County’s groundhog sees shadow, road-work delay

Tuesday, Feb. 3, 1998 | 10:29 a.m.

Beltway Bobaloo, the county's groundhog mascot, Monday hopped out of a truck in his construction worker's vest, took a quick look around, and declared a halt to construction for six more weeks.

The Groundhog Day's declaration means widening work on the three-mile stretch of Spring Mountain Road between Rainbow and Valley View boulevards will remain dormant until late March.

The light-hearted ceremony took place at Spring Mountain Road and Lindell Avenue, the site of a new traffic light that is part of the overall project. Beltway Bobaloo officially flipped the switch on the traffic signal that replaces stop signs.

The event was hosted by the Clark County Department of Public Works and the contractor, Granite Construction Co. Officials announced that construction must be delayed in order to ensure warmer weather, necessary for the final paving process.

The three miles of construction, costing about $7,788,000, will provide wider roads, an additional westbound lane, a continuous left-turn lane, an improved drainage system and additional traffic lights.

"Spring Mountain was in terrible shape before we started," said Les Henley, construction division manager for the county's public works department.