By VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
The rough ride in and out of Logandale will soon become smoother for travellers and commuters alike. A long-needed road project is about to begin which aims to fix a notoriously bumpy section of State Highway 169 just north of Logandale.
The Nevada Department of Transportation has contracted with Las Vegas Paving on a $1.4 million ‘mill-and-pave’ overlay project along a one-mile stretch of the highway. Construction is expected to begin on Monday, May 15 between mile marker 21 and 22, as well as another small segment near mile marker 24.
“Mill-and-pave overlay is a street maintenance technique where large machines grind away deteriorated, cracking layers of pavement and then replace it with a new asphalt overlay for a rejuvenated smoother driving surface,” said NDOT spokesman Tony Illia. “It is a cost-effective maintenance solution that extends the lifecycle of the highway.”
Also included in the project is the installation of a 48-inch re-inforced concrete drainage pipe under the roadway.
No major construction work has been done on this area of SR 169 for more than 10 years. In that time, the road in this small segment of the highway has deteriorated significantly. Residents of the area have complained that the road stretch is abnormally bumpy when taken at the posted speed of 55 mph. It is especially dangerous for vehicles pulling trailers through that area. Unfortunately, there are no viable alternate routes in and out of the community.
During construction, traffic on the main highway in and out of town will be affected. As travel lanes will become closed, off and on, during the project, there will be flaggers and a pilot cars on site to guide vehicles safely through the work zone. Motorist are urged to be patient and allow extra travel time through the area.
Work on the project is expected to continue for about two months, through mid-July.
