Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

TRANSPORTATION:

Relief for drivers on U.S. 95, Sunset on schedule

Transportation

Richard Brian / Sun File Photo

Construction continues Tuesday on the Interstate 515 Galleria Mall Interchange at U.S. 95 and Sunset Road.

U.S. 95 zigzags a bit near Sunset Road, but the turns are a temporary headache as the state Transportation Department builds a new interchange at Galleria Drive. The $66.3 million project, which includes a bridge to extend Galleria east of the freeway, is on schedule to be completed in September, Henderson officials said Monday.

“We understand there may be some inconvenience right now, but we believe there will be a lot of convenience when the project is done,” said Henderson Councilwoman Gerri Schroder.

The new interchange is intended to relieve traffic on Sunset, a heavily traveled commercial corridor that includes the Galleria mall and Sunset Station, and ease traffic on U.S. 95. Galleria Drive also will provide access to the mall and area neighborhoods.

Traffic exiting southbound U.S. 95 at Sunset frequently drags from the ramp and onto the freeway near Russell Road, slowing or halting commuters, particularly in the afternoon, when locals are returning from points north. Off-ramp traffic, noted Henderson City Engineer Jonna Samson, shouldn’t back up onto the freeway.

“When you have traffic — especially around the holidays — and have vehicles building up on the freeway, there’s a big need for a secondary access,” Schroder said.

The Galleria interchange project, which is about halfway done, also includes the widening of Galleria from four to six lanes from Stephanie Street east to the freeway and an extension of the thoroughfare over the freeway to Boulder Highway. East of Gibson Road, Galleria will have four lanes to Boulder Highway, Sansom said. And because of the interchange’s proximity to Sunset Road, about a half-mile away, the Galleria interchange will have “braiding ramps,” where one ramp is elevated over the other.

The project is financed with revenue generated by Question 10, county ballot measures approved in 1990 and 2002. Question 10 helped fund the Las Vegas Beltway and arterial projects along Eastern Avenue and Green Valley Parkway.

• • •

Tourism, our biggest commodity, may be down markedly and unlikely to make a quick recovery, yet the U.S. Transportation Department still has earmarked millions for Nevada airport projects.

McCarran International Airport is getting more than $2 million for an expansion of the apron areas where planes are loaded, unloaded and maintained. McCarran is adding apron space at Terminal 3, which is being built at the east end of the airport campus.

North Las Vegas Airport will receive $3 million for power-line relocation. And Reno Stead Airport is getting $68,000 toward bringing the runway into compliance with FAA design standards.

Noting Nevada’s heavy reliance on tourism, Sen. John Ensign said: “It is so important that our airports are maintained to ensure that they can safely handle large amounts of traffic.”

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