Project Neon paving work on I-15 entering homestretch

Paving work for Project Neon enters the final stretch this weekend ahead of enforcement of highoccupancy vehicle lane restrictions that will kick off next week.

Starting Saturday morning and running through Tuesday, the last round of paving will affect the same stretch of Interstate 15 northbound that was restricted this week, going from Silverado Ranch Boulevard to the 215 Beltway, the Nevada Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.

Paving and striping work on that stretch will run between 6 a.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Tuesday, with the two inside lanes closed during that time. Associated intermittent lane closures will occur on both sides of I-15 near the 215 Beltway through the week, NDOT said.

The work follows almost two weeks of paving efforts on I-15 between Silverado Ranch and Sahara Avenue, including full weekend closures of stretches of I-15 and U.S. Highway 95 and a week of lane restrictions on I-15 in both directions.

After Friday night, I-15 will be repaved and striped in both directions from Sahara to D Street and from Silverado Ranch to 215 Beltway on the northbound side.

Crews are applying a special crumb rubber asphalt mix, incorporating shredded tires for a smoother, quieter ride.

Crumb rubber lasts twice as long as traditional asphalt pavement while providing a better friction surface with less splashing in wet weather. The process also recycles used tires that otherwise would end up in a landfill; the Pave-a-palooza project is using 60,000 discarded tires.

HOV lane enforcement will get underway Thursday after a 30-day grace period ends, and Nevada Highway Patrol troopers will be out in full force during the first few days.

With NDOT providing NHP with $10,000 to go toward paying troopers overtime to saturate the area, if the message wasn’t received with the media blitz, signage and public meetings, the fine of up to $250 that troopers will be handing out might do the trick.

Project Neon is 96 percent finished and scheduled for completion by mid-july.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.