Next beltway stretch under way

     By Judy DeLoretta
     View staff writer
      Work has begun in the area of the Las Vegas Beltway that stretches from Sahara Avenue and Charleston Boulevard.
      The Howard Hughes Corp. has just completed the excavation and handed over the next step of construction to Clark County Public Works. The general contractor, Las Vegas Paving Co., has begun bridge construction.
      The $18.6 million project that includes 1 mile of a four-lane highway has been slated for completion by the end of 2000 or early 2001.
      While much of the Las Vegas Beltway takes the form of frontage road as part of the Clark County Public Works accelerated plan, the section from Sahara to Charleston will not be frontage road. Instead, it will be constructed as a final portion of the beltway.
      The latest in the chain of roadway was designed by Louis Berger Group and Parsons Transportation Group. Construction management services are being provided by Willdan Associates.
      "We're pleased with what (The) Howard Hughes Corp. has done by donating 6 million cubic yards of this beltway," Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone said. "They're excavating the beltway to Summerlin Parkway at a value of $40 million. This portion (Sahara to Charleston) is a critical part of the traffic flow in this part of the valley."
      This portion of the beltway will include on- and off-ramps with traffic signals at Sahara Avenue and Charleston Boulevard. Additional portions of the beltway currently under way include frontage road that will stretch from Rainbow Boulevard to Flamingo Road, and roadway from Flamingo Road to Sahara Avenue.
      Roadway from Rainbow to Flamingo, and from Flamingo to Sahara, should be completed in mid-May.
      "By the time this 1-mile section is completed, Charleston Boulevard will be a bridge over the beltway," Clark County Public Works public information coordinator Bobby Shelton said. "This Sahara-to-Charleston construction contract includes that bridge."
      There will be a median in the middle of the four lanes -- two lanes in each direction -- and several feet of space will be left in both directions for later expansion. When the beltway is completed in its entirety, the stretch will include six lanes of traffic flow.
      Commuters will be able to exit the beltway at Charleston Boulevard near Hualapai Way.
      Additional exits will be located along the beltway as it winds north to Summerlin Parkway.
      "Howard Hughes Corp. has excavated 6 million cubic yards of dirt," Shelton said. "That saved us (Clark County) $18 million in costs."
      Las Vegas Paving Co. construction workers are dedicated to the project eight to 10 hours a day, every weekday.
      Shelton said this will be a tremendous relief for traffic in the Southwest.
      "We originally estimated the Tropicana-to-U.S. 95 portion of beltway would handle about 125,000 cars a day," Shelton said. "We're finding that about 40,000 cars are traveling on it every day. We anticipate with the growth, that beltway will continue to take pressure off surface arteries."
      Currently, the Las Vegas Beltway stretches from Green Valley Parkway, across Interstate 15 and west to Rainbow Boulevard.
      Those interested in more information about the Las Vegas Beltway project or other Clark County Public Works can call 455-6000. Those interested in City of Las Vegas Public Works projects can call 229-6276.