Rain delays many construction projects

Friday, Jan. 14, 2005 | 9:30 a.m.

Crews on Thursday were still assessing whether the recent wet weather would cause any significant delays in construction projects around town, Bobby Shelton, spokesman for the Clark County Public Works Department, said.

"Significant rainfall can wash away work in progress," Shelton said.

In the case of road improvements at Rainbow Boulevard and Interstate 215 in southwest Las Vegas, full storm drainage is being installed as the lanes are are constructed, Shelton said.

There are two different projects in addition to the I-215 improvements.

Decatur Boulevard and Buffalo Drive improvements should be completed by the end of February, Shelton said.

As part of that project, the I-215 frontage road was closed from Jones Boulevard to Rainbow to build an offramp to Rainbow.

Decatur, Buffalo and Jones south of I-215 were temporarily closed after rain and snow melt from the Spring Mountains, but construction work has resumed.

Right now motorists have to get off on Jones to take Sunset Road or Patrick Lane to Rainbow, or go on to Buffalo, turn around and then exit on Rainbow to go north or south to avoid the construction.

Then rain and runoff from melting snows in the Spring Mountains flooded Jones south of I-215 on Monday. Until the flowing waters recede, county road crews won't be able to assess the damage there.

Contractors factor possible weather-related delays into the cost of each project, Shelton said.

The other project on Rainbow will cover I-215 to Windmill Lane, a joint project by the county and developers, Shelton said. Eventually road improvements will extend down Rainbow all the way to Blue Diamond Highway.

Improvements include two lanes in each direction, new sidewalks, curbs and gutters and the all-important flood control protection, which could be finished in late June.

In the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, late night motorists face orange cones that divert them from several important projects.

Elaborate bridges that allow pedestrians to cross high above congested intersections on Las Vegas Boulevard are still under construction.

Traffic is diverted from 9 p.m. at night to 5 a.m. the next day at the intersection of Spring Mountain Road, which becomes Sands Avenue to the east, Shelton said. The intersection carries about 100,000 cars a day.

The project uses room taxes and additional "participation funds" paid by resort companies to save countless lives and millions of dollars in property damage.

A recent study by the UNLV Transportation Research Center ranked Spring Mountain-Las Vegas Boulevard intersection as the fourth-deadliest in the county. Of the top 10 most dangerous intersections, the top five were all along the Strip; the other five were along Maryland Parkway.

The $20 million project will eventually link the yet-unfinished Wynn Las Vegas, Treasure Island and Venetian with the Fashion Show mall. The first leg connecting the Venetian to Treasure Island was standing when construction began.

The bridge work is continuing as Wynn's resort is doing off-site improvements and the Clark County Water Reclamation District is rehabilitating sewer lines between Stardust Road and Spring Mountain.

So far the Strip project is gliding along with no problems.

The entire Spring Mountain bridge construction and road improvements should be completed by early June.

Another road that is under water is Topaz Street and Warm Springs Road in the southeast valley. Public Works crews closed the road on Dec. 29 from flooding and it will remain closed indefinitely.

"That was an unintended washout," Shelton said, explaining how flood runoff is supposed to run over the top of the pavement on Topaz.

After heavy rainfall on Dec. 28, Topaz pavement crumbled and washed away. Off and on rain showers have continued and the area cannot be repaired until the water stops flowing, Shelton said.

"We can't even get in there to estimate the damages," Shelton said. "The water is still running."