Airport follows guidelines for tunnel lighting

Ever since the roads around McCarran International Airport underwent some major renovations, motorists who use the connector or frequent the airport seemed to have become more observant.

Here's the latest from Mark: Could you please tell me why the lighting in the airport connector tunnel is never consistent? It seems to be dim during the night and bright during the day? Why is that?

The airport follows guidelines set by national groups such as the American National Standard Practice for Tunnel Lighting -- seriously, that's the name of the group. Mark is absolutely correct, the lights are dimmer at night than during the day. The settings are designed to help motorists' eyes adjust better. The lights remain on during the day so that drivers don't have to come from a bright sunlit road to a dark unlit tunnel.

In the evening hours, lights are set at a lower level to prevent problems that would occur if drivers instantly went from darkness outside into an overly bright tunnel, according to airport spokesman Chris Jones.

The lights are automatically adjusted by photo cells that measure the natural sunlight at various areas of the tunnel. The airport has the ability to manually adjust the tunnel's ceiling lights up or down, which is done occasionally, such as turning them on for construction or to accommodate emergency responders' needs, for example.

Graham asks: Racel Street has been closed from Buffalo Drive to Durango for most of this year. The work that has been ongoing is at the intersection of Cimarron and Racel. However, there does not appear to have been any progress for months, and I haven't seen a workman for quite some time. Multiple trucks filled with debris are regularly seen crossing Buffalo, but those trucks are coming from another location. Do they have any idea when the work will be completed and Racel reopened?

A few things are going on in this area, Graham, which might explain why you sometimes see crews at the intersection of Racel and Cimarron Avenue and other times not. Here's a quick rundown of the city of Las Vegas projects out there. On Racel, between Cimarron and Coke Street, the city is doing some storm drain work related to the construction of two detention basins. At the same time the El Capitan storm drain is built from Racel to Horse Drive, crews will be widening El Capitan at Racel. The city is also developing about four miles of trails around the new basins. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by March.

Patti wants her money: When I turned in my auto plates in July 2010, due to expire in May 2011, with approximately $85 refund due, I was told the DMV could not return this -- in cash, to my credit card, or via check; no refunds allowed! The only way to get this money due was to apply it to another auto registration. Since I had no auto to apply it to, I was not able to recoup my refund. I think this is unacceptable, do you?

 On the face of it, it certainly doesn't sound very fair. But it starts to make sense if you listen to the department's explanation. In 2002, the year before state legislators passed a law prohibiting refunds, the Department of Motor Vehicles issued 101,000 refund checks at a cost of $17 to $20 per check, according to the background report provided to lawmakers. At that point, the law required the DMV to refund any amount and 9,100 checks were written for less than $1.

The state lost $2.3 million that otherwise would have been placed in its highway fund. Schools and counties also lost out on an estimated $5.9 million in government services taxes because of the costs associated with issuing refunds. It is true that the money can be applied to another registration.

And speaking of government services taxes, several people have complained about how they have skyrocketed this year.

We've gone over that several times -- the state passed a law during the last session that reduced the depreciation allowances. For example, a one-year-old vehicle is taxed on 95 percent of its value, rather than 85 percent as it was under the old law.

Here's another question: What the heck is a supplemental government services tax?

Apparently these are only in effect in Clark and White Pines counties. Counties with a population of more than 100,000 but less than 400,000 have the discretion to implement these taxes. They just can't exceed one cent on each dollar of valuation of the vehicle.

We're paying for the "privilege" of operating our vehicles on public streets, roads and highways, according to the state law.

If you have a question, tip or tirade, call Adrienne Packer at (702) 387-2904, or send an e-mail to roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com. Include your phone number.