Nevada drivers whopulloffa ‘California roll’ can be ticketed

IT looks like a few drivers need a reminder on what it means to stop. Sandra from Las Vegas said she’s noticed a few motorists who roll past stop signs at four-way intersections.

In the east valley, Randy said he received a citation for failing to stop at a red light while making a right turn. And in North Las Vegas, Mark said he was nearly sideswiped by a red-light runner who also was turning right.

In all of these cases, it sounds like the offending motorists were pulling a California roll. And we’re not talking about the tasty sushi treat.

For those who are unfamiliar, California rolls happen when drivers slow down — rather than stop — then drive through an intersection when they think it’s safe.

“This isn’t California,” Nevada Highway Patrol trooper Jason Buratczuk astutely pointed out.

“If you roll through a stop sign in Nevada, then have your checkbook handy,” Buratczuk said. “You will get a ticket.”

He said all vehicles must make a complete stop behind the white limit line at red lights and stop signs prior to making a right turn or passing through an intersection.

“Nevada troopers can patrol anywhere in the state, so if we see you on a city street running or rolling through a red light or stop sign, we will enforce that violation,” Buratczuk said.

Searchlight road work

A $19.8 million contract was awarded last fall to repave a deteriorated stretch of U.S. Highway 95 from the northern edge of Searchlight to the border with California.

Gail and Gary from Bullhead City recently drove through the area and wanted to know when they would see improvements along this 7.8-mile stretch of road.

Tony Illia, a spokesman for the Nevada Department of Transportation, said work is expected to wrap up this summer on the project, which calls for repaving the highway for the first time in a decade. Other enhancements include the replanting of more than 2,000 cactuses, drainage upgrades and installing 5 miles of fencing meant to protect desert tortoises.

“The project will move enough dirt to fill over 300 swimming pools and enough asphalt to pave 6,200 driveways,” Illia said.

Summerlin auxiliary lanes

Barry from Las Vegas wanted to know what’s going on with all the construction along the western end of Summerlin Parkway.

Margaret Kurtz, a spokeswoman for the city of Las Vegas, said crews are adding an eastbound auxiliary lane between northbound 215 Beltway and Anasazi Drive, aimed at giving motorists additional time to merge on or off the parkway.

New lights, storm drains, pavement and a concrete safety barrier will be installed by the time construction

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wraps up in August, Kurtz said.

Work also is expected to last through the end of July on a project that calls for adding auxiliary lanes in both directions of Summerlin Parkway between the Rampart Boulevard and Town Center Drive ramps, Kurtz said.

After those projects are completed, Kurtz said, city officials plan to widen eastbound Summerlin Parkway between Rampart Boulevard and Durango Drive “at a later date.”

Northern Beltway ramps

Gary from Las Vegas wanted to know when the northern 215 Beltway onramps and offramps for Lone Mountain and Ann roads will open after more than a year of construction.

Clark County spokesman Dan

Kulin said the new interchange at Lone Mountain is now open to traffic, but you’ll have to wait a few more months until the Ann Road interchange opens.

Work on the three-year project will be completed by the end of summer, Kulin said.

Signal timing OK

Duane from Las Vegas wanted to know whether the signal timing was properly set at the intersection of Desert Inn Road and Jones Boulevard in the Spring Valley area.

“The signals for Desert Inn are only green for about 15 seconds, allowing five or six cars to get through and causing a big traffic jam, but the green lights seem much longer for the traffic on Jones,” Duane wrote in an email to the Road Warrior.

Kulin said county traffic crews recently visited this intersection and found the signals to be “functioning normally.”

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