Freeway fixes planned at Sunset Road

Motorists stuck in traffic on Sunset Road may be in for some relief soon as the Nevada Department of Transportation unveiled its plans last week for ramp improvements on Interstate 515, part of U.S. 95 that runs through Henderson.

A three-hour open forum meeting, during which citizens talked one-on-one with NDOT representatives and engineering consultants, drew about 15 people Thursday to the Kesterson Valley View Recreational Facility in Henderson, according to Dennis Braughman, a hearings officer for NDOT.

"This was a pretty good response for this type of meeting," he said. "We feel people feel more comfortable asking question with this format."

And ask questions they did, but not everyone was happy with the answers they received.

"I asked them if they (NDOT) could put in an off ramp at Warm Springs Road between Lake Mead Drive and Sunset to alleviate some of the traffic heading south, but they said that couldn't do it," commented Ray Williams, a Henderson resident who commutes from the south.

Williams added that he was told such an off ramp also would require an on ramp a mile apart from it, which wasn't feasible at this time.

One thing everyone at the forum seemed to agree on, though, was that improvements at the I-515 and Sunset interchange were sorely needed.

"Every time I get off on Sunset I get stuck in traffic and it's miserable," Williams said. "Now, I just take Boulder Highway to Sunset."

Another resident echoed Williams' sentiments about the area. "It's very dangerous now (getting off the freeway at Sunset) because cars back up that are going to the Automall, Sunset Station and other businesses in the area," resident Brian Hoeft said. "So I'm very happy about the improvements."

Improvements planned for the Sunset Road interchanges include widening the northbound and southbound exit and entrance ramps allowing for additional turn lanes.

The project is one of three phases designed to alleviate congestion on Sunset and deal with future growth. NDOT is coordinating the Sunset/ I-515 improvement with the Henderson Department of Public Works, which is redesigning the Sunset Corridor and realigning Gibson Road.

"This (ramp improvement) is just part of the big picture to improve traffic on Sunset Road," explained Bardia Nezhati, an engineer for Stanley Consultants, the project's designer.

The Sunset Road/I-515 ramp improvements are expected to cost $2 million and take one year to complete. Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of the year.

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