Now you see striping, now you…

We’re kicking off this week by updating some work along Interstate 15, which will be of interest to those of you eagerly awaiting the opening of the express lanes:

Josh, Lynn and a few others ask: What is up with the striping on Interstate 15? Between Spring Mountain Road and Sahara Avenue, there seems to be old lane markings and new lane markings, but it’s difficult to determine which is which.

It’s an interesting phenomenon, actually. According to the Nevada Department of Transportation’s Bob McKenzie, the position of the sun this time of year combined with the grade of the freeway make it very difficult to see the paint on the freeway.

McKenzie said that out of your windshield, they are nearly invisible, but if you look out your rear-view mirror, they are clear as day. (I tried this until I nearly rear-ended somebody at the feared Sahara Avenue exit, so I’m not totally convinced.)

Regardless, by the end of the month, the lanes will not only be re-striped, they will be accentuated with buttons to further help motorists. The work will coincide with the opening of the express lanes, which, by the way, has been delayed from this week until sometime between June 23 and June 30. Until then, be careful out there boys.

Pete’s dying to know: I have always been curious about the green dye I occasionally see being sprayed on the side of the highways here. What are they spraying for?

This isn’t a spray aimed at any type of insect, Pete. Nor is it a lame attempt to make our desert landscaping green. The spraying is done to keep weeds and other unwanted vegetation from protruding through the decorative rocks.

Several readers in the West Las Vegas area are fed up and want to know: Will work on Martin Luther King Boulevard ever be completed? It seems that there are cones, lane closures and delays, but never any work being done. What’s going on?

Well, the news might be good here, which is surprising because it rarely is when it comes to this never-ending project.

The city of Las Vegas embarked on this project in March 2008 and this was the scope of the work: install underground utilities, widen and repave a 2.5-mile stretch of MLK.

The work, according to the city, was expected to be complete in early 2010, then it was delayed until next month. Curiously, the Regional Transportation Commission extended the funding for the project until September 2011, but the city is sticking to the July 30 date.

For the record, last October I drew a comparison between this project and the mammoth CityCenter, where crews broke ground just two years earlier than the start of the MLK work. Update: CityCenter opened seven months ago. We’re still waiting on MLK.

Several readers share the same follow-up question related to a story about the Regional Transportation Commission’s decision to sell $169 million in bonds to fund road projects: If Clark County voters approved the one-eighth of a cent sales tax, how can the state vote to “un-sunset” the expiration date?

This was an advisory question that asked Clark County voters whether the state Legislature should authorize the Clark County Commission to allow the Regional Transportation Commission to implement the sales tax. Because this was a state action and because the question that appeared on the 2002 ballot was advisory — meaning that was designed to give state lawmakers an idea of how voters feel about an issue — the state has the authority to extend the sales tax.

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.