I-15 interchange proposed south of Blue Diamond Road

Thursday, Oct. 24, 2002 | 9:45 a.m.

About two dozen residents of the southern Las Vegas Valley turned out Wednesday to see plans for a new interchange on Interstate 15 -- and many of those residents said the road changes are sorely needed.

"Very necessary. We've got to have it," said Randy Newman, a homeowner who lives about a mile northwest of the proposed interchange at Silverado Ranch Boulevard.

Newman, like other residents of the area, said increasing traffic congestion propelled by the boom in home building along I-15 and nearby has made life "a mess."

Clark County Public Works and the Nevada Department of Transportation propose a $9 million to $12 million interchange at the site. Construction could begin in 18 to 24 months, at the end of an environmental review period now under way.

The proposed project, between existing interchanges at Blue Diamond Road and St. Rose Parkway (State Route 146), could be open for traffic by late 2005 or early 2006, said Bobby Shelton, public works spokesman.

Robert Herr, public works project manager, said the department is looking at four possible alignments for the interchange as well as the option of doing nothing.

But doing nothing is probably not a viable option, he said.

"Right now, an interchange would help Blue Diamond Road, which is really suffering," Herr said.

He said continued construction throughout the area will only add to the traffic woes. Herr and other county and state staffers are looking to the future development of the Mountain's Edge master-planned community, which could add 37,000 residents to what is now a largely rural area southwest of Blue Diamond Road and I-15.

John Hiatt, a local conservationist and chairman of the Enterprise Town Advisory Board, said he also sees the need for the interchange.

"We really do need this," he said. "There's no doubt in my mind."