LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A goal to finish repairs to Kyle Canyon Road “before winter temperatures set in” will bring significant traffic delays on Mt. Charleston, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT).
Delays ranging from 30 minutes up to four hours are possible as work begins seven days a week during daylight hours. NDOT advises non-residents to stay away, and residents will receive two-day notice of any closure that is expected to last an hour or more. Starting Wednesday, daily travel restrictions will be in effect, with flaggers controlling traffic on the road.
And there’s some teeth in that warning to stay away unless you’re a resident.
Metro police said Tuesday that anyone who goes into a closed area could face a $5,000 fine.
NDOT said construction will begin Tuesday, Aug. 29, and will repair several sections of Kyle Canyon Road (SR 157) damaged when flash floods from Tropical Storm Hilary hit the Mt. Charleston area. Work on Lee Canyon Road (SR 156) will begin in early September.
Currently, Kyle Canyon Road is closed to public access past the junction with Deer Creek Road (SR 158). Lee Canyon Road is closed at U.S. 95. Parts of each highway are “extremely hazardous” and only open to residents, emergency vehicles and utility/construction crews, according to NDOT.
Even residents are asked to limit travel.
“Residents should limit their trips to essential travel only,” NDOT said. Deer Creek Road, which connects Kyle Canyon to Lee Canyon, will remain closed to public travel.
Nevada State Police troopers will be posted where Kyle Canyon Road meets Deer Creek Road for the duration of the construction, NDOT said.
Holcim SWR Inc. has been hired to handle construction. Road construction could cost around $8 million.
Daily progress meetings will be held at the Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway to help collaboration among project partners — including the forest service and local fire departments — to streamline schedules and optimize work efficiency, according to NDOT.
