Editorial: It’s an emergency; erect barriers now

Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2002 | 9:07 a.m.

In view of the tragic numbers -- five deaths in 14 months -- and in view of the statistical numbers -- a 53 percent increase in traffic over the past four years -- the state Department of Transportation has relented and will construct a 10,000-foot-long guard rail in northwest Las Vegas. The rail will separate the north and south lanes of U.S. 95 between Lone Mountain and Ann Roads. Immediately following the most recent fatal crash involving a car crossing into the opposite lane, which last Thursday took the life of a young mother and her 4-year-old son, the transportation department said it had no plans to install a barrier between the lanes. Thankfully, saner heads quickly prevailed and on Friday the department announced it would build the barrier.

But all was not reassuring. The department said work would begin in about four months. When questioned by the Sun about the length of time needed to correct such a dangerous stretch of road, the answer came back: Four to six weeks to design the rails and resolve drainage issues, three weeks to advertise for a contractor, at least a month to prepare and deliver a "notice to proceed" order to the contractor ... That's all well and fine under normal circumstances, but we say this project should proceed under its true circumstance -- as an emergency. With lives at stake, let's not be shuffling paper.