During heavy rainfall, the roads accumulate water, occasionally causing flooding, but I see everyone drive exactly the same. What are people supposed to do?
Troy

Troy, it only takes a few inches of rainwater to take your car off the road with flooding.
The best move is to simply turn around, and find another route
Flooding can happen rapidly, within minutes if there’s heavy enough rain.
Even if the water appears shallow enough to cross, don’t try it. The water may have debris in it, and water hides in dips and ruts in the road- which we have plenty of.
Floodwater can also stall your car, and cause electrical damage.
A driving tip during tomorrow’s rain, stay toward the middle lanes – water tends to pool in the outside lanes.
Brian

What really drives me crazy is the I-15 (NB) freeway entrance on Charleston and Grand Central Parkway. It makes you take a, not-needed loop, around the Premium Outlet Mall, just so you can enter the freeway.
Why not just put a left turn signal there? Why is the loop necessary? It’s just a waste of my time! And that, is what’s driving me crazy!
David

The design and construction, David, of this area was done in the early 1990s.
The so called, not-needed loop, is called a jug handle. The jug handle design is to eliminate conflict between the left turns, and through traffic, which is a major factor in the safety of intersections.
Now how bout construction bringing good news, for a change? Project neon, which will widen i-15, and add collector and distributor roads, will actually eliminate the “jug handle”
Until that construction is complete, David will have to handle the jug handle.
Brian

The four way stop at Warm Springs and Buffalo is so dangerous! They did put flashing red lights up about two years ago, but I am still really afraid of getting hit. There are just too many people that don’t know what the right of way is and it becomes a guessing game. To top it off, lots of people make left hand turns there, which makes it worse. I really think the traffic is heavy enough for the city to put up a light.
Emily

Emily, Clark County agrees with you! They recently completed a study of Warm Springs and Buffalo, and traffic at this, accident prone intersection was deemed heavy enough for a light. All the data said a signal is needed!
The signal is currently under design, and as of today, is 90% complete.
Great news, right? Except for one thing Emily. They don’t have funding to build it.
They’re going to try and find some funding so that they can complete construction in 2010.
Brian

The turnouts on Boulder Hwy in the middle islands drive me crazy! People leaving a side street will use the median area to wait to enter traffic, basically blocking the path of drivers turning. Nobody has a clue where to turn from the opposite side of the road. They need signs or road markings. A prime example of this is in front of the post office just south of Lake Mead Parkway.
Harold

The median island on Boulder Hwy is pretty wide Harold, and NDOT has observed that drivers will sometimes use the median area, to wait to enter traffic. They can be in conflict with right turning traffic from Boulder Hwy.
But, I’m told there has not been enough evidence that this has created an accident problem. What NDOT can do is restrict the left and through moves from the side streets, by installing an island.
Now as far as signs or pavement markings, I’m told signing would have little effect on driver behavior in this case, and pavement markings would not survive long enough to be effective.
Brian

Could you please check out Lamb Blvd, between Boulder Hwy and Charleston? It’s in total disrepair! My car rattles and shakes, as do my wife’s nerves. Don’t drink coffee!
But do tighten your seat belt. You might have to get your shocks redone afterwards. Why is this section of road so neglected? Will this ever be repaved or repaired.
Joe

Good news Joe. Lamb Blvd. from Boulder Hwy to Charleston is on Clark County’s stimulus project list.
Having experienced some of the drama you, and your wife, dealt with on this stretch of Lamb Blvd, County identified the roadway for pavement rehab.
However, as is often the case in this economy, they didn’t not have the funds to rebuild Lamb. Fortunately the Recovery and Reinvestment money will go towards getting this stretch done.
Lamb Blvd is included in the 6.1 million dollar construction package #2.
The timeline estimate is this will up for a construction bid in March, work will start in the summer, and finish in late autumn.
Brian

The roundabouts on Buffalo Dr. at Wigwam and Pebble are dangerous. The bulbs are out on the light poles, and there’s not enough forewarning.
They need to replace the lights, signs should be posted earlier, and red warning lights would help. Drivers use these roundabouts as a race track! I think they should be removed.
Anonymous

In 2007, County required Mountain’s Edge to install the roundabouts as a condition of zoning for their development.
Clark County directed that advance warning signs, and chevron warning signs, (the ones with the arrow), be installed on the actual islands.
As far as your concern, County told me they will do a field check on the solar-powered light fixtures- to make sure they are working, and also review the warning signs to determine if anything needs to be replaced.
This construction is in the Mountain’s Edge area, south of Blue Diamond and west of Rainbow. Work there started in 2003, and the entirety of the project is expected to take a decade.
Brian

I was driving north on Maryland Parkway, veered into the left turn lane to head west on Katie Ave, and ran smack into construction cones. I had to turn back into traffic.
I noticed two cars behind me made the same mistake. How bout some clear signs to help us navigate construction areas?
Drew

This construction on Maryland Parkway near the Boulevard Mall is for a some sewer pipeline work.
Between Desert Inn and Rochelle, the impacted area, you’ll find active work crews going 24 hours a day, lane closures northbound and southbound, and big pipelines running along the middle of Maryland Parkway.
As far as the left turn lane, where you got temporarily stuck Drew, traffic officials found the signage there does, clearly designate, the left turn lane. If you still don’t agree, give the project hotline a buzz 853-1333.
Sewer service will not be interrupted, and they are taking noise and odor control measures. This construction will be complete Feb 26.
Brian

What drives me crazy is when you turn left from Serene Ave onto Eastern Ave. The yellow, or amber, light is very short! If the light turns yellow just as your back tires cross the stop line, the light then turns red after only 2 seconds.
The danger is you’re still in the intersection, and then you’re turning across 4 lanes of Eastern coming from Serene.
Linda

County visited the location a few times in December , at various times of the day, with a stopwatch to verify how long it takes to get your car through the intersection. That’s called clearance time.
This intersection’s eastbound Serene to northbound Eastern was timed at 3 seconds for yellow, with another 2.7 seconds on red. That’s almost 6 seconds of clearance time.
Because time amount of time is deemed adequate, no changes will be made to these traffic signals. It may have felt like 2 seconds, but yellow signal lights were timed at 3.0 to 4.7 seconds.
Other reasons, Linda, that might explain this short signal: This intersection is close proximity to 215’s on and off ramps, and heavy pedestrian traffic.
Brian

I recently heard you boast that work is done with the I-15 Design Build Project. OK, the cones are gone. But, I travel (NB) to work from US 95 onto I-15 heading towards the Speedway. It’s bumpy…and there’s one spot near Washington where my truck jumps to the side, nearly causing me to lose control, and lanes appear, disappear, reappear, then shift. How can they call that done? Shaking my head,
Justin

Here’s the latest, Justin- all significant traffic movements are done. All lanes are completed and open. And my exact words in my boasting moment, where that all major construction was complete.
As far as that bumpy spot near Washington, this spring NDOT will do the final paving from the Spaghetti Bowl to Craig Road.
They have to have to wait for warmer spring temperatures to do the open grade paving, and permanent striping, which is done in the overnight hours.
This 242 million dollar project should help Justin and the other 170,000 drivers that travel this 5.5 mile stretch daily, enjoy a faster commute. The main reason: 10 lanes, instead of 6.
Don’t forget, now we work starting on I-15 Design Build South between Tropicana and Silverado Ranch.
Brian

Racel St. between Durango and Buffalo is a mess! It’s plagued by uneven pavement, chunks of missing asphalt, and with the recent rain, the movie, “A River Runs Through It” comes to mind. In the park natural channels turn into a river when it rains with water and mud all over the roadway. Any plans to fix the flooding problems in this area from the park?
Robin

A project at Floyd Lamb Park is in the bidding phase, robin. This project includes construction of a 100-year storm drain facility, and much needed, flood control improvements.
In addition, two enhancement areas will be constructed within Floyd Lamb Park which will serve as detention basins. They detain water for a period of time, and then it’s released in timed intervals, to avoid flooding.
These improvements will help some of that flooding that occurs during heavy rainfall. Construction begins in April 2010 with an 18 month construction schedule.
Brian