Comdex traffic heavy

Tuesday, Nov. 16, 1999 | 11:29 a.m.

Authorities say the best advice they can give people who have to travel though the convention corridor for Comdex this week is "be patient."

The best advice for those considering traversing Paradise Road around the Las Vegas Convention Center and Sands Expo Center is "don't."

"We always have kinks during the first day, but we are working on them," Metro Police Special Events Sgt. Ron Swift said. "We have had trouble with cab drivers not reading the instructions they were given, which has caused traffic problems. But the buses are doing OK."

There also has been problems with motorists dropping off friends and conventioneers in the area and attempting to wait for them. That has blocked lanes and caused minor traffic snarls, Swift said.

Metro is using 10 officers and two sergeants at the Las Vegas Convention Center and eight officers and one sergeant at the Sands Expo Center to control traffic during peak hours of the 20th annual show.

Comdex is footing the bill for those off-duty officers who receive overtime wages for their work that is on a volunteer basis. No on-duty officers are used and no taxpayer money is spent on traffic control at Comdex, Swift said.

"All I can advise people who have to travel in that area between the peak hours of 9-11 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. is be patient," Swift said.

"People may want to avoid Paradise altogether by taking Las Vegas Boulevard or Maryland Parkway. Also, the Desert Inn Super Arterial is doing all right."

There were no reported traffic accidents involving conventioneers on Monday or early today, Swift said.

Assisting Metro Police in keeping traffic moving as smoothly as possible in the convention corridor is the Nevada Taxicab Authority and convention center security.

More than 200,000 people are attending the six-day convention. It is the largest convention annually in Las Vegas.

Comdex, an electronics and computer trade show that features the latest technological advancements, is closed to the public.

About 2,000 companies have exhibits at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Sands Expo Center and the Las Vegas Hilton.