LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — If you live in the southwest valley, you probably know about the work happening on Fort Apache Road. Not only is the path to Blue Diamond Road still closed, but new lane closures and construction impacts are leading to even more backups and delays.
“I keep catching nails, man," said Chris Gordon, who was born and raised in Las Vegas.
I asked Gordon if he though the nails were from the road work nearby.
"Man c’mon, I ain’t have a flat 'til that got there. That’s the only thing I have a problem with," Gordon said.
Gordon lives right next to ongoing road construction on Fort Apache. He says the project is needed, but he hates the impact it's having on nearby residents.
“You want to see everything grow and get done; I’m all for it. Just not this," Gordon said.
Crews started on the South Fort Apache Road Improvement Project March 18. This work is to widen the roadway between Blue Diamond Road and Huntington Cove Parkway.
It'll add another lane in both directions as well as a bike lane, sidewalk and median, with the goal of keeping up with growth in the southwest part of Las Vegas.
Crews are currently working on phases one and two right now. That means the path to Blue Diamond Road is blocked and half of Fort Apache from Raven Avenue to Ford Avenue is also closed.
I last visited this project two months ago. Residents say traffic was bad then, but now it's tacking on even more time to their commute.
Hear what residents have to say about how road work in the southwest valley is impacting them:
Gordon and others in the community tell Channel 13 the key is to travel outside of construction hours — if you can.
“My day starts very early in the morning," said Hernando Ariza, a southwest valley resident of six years. "It’s just me and the construction guys, nobody else, so I’m able to get through to where I need to go and get to my job quicker.”
Construction typically happens in the area Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The next construction phase is expected to start on Aug. 1, and the entire project is expected to be complete next spring.
