By: Las Vegas Now Staff
The commute will eventually get a lot better for some 30,000 Las Vegans who are continually stuck in stop and go traffic in the northwest part of the valley. Officials announced a $60 million improvement project Thursday.
It looks like the middle of nowhere there, so you have to wonder, why is traffic so bad there during rush hour? The problem — everybody has to pass through the stop light.
“It's a mess, it's a nightmare out here,” said one driver. “It's a pain in the heiny, not fun – it's always backed up.”
But Thursday, something is different. In the middle of all the traffic are engineers and politicians celebrating.
“I think it would be gridlock in this community if we didn't have it,” said Jacob Snow of the Regional Transportation Commission.
Snow says it would be a lot worse if these cars were on the surface streets instead of the Beltway. With a scoop of dirt, they marked the start of work that, when complete will mean some drivers won't have to stop at the lights anymore. They can just pass through under a bridge.
Driver's fees helped pay for the $60 million moment that has been 16 years in the making.
“The residents, I think they appreciate the projects we do that make their commute a little bit easier,” said Dennis Cederburg, Director of Public Works.
It's just another bump in the path to a better life on the road.
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