Las Vegas Completes Widening $520-million U.S. Hwy 95 Project
Transportation officials – seven years and a lawsuit later – this week celebrated completion of a $520-million U.S. Highway 95 widening in northwest Las Vegas. The 9-mile-long project added four travel lanes between Martin Luther King and Rainbow boulevards; another two lanes from Rainbow Boulevard to Craig Road; and created a high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lane in each direction. There are also seven new over and underpasses, plus 13 miles of soundwalls, storm drainage and redesigned connector ramps that weave lanes of traffic. The improved 10-lane roadway is designed to accommodate 302,600 vehicles a day or about 34% more than its current traffic flow.
U.S. 95 is one of Nevada's most congested stretches of highway with nearly 12,000 vehicles traveling less than half the speed allowed during peak commuting hours, says Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters. Even a slight vehicle speed increase would save more than $8.5-million per year in delay expenses, she adds.