Reader boards to inform drivers

      Plans to place reader boards along U.S. Highway 95, to help inform motorists of traffic problems or accidents on the busy expressway, are moving forward, County Commissioner Lance Malone said.
      "Part of our area traffic plan includes reader boards as yet another way to inform motorists of what is happening on our roadways," Malone said. "These types of signs have been used for a long time in Los Angeles and provide a service to motorists that is extremely valuable."
      The signs Malone would like to be utilized are exactly the same as the two found on the Desert Inn Super Arterial. They notify motorists of everything from speed limits to current traffic conditions and can be used to direct traffic in the event of an emergency.
      The signs would be controlled by Clark County inside their traffic center located at the Clark County Government Center.
      "If you live in the Northwest area of the Las Vegas Valley and have to drive down U.S. 95, sometimes traffic gets congested and you have no way of finding out how long of a delay it will be," Malone said. "With these signs we can tell you exactly where the accident or tie-up is so you can exit and take an alternate route if you need to."
      Clark County officials are working closely with the Nevada Department of Transportation to figure the best way to install the signs and exactly where to place them.
      "We're working very closely with the state to figure out the best plan in setting up these reader boards," Malone said. "We're confident that we can get them up."
      Clark County Public Works information coordinator Bobby Shelton agrees the plan to install the signs is ready to go.
      "It's something we believe strongly in," Shelton said. "As long as we can get the money to pay for them I can't foresee any obstacles."
      No timeline has been set for the installation of the signs but Malone is confident it will happen sooner rather than later.
      "I think all the agencies are on the same page when it comes to this issue," Malone said. "With the expansion of the spaghetti bowl and U.S. 95 in the Northwest, it fits in well with the work that is already planned for those areas."