Strip's Growth Causing I-15 Woes
LAS VEGAS, Nevada As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal: "The booming Strip might provide dream getaways for out-of-town visitors, but it's creating a nightmare for Interstate 15 commuters.
"Traffic on I-15 during peak hours is so thick, motorists are fortunate if they make their commute home traveling at 25 mph.
"Every new hotel room that opens on the resort corridor adds 2.3 vehicles a day to I-15, the primary north-south route in the county.
"Within the next decade, Clark County anticipates between 45,000 and 75,000 new rooms will be constructed. That translates into more than 100,000 additional vehicles on the already-clogged freeway, according to a study conducted by the Regional Transportation Commission.
"The freeway, most of which is three lanes in each direction, was designed to handle 130,000 vehicles per day. Last year, the roadway averaged 218,000 vehicles a day.
"...The Nevada Department of Transportation recently allocated $7 million to re-stripe Interstate 15. Crews will convert the north and southbound "break down" or shoulder lanes into travel lanes..."
2006-02-24
