Las Vegas, but it’s further complicated by the ownership of key property.

Warrior reader Michael wrote:

“Are there any plans to extend Deer Spring Way east to Lamb Boulevard? The area gets congested during shift changes at the Veterans Administration hospital.”

Yes, they do, Michael, but as Jennifer Doody, deputy director of public works for the City of North Las Vegas, points out, the land doesn’t belong to the city.

“All of the property to the east of the VA Hospital is Bureau of Land Management or federal government property,” she said. “So the construction of a street from Deer Springs to Lamb will be contingent on a future auction and subsequent development of vacant land.”

Sink your sawteeth into that, readers.

MISSING LINK

Because of the way the valley has developed over the years, there can be lengthy streets that suddenly end and pick up again just a few blocks away. Warrior reader Rich thinks one missing link could provide some excellent access:

“Any news on when the stretch of Sunset Road between Decatur and Jones boulevards will be finished? It’s desert right now, and it’s the only thing preventing you from driving from the Strip all the way west to the 215 Beltway. Is help on the way?”

There is help on the way, Rich, and it’s coming sooner than you think.

Just one block of desert prevents Sunset from stretching from residential neighborhoods along Hualapai Way all the way east to Pabco Road on the east end of Henderson. Along the way, the street passes Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center, goes over and under the valley’s major freeways, parallel to the main runways of McCarran International Airport, past Sunset Park and along the edge of the Galleria Mall.

There’s a funky little intersection where Sunset meets Mountain Vista Street on Whitney Mesa, but aside from that, the street is a straight shot across the valley — except at that one patch of desert.

It won’t be that way for long.

Clark County’s Kulin said a project to pave the rest of Sunset is expected to go to bid this month. Construction could begin this spring and be completed by summer.

In addition to Sunset, the project includes paving Lindell Road north of Sunset from Teco Avenue to provide access from neighborhoods along Post Road and Patrick Lane.

SPEEDING ON CACTUS

Most of the feedback on the Cactus Avenue exit of Interstate 15 has been positive, especially for all those west-bounders heading toward Mountain’s Edge.

But the story is a little different if you go east on Cactus. Here’s Warrior reader Randy’s beef:

“The new Cactus interchange is a great addition to exiting off of I-15 for those of us who live in that area, but my question has to do with speed limits once off the exit.

“The speed limit is 45 mph going east on Cactus until you cross Las Vegas Boulevard, and then it becomes 25 mph all the way to Maryland Parkway. Even though I do not agree with this speed limit, I do follow it despite the tailgating I get and the middle-finger sign when they speed past me.

“There’s little police patrol on this section. Are there any plans to change this speed limit?”

It’s unfortunate, Randy, that some discourteous motorists out there have subjected you to some bird-watching. But help is on the way.

This portion of Cactus skirts several residential neighborhoods and, as a two-lane road it warrants the 25 mph speed limit.

Clark County’s Stacey Welling said the county Public Works Department has the widening of Cactus, from Las Vegas Boulevard to Spencer Street, under design. The 3-mile project includes the roughly 2½ miles from Las Vegas Boulevard to Maryland.

Welling said the county plans to put the widening project to bid by the end of 2015. When finished, the speed limit will be increased to 35 mph — definitely not as fast as the 45 or 55 those motorists who fly by you are going, but a more comfortable and safe speed for all.

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