The Regional Transportation Commission held a press briefing on the progress of the Pyramid-McCarran Project last week. The project, which launched in early April 2016, has made significant headway since its inception.
In the last few months, traffic has been re-routed to McCarran Boulevard’s northern side to be able to accommodate paving, curb, gutter and sidewalk reconstruction and widening on the south side. As the southern side of the roadway nears completion, work will begin in the center lanes.
Eastbound traffic will be directed to McCarran’s southern side between Rock Boulevard and Pyramid Way while westbound traffic will continue to use the northern lanes. When paving is finished between Pyramid and 4th Street, east and westbound traffic will start using the newly paved surface.
Parts of Pyramid Way are also slated to be paved. When completed, northbound traffic will be shifted as southbound lanes remain intact.
“We want the community to know that paving is underway and people should expect delays and driving on the new surface,” says RTC Public Information Officer Joe Harrington. He added that the construction may add a few minutes of waiting time at the intersection, so people should plan ahead.
Harrington also said that since the paving project is temperature dependent, they are going to get as much done as they can through the fall and then pick it up next spring. “We have been blessed with good weather and the recent cooler temperatures actually have helped the layers of pavement dry faster,” he says.
The $72 million Pyramid-McCarran Intersection project is slated to be completed in spring 2018. Enhancements include:
• A through-lane in each direction to Pyramid
• Dedicated turning lanes at the intersection on Pyramid and McCarran
• A paved multi-use path running parallel to Pyramid on the eastern side for pedestrians and bicyclists
• A decorative wall and landscaping
The RTC stated that the project will improve air quality and add much-needed capacity to the road network.
“Currently you can really get a sense of how much wider the path will be,” says Harrington.
As a resident of Sparks, Harrington says that this is one of his favorite construction projects because he drives that stretch of road twice a day. “There have been delays for years due to the economic growth, so this project will address these issues,” he says. He also added that the Pyramid-McCarran Intersection is a high crash area, so this will greatly improve commuters’ safety.
Businesses around the McCarran-Pyramid intersection are open during construction. Commuters can visit www.pyramidmccarran.com to sign up to receive traffic report emails and updates on construction, along with the chance to win a $25 gift card to use at one of the businesses close to the intersection. The RTC pulls one winner a week to places like Starbucks and Raley’s. “You don’t even have to win; a few of the businesses offer coupons and discounts [to encourage visitation during construction]” Harrington says.
“The project is looking good and coming right along,” Harrington adds. “It is a big milestone to get this paving done.”
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