Widening of 1.75-mile stretch of highway underway
The Nevada Department of Transportation began a $3.49 million widening project of State Route 160 between Rainbow Avenue and Calvada Boulevard on Tuesday.
Before the commute on the almost two-mile section of highway gets easier, the construction phase will temporarily slow down motorists as the road is widened.
The speed limit drops from 55 mph, to 45 mph as the construction zone begins, then drops further to 35 mph where work crews are present. Once complete, the normal speed limit of 55 mph will resume.
The project will expand a heavily-traveled 1.75 mile stretch of highway from two to four travel lanes, in addition to adding a center turn lane and flattening of side slope shoulders for safer vehicle turnouts.
The project also includes installing new drainage pipe and hydro-seeding surrounding desert landscape.
The project, which Las Vegas Paving is the general contractor for, will place 23,000 tons of asphalt, or enough to pave 3,600 driveways, and move enough dirt to fill 46,000 pickup trucks.
Construction will entail adding a temporary barrier railing along the stretch of highway, which will be installed on July 10. The barrier will be used in three-quarter mile stretches and will be moved as construction progresses.
Work will take place from 5:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The widening project is planned for completion by late November.
Motorists are urged to use caution while traveling through the work zone, heeding construction signage and taking alternate routes, if possible.
Contact reporter Mick Akers at makers@pvtimes.com. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.
