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Aug. 16, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

I-15 signs let drivers know what's ahead

Up-to-date travel times on boards

By FRANCIS McCABE
REVIEW-JOURNAL

In heavy traffic Friday, a message sign on Interstate 15 near Sahara Avenue tells motorists to expect a nine-minute commute to U.S. Highway 95.
Photo by Jessica Ebelhar/Review-Journal

The black electronic signs on Interstate 15 no longer just say "test."

On Friday, the dynamic message signs -- meant to provide commuters with up-to-date traffic information and estimated travel times -- actually did just that.

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    • The signs can be seen on I-15 from the Spaghetti Bowl south to Interstate 215, and will be active from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. every day of the week. The signs will also provide information about crashes and Amber Alerts.

    "We're hopeful that this technology will provide a tremendous benefit to commuters, allowing them to better estimate their times of arrival," said Jacob Snow, general manager for the Regional Transportation Commission.

    They are managed by the commission's Freeway Arterial System of Transportation division, or FAST.

    The technology used for the message signs has been tested over the past several months, and officials were confident the displayed times would be accurate.

    But a Review Journal reporter tested them out, just to be sure.

    At 2:46 p.m., a sign on I-15 south near Charleston Boulevard told motorists the estimated time to Flamingo Road was six minutes. The reporter reached Flamingo at 2:52 p.m.

    At 3:37 p.m., a sign on I-15 north near Sahara Avenue said the estimated time to U.S. Highway 95 was nine minutes.

    The reporter reached the exit for U.S. 95 at 3:47 p.m.

    Trucker Shawn Magee saw a sign on the south end of northbound I-15 that was posting a route time Friday morning but didn't pay it any notice.

    "I know pretty much what the traffic's going to be like here," he said Friday at the Flying J truck stop at Cheyenne Avenue and Losee Road.

    The 39-year-old Magee, who usually hauls cabinetry and other kitchen hardware, knows to expect delays during rush hour and on the weekends in Las Vegas. And if traffic is ever at a standstill, he usually hears about it from other truckers on his CB radio.

    "But some places in L.A. have it and it's useful," he said.

    Chicago also has a similar system, he said.

    "It lets me know whether I need to get off and take a different route," he said.

    Message boards soon will be up and running on U.S. 95 and eventually be added to I-15 north of the Spaghetti Bowl after widening of that road is finished in 2010.

    Officials with the transportation commission reminded motorists that the displayed times are estimates.

    The same information displayed on the signs will eventually be available on the transportation commission's Web site at www.rtcsnv.com.

    Review-Journal writer Lawrence Mower contributed to this report. Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe @reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904.

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    Troy wrote on August 16, 2008 08:28 PM: Everytime I drive by these signs or the others that have been active along the side of the road I have noticed people actually slow down to read them causing more congestion.
    These signs failed in Los Angeles and I predict they will fail here too.


    Wolfman wrote on August 16, 2008 02:37 PM: I saw this sign yesterday as I was driving down the 15. I agree with other posters - what a friggin waste of money! I don't need a sign to tell me how long it will take from Russell Rd. to Sahara - I can tell my the number of cars how long it's going to take. Not only that, you can't account for accidents or cops pulling people over, which makes the traffic come to a screeching halt in less than 10 seconds. WTF???


    Bobby wrote on August 16, 2008 01:04 PM: I agree!

    This is a complete waste of OUR TAX payers money. These signs don't help 1 bit for anything except maybe telling us that there is an accident ahead which you can't do anything about because there is no other way to get from north to south or south to north than to use I-15.

    This government just completely wastes the TAX money on really stupid stuff.


    What the signs really say... wrote on August 16, 2008 10:05 AM: What the signs should always say...

    YOU'LL BE STUCK IN TRAFFIC FOR THE NEXT LIFETIME TOO!!!


    jb wrote on August 16, 2008 08:45 AM: I've lived in other cities where they have these signs and I find them to be a complete waste of money. Especially on a freeway like I-15. Even if the sign says that there is an accident up ahead, what are you going to do?? There isn't much of an alternative route once you are on I-15...you're just going to have to wait it out. What a waste.


    Fausto wrote on August 16, 2008 08:02 AM: "and will be active from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. every day of the week."

    I can't imagine it would cost a whole bunch more money to run the system from 6am-6pm or 6am-9pm daily. I wonder why they don't do that.


    0u812 wrote on August 16, 2008 07:14 AM: These signs work. Ralphy, row over, sit, shake thats a good boy.


    Jeffrey wrote on August 16, 2008 03:45 AM: This is laughable... Many people slow down to read these signs, this is only going to cause more conjestion. These signs would be more useful before you get on the freeway. Once you're on, you are screwed!


    Rob in Rancho wrote on August 16, 2008 03:10 AM: Hey Ralphy, Tighten your belt on your waist. The money for good things, projected long ago in better times, take a long time to get to the end of the project. It is not a WASTE!


    Annoyed wrote on August 16, 2008 03:10 AM: Putting amber alerts on these is a complete waste of our tax dollars. They should be used for the purpose of alerting us to road conditions ONLY.


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