More orange cones popping up across Las Vegas valley as road construction projects ramp up
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Construction across the Las Vegas valley seems to be everywhere and has a lot of drivers seeing orange. The joke is often that the orange construction cone is the official state flower of Nevada but it’s not. It’s a Sagebrush.
While the construction can be frustrating to drivers, the RTC said if you’re seeing orange that means the valley is growing and with that comes growing pains. Road construction tends to ramp up in the spring because the temperatures are better for paving.
The website “Seeing Orange” helps local drivers navigate construction projects around the valley and learn why there are construction cones in their neighborhoods.
The RTC operates the website for commuters because the public funds most of the surface street construction. The RTC also operates the Traffic Management Center which manages traffic signs on highways and traffic signals on behalf of cities.
John Penuelas, director of engineering services for the RTC, said the website was started in 2016 and a new feature includes a special events section for events like EDC.
“The big events that are going to bring in hundreds of thousands and they coordinate those events to make sure traffic control, law enforcement, ramp meters, and everybody is on the same page but a lot of those events are happening at the same and that is a big part of the site.”
When it comes to all those orange cones, Penuelas said even if you don’t see any work being done there are good reasons for those cones. “Sometimes it’s … to protect open trenches or there is underground utility work or other markings. We do prefer night work but sometimes we can’t do night work because of nearby residents.”
The Nevada Department of Transportation said recently finished projects include the Centennial Bowl, I-15 and 215 north interchange, Sahara Avenue Safety Plan, and Nellis Boulevard upgrades that have taken place over the last few years.
Currently, the biggest project is the I-15 Tropicana project which will not be complete until mid-2025. Another major project is the I-15 north project by the speedway which will widen 10 miles of the I-15 from four to six lanes and will be completed later this year.
Other big projects in the works that may impact your commute include Harmon Avenue from Maryland Parkway to Pecos Road which will be finished in December. The 515 from Sunset Road to Wyoming Avenue will be filled with construction crews all summer for the completion of that project by August 31. Drivers in Henderson you’ll notice roadwork improvements across the city until the end of June. There will be street paving in Spring Valley until the end of the year.
With EDC in town, you can expect the heaviest traffic on I-15 northbound from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. each day this weekend. Then heavy traffic south early in the morning. The traffic congestion should clear up after Monday morning’s commute. You can check special event information at this link. You can also find construction information on the Nevada Department of Transportation website.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
