Question:
I’ve heard all about the construction on Airport Connector, but am still using it this week and it’s really not that bad. Where and when does all this congestion start?

Answer:
Here’s your where and when, Matt.
As of 10/22/09, just north of the Sunset exit ramp, you’ll see cones in the far right lane. You can either exit Sunset, or you need to merge left, and that is where you’ll feel the slowdown.

Many of you have e-mailed me that once you get north of the tunnel; the Airport Connector is moving along at the same pace as usual. Not for long.

The far right lane of the three lanes coming out of the tunnel, part of the airport bypass, will be closed within weeks, which will slow you down even more. Those lane closures will continue to extend north, where the majority of the construction will take place. That’s when the congestion will really make your commute rough.
Brian

Question:
Where the 215 & I-15 exit onto Las Vegas Blvd there is only one left turn lane northbound. Every time I take this route it is backed up! Why is there not another turn lane?
Lock

Answer:
The county knows about this issue. The problem is the islands on Las Vegas Blvd. stick out to far to allow dual left turn lanes.
A project to widen Las Vegas Boulevard is in the final phase of project design, and will be underway in early 2010.
Las Vegas Blvd. will be widened to 6 lanes from Silverado Ranch to Sunset, and will include dual left turn lanes, the outer lane being a through lane. Any further frustration you experience when you exit Las Vegas Blvd. will be temporary. This problem is already on the way to being fixed.
Brian

Question:
I travel the Airport Connector to avoid some of the congestion on I-15, and noticed the lane striping badly needs attention. It’s faded out and hard to tell if you’re crossing into another lane. What can be done?
Gerald

Answer:
The striping gets taken off quickly on the Airport Connector. They just re-painted in July, but with heavy vehicles, and some 48 million annual passengers traveling this stretch- rutting happens quickly.

A major construction project begins today in the tunnel, and that means more heavy vehicles.

Don’t expect the striping to be clear and bold until the project is completed in summer, 2011.

The project is to improve roadway safety, and tie the tunnel into the terminal 3 roadway system.

If you, like Gerald, use the Airport Connector for a shortcut, that commuter convenience will be no longer, at least not until 2011.
Brian

Question:
I’m sure everyone has experienced the frustration of being stuck in the right lane when a bus stops and blocks all traffic. One stop, on Eastern Ave (S) just prior to the US 95 (N) on-ramp, is not just frustrating but downright dangerous! All traffic attempting to enter the freeway is forced to either wait behind the bus or swerve out around it. It’s an accident waiting to happen.
John

Answer:
The RTC installs bus turnouts wherever possible, for a greater buffer of one full lane between traffic and passengers.
Turnouts are required in new developments, but several areas of town, like Eastern & 95, were developed before transit service began in the valley. At the 95 & Eastern bus stop: there is not enough public right of way at this stop to allow for a bus turnout. The surrounding property is privately owned so a turnout is not possible in this location.
My advice to drivers: stop behind the bus the same way they would stop behind another vehicle at a red light.
Brian Loftus

Question:
WHY DOES THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL ON TROPICANA (E) TO RAINBOW (N) ONLY ALLOW A MAXIMUM OF 3 CARS THROUGH THE INTERSECTION? THE THIRD CAR IS BASICALLY GOING THROUGH THE LIGHT ON YELLOW! THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING FOR SUCH A BUSY INTERSECTION WITH TWO LANES TURNING LEFT.

Answer:
THE RTC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAFFIC SIGNAL COORDINATION ON MAJOR INTERSECTIONS LIKE TROPICANA AND RAINBOW. IF IT’S AN ISSUE WITH TRAFFIC TIMING SYSTEMS, WHICH THIS SOUNDS LIKE, THEN RTC TAKES CARE OF IT.
IF IT’S NOT A TIMING ISSUE, AND IT’S JUST BROKEN, THAT’S A CITY OR COUNTY ISSUE.
INFLUNCED BY YOUR E-MAIL WANDA, RTC CHECKED OUT THIS SIGNAL YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS I KNOW, WHAT THEY FOUND.
Brian Loftus

Question:
WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING, AND THE POSTED SPEED IS SAY 35 MPH…..AND AHEAD YOU SEE A SIGN SAYING IT IS 45 MPH. AT WHAT POINT CAN YOU SPEED UP TO THE NEW POSTED SPEED?
A. WHEN YOU FIRST SEE THE NEW SIGN AHEAD?
B. WHEN YOU ARE EVEN WITH THE NEW POSTED SPEED SIGN?
C. AFTER YOU PASS THE NEW POSTED SPEED SIGN?
SINCE I JUST GOT MY FIRST TICKET IN 67 YEARS, I AM MORE CAUTIOUS (GRIN) AND THIS IS AN ISSUE I DON’T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE.
Wally

Answer:
THE CORRECT ANSWER IS “B”
WE TALKED TO NHP ABOUT THIS QUESTION AND IT IS THE ACTUAL SPEED LIMIT SIGN THAT MARKS THE START OF THE NEW SPEED ZONE.
Brian Loftus

VIEWER QUESTION:
DRIVING EAST ON FLAMINGO, BETWEEN I-15 AND LAS VEGAS BLVD, THE LANES ARE BADLY IN NEED OF REPAIR AND STRIPING. IT’S HARD TO TELL WHICH LANE IS WHICH – ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SUN IS RISING.

JoAnn

Answer:
THIS AREA IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. MANY HAVE VENTED ABOUT DRIVING FLAMINGO LATELY. THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THERE IS TO TO BURY OVERHEAD POWER LINES ON FLAMINGO FROM KOVAL TO I-15. THERE ARE THREE PHASES: TRENCHING ROADS, UNDERGROUND CABLING, AND TRANSMISSION-POLE REMOVAL.

GOOD NEWS IS THEY’RE FINISHING UP TRENCHING AND MOVING ONTO STAGE 2. THAT MEANS YOU WILL SEE THIS STRETCH IMPROVED BY SPRING, 2010. AS FAR AS THE STRIPING- THAT IS USUALLY ONE OF THE LAST THINGS COMPLETED, SO FOR NOW…

MY ADVICE TO ALL DRIVERS PASSING THROUGH THIS CONSTRUCTION AREA: SLOW DOWN! IT’LL BE MUCH EASIER TO SEE THE LANE LINES, THE WORKERS WILL APPRECIATE IT, AND EVERYONE WILL BE THAT MUCH SAFER

Paul is frustrated and wants to know why the crosswalk at Sahara Avenue and Orchard Valley Drive is so faded- it’s hardly visible!

Paul’s Question:
He writes: “With three elementary schools just around the corner, I would think that keeping this crosswalk looking bright, would be important! The crosswalk hasn’t been painted in two years! He says most parents use other routes to walk to school with their children, but the morning drive here is extremely busy and dangerous!”Answer:
I looked into this and found that this particular crosswalk is no longer maintained by the County or the City. The crosswalk has been left to “fade out” because the school boundaries were changed in July of 2007. The old designated school zone for this crosswalk was removed, and a new zone was made. As part of the changes, a traffic light was installed down the road at Sahara and Tree line, just north of Orchard Valley. The crosswalk at this intersection is now the primary route used for pedestrians to walk to school. It’s also the safest.
*Let me know What’s Driving YOU Crazy! traffic8@klastv.com

Teresa’s Traffic Issue:

Teresa wrote in and says exiting at Las Vegas Boulevard from the I-215 Freeway going east- is drives both her and her husband crazy!  Teresa writes: “There are three lanes… one lane turns left, one lane goes forward and one lane goes right. The left turn lane is the lane that gets backed up. After all of the money spent building Town Square, it would be nice if you could get to it without a twenty minute wait and four stop light rotations! Why don’t they make the forward lane turn right, since it seems no one goes straight anyway?”

Melissa’s Answer:

I asked the County about this backed up intersection! Authorities said because of its current design and the way it was built, there isn’t enough room to allow dual left turns at the same time. Now for the good news! A construction project that is expected to start by the end of the year will do some work improvements on Las Vegas Boulevard that will create the space to allow two left turns going northbound on the strip, towards the Town Square overpass. When construction starts, this will make for one really busy area… and not to mention many frustrated shoppers! But in the long run… it will be good for everyone!