Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Storms wash out part of U.S. Highway 93

Alamo residents who work in Las Vegas finding road to work a long one

Nevada Department of Transportation personnel work Monday on the flood-damaged section of U.S. Highway 93 in Lincoln County. Photo by Clint Karlsen. Click image for enlargement.

Lincoln County Commissioner Wade Poulsen might have to leave for work at his North Las Vegas job today about the same time tourists on the Strip are gettin' crazy -- 1:30 a.m.

That's because Sunday night's thunderstorms dropped about 2 inches of rain on the southern edge of Lincoln County, washing out a segment of U.S. Highway 93, the main road between Interstate 15 and the county.

The road is closed near the border of Lincoln and Clark counties, and the detour forces people to drive into parts of Utah and Arizona.

Nevada road crews were out repairing the highway Monday afternoon and estimate it will reopen Wednesday morning, Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman Bob McKenzie said.

Poulsen, an Alamo resident, said the highway's closure means the 75-minute commute to his job as a production manager at the Solo Cup Company manufacturing plant will instead take five hours.

He is one of the lucky ones because his job allows for flexible hours, so he may be able to take a day off or move his start time back to a more reasonable hour.

But other Alamo residents don't have that luxury.

He said he called a Clark County firefighter who lives in his hometown at about 12:30 a.m. Monday and told him "if you guys want to get to work you have to leave right now."

Lincoln County Deputy Sheriff Keith Bowman said there are many Alamo residents who make the daily commute to Las Vegas. He said even mail delivery is being delayed by several hours.

The transportation department closed the road at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

The department suggests the following detour for people traveling north into Lincoln County: Take Interstate 15 north to Utah Highway 18; travel north to Utah Highway 56 westbound, which becomes Nevada state Route 319 and connects with U.S. Highway 93.

Bobby Shelton, Clark County Public Works spokesman, said the county's only road closure is the Cooper Crossing in Overton, where Cooper Street meets the Muddy River, which remained inundated on Monday. There is no timetable for that road's reopening.

National Weather Service meteorologist John Adair said the southern edge of the Las Vegas Valley received the valley's heaviest rainfall Sunday night with nearly an inch of rain.

McCarran International Airport recorded a little more than a quarter of an inch of rain, he said.

The forecast calls for drier Las Vegas skies as the week progresses.

"Some drier air will be starting to spread in tomorrow. There will still be some isolated storms in (rural areas) and a good chance for them in the mountains," Adair said.