Roadwork to greet Nevada Highway 160 motorists near Pahrump

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) has issued a traffic alert for motorists traveling along Highway 160, just north of Pahrump.

Maintenance crews will be engaging in road improvements along a 10-mile stretch of road between mile marker 27 and marker 37, along Highway 160. Work on applying a double chip seal is set to continue, on various days, through June 19 on the northbound and southbound lanes, along the stretch of highway.

“A chip seal consists of a fine gravel and thin liquid asphalt coating over existing pavement,” said Tony Illia, spokesman for NDOT. “It’s a cost-effective pavement preservation solution that produces a smoother, more durable and longer lasting roadway.”

Construction times are set to begin at 6 a.m. and wrap up at 4:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. Construction signs, in place on Wednesday, also indicate that road work will be occurring on June 8 (today), but NDOT said crews could be setting up for work starting next week.

Motorists should expect to see a pilot car that will safely guide cars, trucks and other vehicles through the work zone. Those traveling during the affected period should expect a 10-minute delay on travel time.

Individuals and families planning to travel through the area should expect to see more road work in the coming weeks.

Maintenance crews are scheduled to head back to the stretch along Highway 160, north of Pahrump, on June 18-19. The road will again have a pilot car on the scene from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on those days.

Illia did not have any estimates on the cost of the project.

Safety in work zones

Motorists are reminded to use caution when traveling in a work zone, to pay attention to construction signage and to take alternate routes, if possible.

According to a report from the Federal Highway Administration, the number of people killed in construction zones was 700 in 2015. That was up from 669 in 2014 and 593 people killed in work zones in 2013.

Overall, fatalities increased by 18 percent from 2013 to 2015.

The highway agency reports that nearly four out of five victims of work zone crashes are drivers or passengers.

In 2015, 130 workers lost their lives. The remaining 570 people killed in 2015 in the U.S. were drivers and passengers.

For information on the conditions of Nevada highways, visit nvroads.com or call 511. NDOT uses the Waze app to update motorists on road closures, unscheduled construction changes and similar information.

Contact reporter Jeffrey Meehan at jmeehan@pvtimes.com