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By Kyle B. Hansen (contact) 
Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011 | 2 a.m.
Sun Archives
- Busy stretch of I-15 to get 25,000-ton makeover (09-20-2011)
- Paving project brings I-15 traffic to standstill (09-12-2011)
- If a freeway isn’t under construction now, it might be down the road (09-15-2011)
Sun Coverage
The repaving project on Interstate 15 has created traffic headaches for motorists, but only on weekdays – until now.
In a reversal, the Nevada Department of Transportation said crews would be paving portions of the freeway on Saturday, Oct. 8, and Sunday, Oct. 9. Previously, crews were only working – and lanes were only closed – from Sunday night to Thursday morning each week.
The two-day marathon paving session will help to get the project done more quickly, the department said.
“We listened to the public’s concerns and evaluated the first few weeks of the project, looking at traffic volumes and traffic patterns throughout the corridor,” District Engineer Mary Martini said in a statement. “We’re timing this (new schedule) to have the least amount of impact on businesses and commuters. If we can finish sooner, we can give the freeway back sooner, which will ultimately benefit the public.”
The work will be to repave the middle southbound lanes on Oct. 8 and the middle northbound lanes on Oct. 9. This should be the only weekend the work will take place, and lane restrictions still will be lifted that Friday, spokesman Damon Hodge said.
The work will reduce the freeway to two lanes in each direction for some stretches of the state’s busiest freeway.
The $9 million project, being done by Fisher Sand & Gravel, is to repave about eight miles of I-15, from Tropicana to the Spaghetti Bowl, with rubberized asphalt.
The project began Sept. 11 and is scheduled to be done before Oct. 20, despite some setbacks during the first week due to rain.
Officials initially said they were only doing the work on weekdays because they didn’t want to create congestion and confusion for tourists who use the freeway to get to the Strip from Southern California.
But working on these two extra days should more than make up for the rain delay and get the road open well before the deadline, the department said.
Uh, Kyle Hansen? Any truth that the contractor will get a 1 million dollar bonus for finishing 1 week ahead of schedule?
I recommend working every single day and night until its done. Make the pain as short as possible.
Logic:
You're right, as we explained in a previous article, Fisher could get a $1 million bonus if the project is done a week early. The department says it is incentive pay to get the traffic restrictions lifted as soon as possible. But there are other stipulations on the bonus and no guarantee this weekend work will be enough to be done a full week early.
It kills me driving down the I-15 during the day, seeing 2 or 3 lanes closed for miles and not a construction worker in sight.
Does NDOT realize they're doing this on Columbus Day weekend? I know us Nevadans don't get Columbus Day off, but lots of other states get the day off, and I'm sure we'll see higher than normal visitor counts. In reality, they're picking a holiday weekend to do work on the highway. Not so smart.
I have an idea to get it done faster--- work 24 hours a day! You have the lanes blocked off and are only working at night? Why??? There is enough staff out there to help work extra shifts and not have any over-time.
Knowing suppliers of the asphalt mix and the tonnage required, Tommy Fisher, Joe Miller Area Manager, and paving team will complete the work over the weekend and they will earn the million dollar bonus. Well done Tommy and Joe, keep up the good work!
By the way Tommy and Joe, good luck in California if you're doing the Calaveras Dam Replacement Project with Dragados/Flatiron/Sukut JV, best of luck. California environmental regulations and the stringent rules they have enacted with the July 2010 SWPPP permit is costly and if you don't have the budget to deal with SFPUD and owner's management teams' war chest, run the other way. Working is California is like working in another country, there isn't enough money in the world to deal with their regulations and the states eccoterrorist liberal nutcases.
if you know them, send them an email
Vegas is a rapid expanding city. The city should discuss building a public transit system, which is found in all major cities (London, New York City).