As any driver in the Las Vegas area knows, there are lots of road construction going on.
That statement is true during any decade from the 1980’s to the present day as Southern Nevada has seen astronomical growth during that time.
There were a few years after the Great Recession in 2008 when things slowed down (including population increases and government funding for local projects) but other than that small dip on the radar, people have been moving to Las Vegas like crazy.
Of course, when a large influx of people moves to a new city the current infrastructure is often not ready for it. Typically, people arrive first and then the city has to react by building more schools, hospitals, and other services to meet that new demand.
One major city work project that needs to be done any time there is a population increase is the widening of traffic lanes. Not only do roads need to be expanded but new roads need to be constructed.
The more people that move to Nevada simply push out housing construction as more houses need to be built as well. Most of the only available land is on the outskirts of town so the city boundary just keeps expanding outward.
In any case of added construction, there are going to be headaches for the current population. These aches and pains typically come in the format of having to drive through construction zones causing longer than usual commutes.
Even a simple trip to the grocery store can take longer than normal if the driver has to drive through a zone where multiple lanes are under construction with everyone merging into one lane. Not only is this frustrating for Nevada drivers because things take longer but things can be magnified in the summer heat when outside temperatures can exceed 110 degrees.
Usually, the temperature in a sitting car is much higher and some people do not have air conditioning. Excess traffic plus construction lanes plus hot temperatures can be a recipe for maximum frustration!
When this occurs, it can be really easy for a driver to bypass the construction signs just to get to where they are going. That is illegal though and so is removing construction signage and barriers.
Never Remove a Barrier or Sign
There is a Nevada Revised Statute that maps out the law in regard to removing construction signage from roadways. It also pertains to ignoring those same signs. The statute is NRS 484B.327 and is titled:
Unlawful to remove barriers and signs stating highway is closed to traffic; driving on such highway unlawful; additional penalty for violation committed in work zone or pedestrian safety zone.
There are only two subpoints to this NRS and the first one reads:
1. It is unlawful for any person to remove any barrier or sign stating that a highway is closed to traffic.
Unlike some laws that are only understood by lawyers this one is pretty easy for anyone to understand.
As tempting as it might be to move a sign that states a road is closed it is unlawful to do so. It does not matter what the reason is either. Whether it is a group of high school kids trying to pull a prank or an adult driver that just wants to go down the road to get to their destination you will be issued a traffic ticket if this action is witnessed by a law enforcement officer.
It can be quite dangerous for people to remove such a sign as the reasoning for the closure could be due to a serious situation. An example could be a giant pothole in the middle of the road or many other possible scenarios. Sometimes the weather can wash out roads and cause major damage making it unsafe for drivers to operate their vehicles until repairs are made.
Certainly, Las Vegas is no stranger to mass flooding after rain storms.
The desert ground in southern Nevada is hard almost to the same consistency as concrete and although it does not rain in the desert often when it does it usually comes down very hard making a recipe for disaster. A simple search for flash flooding in Las Vegas will show a variety of images dating back decades. Regardless of the time period, the images are all similar with cars floating down flooded roads and some of the most famous casinos on the Las Vegas Strip being invaded by water.
If you were driving in Nevada and cited for violating NRS 484B.327 then reach out to Ticket Busters. Although this law is straightforward, oftentimes things are not as obvious after the fact once all evidence and details are gathered.
Ticket Busters can assist you in any traffic violation and our legal team will work hard with your best interest in mind to hopefully get your ticket reduced. Our local Las Vegas office can be found in the downtown area if you would like to drop by or you can call or email us.
Don’t Drive Through or around the Barrier or Sign
The second point to this Nevada Revised Statute states that:
2. It is unlawful to pass over a highway that is marked, signed or barricaded to indicate that it is closed to traffic. A person who violates any provision of this subsection may be subject to any additional penalty set forth in NRS 484B.130 or 484B.135.
As we mentioned earlier, driving on a road that is closed can be a dangerous situation. Even if a road looks to be in normal operation, if it is designated closed then there is a reason for it.
That reason may not seem reasonable at the time to the person who is stuck in traffic and looking at what appears to be a perfectly good road but we all have to follow the rules. In many cases that road could have stability issues or perhaps there are electrical components that are threatening the road which is why it is closed to traffic.
Usually when a road is closed the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) will be working on it to get that surface street back up for use as quickly as possible.
So again, driving on that road if it is closed can cause danger to the various construction workers that are trying their hardest to get traffic moving.
When all said and done, this NRS was put into place by the lawmakers in Carson City to ensure that everyone is safe during times of road construction.
Nevada’s Constant Construction Woes
We all think and hear it from our friends about why there is so much road construction in the city of Las Vegas. As we mentioned earlier, there has been a constant inflow of new residents entering the city, and along with that has been a surge in funding that has been earmarked towards road improvement and infrastructure projects.
Various projects have been done over the years to alleviate traffic pressure at the Spaghetti Bowl which is where the two major highways in Las Vegas intersect. These highways are Interstate 15 and Interstate 95. One major project that has been completed was the Spaghetti Bowl Xpress project.
This project took two years and it seems that as soon as one project is done, another one needs to occur just to keep up with the population growth.
Other road construction projects include the widening of Interstate 515 where more auxiliary lanes are needed in both directions (north and south). The widening is needed on the highway between the surface roads of Charleston and Eastern which are both high-traffic. More turn lanes are also required at the Charleston exit along with construction on the sidewalks and lighting which are being done for the safety of pedestrians. This viaduct rehabilitation project along with most others are put on the drawing board with the goal to reduce automobile crashes and to speed up travel time for commuters.
Another major project is the “Dropicana” project. This project, with its intermittent closures of Tropicana Avenue and Interstate 15 causes massive headaches for Nevada drivers, especially during high-traffic times. The intersection of I-15 and Tropicana is traveled significantly as it is the first major intersection for those tourists traveling from California. Allegiant stadium is nearby along with T-Mobile arena so any major sporting event in Las Vegas impacts this high profile intersection.
If traveling in the resort corridor or in the outskirts of the city where there are much fewer lights and traffic, do not interfere with road closure signs and be sure to adhere to their instructions.
They were put there for a reason by the proper authorities and can cause a dangerous situation for you and other people in Nevada if the signage is not followed properly.
For any type of traffic ticket received in southern Nevada and one involving NRS 484B.327 do not delay in contacting Ticket Busters.
We’ve been serving the Las Vegas community for many years and you can expect to get our undivided attention on your particular issue. Our initial meeting will be one where we set up a strategy for your case and will assign one of our legal professionals to take care of all aspects of your traffic case.
