Horse Interchange

More delays apparently... from the Ward 6 newsletter...

HORSE INTERCHANGE PROJECT DETAILS
It is important that you have information on projects that impact your neighborhoods, schools or community. The Horse Interchange project will provide much needed access to the community, lessen traffic congestion and improve public safety on U.S. 95.  The city of Las Vegas is working to mitigate issues in the area including traffic concerns adjacent to two elementary schools and access to the neighborhood park. The Horse Drive Interchange was awarded to Capriati Construction and is expected to begin construction in June of 2009, with pre-construction activities in May. This will help minimize the initial impacts to the families whose children attend Bilbray and Scherkenbach Elementary Schools.

The Horse Interchange is one of the largest public works projects in Ward 6. We are anticipating that the contractor's normal work hours will be from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. It is not anticipated that there will be any restrictions to the park entrance on Fort Apache Road. The overall cost of the project is $44 million, with $26 million coming from federal funds. U.S. 95 will receive high mast lighting, and the freeway ramps and roadways will receive standard low level street lighting. 

Phase 1 of construction will begin on the east side of U.S. 95 and includes constructing Fort Apache Road and Sky Pointe Drive; then moving to the west side of U.S. 95 to construct Horse Drive (and a small bridge) and then Oso Blanca Road. The intersections will remain open to traffic during construction, however, there will be some restrictions, including narrow lanes, lane shifts and possibly flagmen during peak school/work times. Phase 2 will begin on the east side of U.S. 95 and will construct the on and off ramps to Horse Drive, and then move to the west side of U.S. 95 to construct the on and off ramps to Horse Drive. For Phase 3, all U.S. 95 traffic will be diverted to the on and off ramps to construct the falsework (a temporary support system for the bridge structure) for the main bridge over U.S. 95.  When the falsework is completed, traffic will shift back to the U.S. 95.

Lastly, the bridge overpass will have decorative aesthetic designs similar to the Durango Drive and Tropical Parkway overpasses. There will be new traffic signals at (1) the Horse Drive/U.S. 95 interchange ramps, (2) Sky Pointe Drive and Fort Apache intersection, (3) Sky Point and Racel Street intersection, (4) Fort Apache and Brent Lane intersection, and (5) Fort Apache and Iron Mountain Road intersection. It is anticipated that the project's construction will be completed by the end of 2010.