Move over when you spot police
Alvida shipped me an interesting incident that happened to a friend in California. She said her friend passed two police officers who were ticketing a motorist on the shoulder of the road. After the man slowed down and passed the two police cars, one of the cops jumped into his vehicle and tracked Alvida's friend down. He was ticketed for not moving over to the next lane while passing the police.
Alvida's question: Do you know whether this is a law in Nevada?
Yes it is. In 2003, the state legislature passed the law (NRS 484.364) that requires motorists approaching emergency vehicles on the shoulder of the road to move over a lane to your left, "unless roadway, traffic, weather or other conditions make doing so unsafe or impossible."
If you can't change lanes, the laws says you must decrease your speed to less than the posted speed limit, proceed with caution and prepare to stop.
Not to harp on this, but, yikes, this law must be difficult to enforce on Interstate 15 at Sahara Avenue, where the highway patrol spends a good part of its day investigating accidents and merging already is a nightmare.
Tom is perplexed: One of the busiest, shopping/dining areas other than the Strip, in my opinion, is Town Square. One of the easiest access routes from the west is the southern Beltway east to the Las Vegas Boulevard/ I-15 south exit. Take the exit and pow, traffic is backed up to infinity and beyond! There are three lanes -- one is right-turn only, one is straight only and the other is left-turn only and that is the lane that is so backed up. Why can't the center lane be straight and for left turns?
Good news, Tom. Clark County is preparing to embark on a widening project on Las Vegas Boulevard. Part of the plan is to make that center lane available for through traffic as well as vehicles making a left so there will be dual left-turn lanes.
The project will go out to bid soon, and construction will begin about mid-year.
You didn't ask, but I will tell you anyway. The rest of the project includes widening Las Vegas Boulevard to six lanes between Silverado Ranch Boulevard and Sunset Road. A new traffic signal is also going in at Serene Avenue.
Bruce is in the dark: Bus stops used to have lighting. Many are no longer lighted at night. Is this because of budget cuts?
This isn't a budget issue, Bruce. Bus shelters installed where power is easily accessible do have lights. Lights were not installed at more rural stops where power wasn't available when they were built, according to the Regional Transportation Commission. I like good news and here's more of it: The RTC is working on a new bus shelter design that will include solar panels so the stops eventually will have lighting.
David doesn't like the groove: What is the story with the grooves cut in the highway? Has anyone else complained? They cause unstable drivability in many locations. Is the Department of Transportation aware of this dangerous situation?
The Department of Transportation is fully aware of the grooved roadways because they are built that way on purpose.
I understand your concern, David. Sometimes it feels like the grooves are going to rip your car right off the freeway. But the fact is they are embedded in the road to keep vehicles from hydroplaning in our rare rainy weather.
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.
The city of Las Vegas is beginning construction of its new Neon Boneyard Park, located on the east side of Las Vegas Boulevard at McWilliams Avenue, on Monday. The city anticipates it will take 10 months to build the half-acre park. During that time, road closures are expected on portions of McWilliams, Ninth Street and Encanto Drive. Residents of that neighborhood will continue to have access to those streets.
Sewer rehabilitation projects continue in a 4-square-mile area bounded by Desert Inn Road, Flamingo Road, Stephanie Street and Mountain Vista Street. Sewer work is also ongoing near the UNLV campus along Harmon Avenue west to Koval Lane; and near Desert Breeze Park along West Twain Avenue. Expect varying lane restrictions in these areas.
Crews continue work on the North Fifth Street arterial. North Fifth is closed from Lake Mead Boulevard to Las Vegas Boulevard. Main Street is closed from Las Vegas Boulevard to Owens Avenue. Watch for detours, because the closures are expected to last another five months.
On Interstate 15, the left lanes will be closed in both directions where the roadway crosses the southern part of the Las Vegas Beltway on Thursday evening and again in the evening from Sunday through Feb. 4. Construction hours are from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Expect daytime construction between Interstate 15 east to Audrie Street along Flamingo Road. Left-turn lanes onto Las Vegas Boulevard from Flamingo will be affected. Crews also will be working on the southbound Las Vegas Boulevard lanes at the Flamingo intersection.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
