http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/Publications/28961.htm
Media Release
Thursday, July 18, 2013
For Immediate Release
Communications
Contact: Diana Paul
Telephone: 229-6501
Motorists Advised To Use Caution When Driving In Northwest Las Vegas This Weekend
City Anticipating Potentially Hazardous Road Conditions Due To Rain
City crews are working to mitigate any potential street flooding that should occur in northwest Las Vegas this weekend, which may also draw ash and soot from the Carpenter One fire in the Spring Mountains, west of town.
Similar conditions existed last week, when Grand Teton, Farm and Tenaya were inundated with debris/ash flowing down from the Mount Charleston fire area. In order to provide for public needs, city crews worked over the weekend to clear the muck/debris from the affected roadways. Crews worked to get the sidewalks clean and eliminate the residual dust/air-quality problems.
The city is expecting similar conditions this weekend, with rain in the forecast for the next five days, which could cause ash and soot from the Carpenter 1 Fire in the Spring Mountains to wash into portions of northwest Las Vegas.
The city has already been working to mitigate any potential street flooding should we see rain, but if the rain is heavy enough, the flows of ash and soot will be unavoidable. The roads of biggest concern are Grand Teton from Durango all the way to Rainbow, and Shady Pines Street. Both of these roadways have the potential to become heavily flooded with a black, mucky combination of water, ash and soot, should we get rain. This is an extremely slippery mixture, and if driven through, is much like driving on ice. Motorists are encouraged to avoid driving through these flows—it is simply very dangerous.
Dry conditions in the valley don’t necessarily mean dry conditions in the Spring Mountains. Rain in the Spring Mountains could still cause flows of ash and soot to reach our roads in the Northwest Las Vegas.
Stay up-to-date on road conditions and alert us to issues of black muck affecting the roadways on Twitter at twitter.com/cityoflasvegas, or by using #lvroads.
“We’re doing everything we can do to be ready but I encourage people to stay out of these areas if they become flooded with ash and soot,” said Las Vegas Councilman Steven D. Ross, who represents this area of Ward 6.
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