Roadwork to be suspended to aid Memorial Day traffic

Eric Leake

Thursday, May 26, 2005 | 8:11 a.m.

While many people will enjoy barbecues and cold beer, law enforcement will be watching for drunken drivers and traffic congestion this Memorial Day weekend.

The weekend is traditionally a busy one for travel and traffic. Police and highway patrol said they will be working overtime on roads into and around the valley.

"This and Labor Day are to two busiest weekends because this is the beginning of the summer," California Highway Patrol Officer Terry Solomon said.

Solomon is based in Barstow, Calif., where some of the heaviest weekend traffic is seen.

To help ease that traffic the California Department of Transportation announced it will suspend all roadwork along Interstate 15 into Nevada. The road construction moratorium will leave all possible lanes open beginning 6 a.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Solomon said heavy traffic along the interstate typically begins Thursday night as people travel to Las Vegas and surges Sunday and Monday as travelers return home.

"We suggest people anticipate accidents and collisions because they do occur and create major backups," Solomon said.

"It becomes frustrating. Usually people get in an accident if they're not level-headed," he said. "You get hot and everybody gets a little more angry. It doesn't help. "

He advised people to plan ahead, expect delays, drive safely, and pack enough water for their car and everybody in it as they cross the desert.

Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Loy Hixson, a spokesman for the department, said I-15 will also receive special attention from Nevada troopers.

"We're going to have as many people as we can out there on the road keeping people within the speed limit," Hixson said.

Highway Patrol and Metro Police both said watching for drunken drivers will be a priority during the weekend.

Metro Police Lt. Wayne Petersen, with the traffic section, said no checkpoints are planned though extra officers will be roving the valley looking for impaired driving.

"On the holidays people are out celebrating. A lot of times while they're celebrating they indulge in alcohol, which is fine. We want people to celebrate and have a good time," Petersen said. "We just don't want them to drive."

Petersen said police will give particular attention to the west side of the valley, which lately has seen numerous traffic collisions. He said the heat may contribute to poor driving.

"People seem to lose their patience quicker when it gets real hot," he said.