U.S. 95 plan hits pothole

      There has to be a better way.
      It's a conviction that's almost become a mantra for those opposed to the widening of U.S. Highway 95 in northwest Las Vegas. About 20 residents met Wednesday night to come up with solutions that wouldn't take homes, worsen air pollution, or put a heavy burden on taxpayers.
      "Anybody could be up here," said Bob Sandless, a writer who came to suggest a subway and give a quick lesson in letter-writing to public officials. "I'm a writer so I like to come up with ideas."
      The group has met twice at the Masonic Memorial Temple to look for ways around what many see as the inevitable expansion of concrete over city neighborhoods.
      The widening means the destruction of about 175 homes, 115 apartments, and 21 businesses. The Nevada Department of Transportation also will have to rebuild Adcock Elementary School, because it sits on land needed for the project.
      The expansion of U.S. 95 is part of a multipronged plan to alleviate traffic congestion in the northwest Las Vegas Valley. The highway will grow to 10 lanes from the intersection of Interstate 15 and U.S. Highway 95 to Rainbow Boulevard, and to six lanes from Rainbow to Craig Road.
      "I don't know why someone didn't do this before," said June Ingram, who lives in the Charleston Heights area. "There are a lot of smart people in this town who can come up with different ideas. I think (the highway department) was crazy not to do this before the final say."
      Despite disheartening legal advice about the possibility of overcoming eminent domain, the group of citizens is determined to persevere. They plan to continue peppering government officials with options, hoping to save more homes and businesses.
      The project already has approval from local governments, and the state is preparing to embark on an environmental impact study expected to be completed in two years.
      Depending on the findings of the study, 60 homes adjacent to the Las Vegas Valley Water District land along U.S. 95 could be saved if the expansion is rerouted. But Ken Mahal, president of the Nevada Seniors Coalition, said forget the highway and forget the proposal for an elevated rail system along the Strip. His advice -- find some vision.
      "Sure we need mass transit," Mahal told the group. "Not for the gaming moguls, but for Clark County. Sure we need something from the airport to the Strip, but we're more in need of transportation in areas like Summerlin and The Lakes. Ultimately, we're going to need something that can go all the way to Laughlin."
      Mahal's idea is to scrap everything on the table and start over with a look at an ultra-light rail system that would cost about $7 million a mile. It's not something widely used anywhere else in the United States, but Mahal came prepared with illustrations and specs, and the conviction that with a computer, anything is possible.
      "It's never been tried, but how do you think we make progress?" Mahal said. "If you want to be a leader, then be a leader."