NDOT to host meeting on proposed improvements to I-15

By Kyle B. Hansen (contact)

Monday, Aug. 9, 2010 | 1 a.m.

Residents of the southern Las Vegas Valley will have a chance to weigh in on some major changes that have been proposed for Interstate 15 at a public meeting this week.

The Nevada Department of Transportation will hold the meeting on multiple proposed projects from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday in the Southern Highlands Preparatory School gymnasium, 11500 Southern Highlands Parkway. Most of the meeting will be open-house style, but a brief presentation will be given at 5:30 p.m.

Instead of limiting each meeting to one project, transportation officials are trying to present all of the projects in a region at each meeting so residents are more aware of what is going on, NDOT spokesman Bob Mckenzie said.

The major project to be discussed at the meeting is a proposed full interchange at Cactus Avenue between existing interchanges at St. Rose Parkway and Silverado Ranch Boulevard.

The project includes connecting Cactus Avenue, which currently ends at Las Vegas Boulevard east of I-15 and then resumes on the west side of the freeway at Dean Martin Drive.

The transportation department also said it will make improvements to Cactus Avenue between Dean Martin Drive and Polaris Road, including installation of traffic signals, signing and striping, drainage and flood control facilities and landscaping.

That project could begin construction as early as next year, Mckenzie said.

In a separate project, the department is proposing to install an Intelligent Transportation System for the portion of the freeway between the Las Vegas Beltway interchange and the state line in Primm.

The system would consist of overhead dynamic message boards, ramp meters and television cameras to monitor and manage traffic. Similar systems already are installed on other parts of I-15 and some other freeways in the valley.

Representatives will be at the meeting to discuss the current I-15 South Design-Build Project, which will widen the freeway north of Silverado Ranch Boulevard.

The department also eventually plans to build an interchange at Starr Avenue, near the Cactus Avenue project.