By: Las Vegas Now Staff
It's the first evening rush hour on I-15, and the southbound lanes are squeezed down to just two lanes. Big rigs on the road are leaving some people catching their breath as the construction continues.
It has been a slow process getting through the area all day. There have been a lot of cars. But the trucks in the lanes are more noticeable because it's a tight space and they are very large.
Merging into two lanes on Interstate 15 southbound highlights just how much traffic travels through this area.
“Whether it is a sacrifice or not, it's a needed purpose,” said George Scott. He drives Interstate 15 south to his construction job. He knows the lane widths will not change — just the space on either side.
He also realizes with the truck traffic, the squeeze to two lanes can be frightening. “I personally don't get nervous because I have driven big trucks, but I know it can be scary and confusing with the trucks moving with the wind and the lanes getting small and smaller. It seems the world is getting smaller and smaller but it's not.”
It sure seems like it for Maria Garcia. She lives in North Las Vegas and uses Interstate 15 to get to the City Centre Cafe downtown. “When you went — all the traffic squeeze? Oh Yeah. Yeah. Too much.”
“It is the main lifeline through Las Vegas, especially in that area for points north,” said Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman, Bob McKenzie. He says they reached out to truckers to educate them about the construction.
“North Corridor Constructors, who are putting the project together along with Las Vegas Paving and NDOT – they have a public outreach team that is out talking with truckers and the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority,” said McKenzie.
The team went to truck stops and talked with national trucking organizations. Scott knows trucks and cars will have to navigate these changes together.
“This city is at a point where we need to fix our old infrastructure and add to the new. And it all has to happen at some point,” he said.
So for now — go a little slower and leave extra time to safely navigate the construction. Think about this — if you speed through this area or cut a truck off, 188 trucks a day on the road here are carrying about 2,000 pounds of hazardous materials. So a serious accident here could have far reaching effects.
If you haven't found an alternate route yet or you want to see the details of the project, click here.
Email your comments to Reporter Edward Lawrence.
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Great Idea, however, may be safer and more feasable if all the Tractor Trailers (18 Wheelers) would stay to the right slow lane allowing commercial vehicles to move faster in the left lane. With only 2 lanes through 2009 this would best sute all on the highway allowing easy progress through this 2 miles of 2-lane traffic.
Comment by David J. Burns — July 23, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
I heard a woman on your channel talk about delays and “chaos” over the construction on the 15.
I am from Kansas City. The congestion there is nothing like Las Vegas. I have been here two years and live very close to Craig and I-15, using it daily. I have paid close attention to the work and see major progress every day. These workers are puttin’ it to the metal here, give them a break.
Comment by David Watson — July 25, 2008 @ 5:53 am