On Sunday, the Nevada Department of Transportation began a yearlong project to widen I-15 from four lanes to five lanes in both directions, between Sahara Avenue and Interstate 215.

When the $21.5 million project is done, the two left lanes in each direction will become express lanes. Motorists will be able to enter those lanes at Sahara Avenue heading south or Russell Road heading north.

Commuters will have to remain in the express lanes until they come to an end, a distance of about 5.5 miles. Barriers known as "candlesticks" will separate the express lanes from the outside lanes.

Transportation Director Susan Martinovich said the express lanes will help reduce congestion.

"The true benefit will be that it eliminates weaving," she said.

Weaving vehicles that go from onramps to the inside speed lanes and back to offramps are known to slow traffic on I-15 in the resort corridor.

And state officials say most of the 250,000 drivers that traverse I-15 do not use the three exits between Russell and Sahara anyway.

The express lanes will allow drivers who do not need to stop in the resort corridor to be able to flow past the busiest interchanges of I-15 without dealing with weaving drivers.

There are no restrictions as to who can drive in the express lanes, as there are with the high occupancy vehicle lanes on U.S. Highway 95, which are also called HOV lanes.

Martinovich said she recognizes the inconvenience the project will have on many drivers, but asked for patience.

Through December, commuters can expect the right traffic lane of northbound I-15 to be closed between the Interstate 215 interchange and Russell. From 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, motorists can expect northbound I-15 to be reduced to two lanes in the same area.

State Sen. Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, said this is a creative way of easing congestion while spending comparatively little money for a road improvement project.

"We're facing a funding shortfall, not a shortage of drivers," Nolan said.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904.