NDOT to perform Highway 395 safety audit

After months of relentless urging from a grassroots movement to improve safety on Highway 395, the Nevada Department of Transportation director said Wednesday he will perform a safety audit addressing residents' concerns.

Jeff Fontaine said he had a "very productive" phone conversation Wednesday afternoon with David Jones, the leader of The Highway 395 South Safety Movement.

"We want to work together with him and the community to find solutions," Fontaine said.

The safety movement is a group of Pleasant Valley residents who last week petitioned NDOT to install a stoplight at Laramie Drive and Highway 395 South, place oversized speed-limit signs with flashing yellow lights along the highway and hanging yellow lights and concrete jersey walls at various highway intersections. Motorists don't obey the 50 mph-limit signs, and they're tired of accidents they say are caused by speeders.

Nevada Highway Patrol and NDOT officials say recent fatal accidents on the highway were not caused by speed, but by reckless drivers. But Jones said many other, less severe accidents he and his neighbors have witnessed are caused by speed.

The group has posted 10 signs along Highway 395 asking motorists to slow down, and they plan to put up 19 more.

One sign says "The NHP is watching you," with a huge eye hovering above the text. Another sign, painted by Pleasant Valley children, reads "Slow, slow, slow down."

Last week, NDOT Assistant Director Ruedy Edgington responded to the group's petition, supporting the idea of larger speed limit signs, but he said most of the other requests were impractical and that additional jersey walls would pose a safety hazard.

Jones said he wasn't satisfied with Edgington's response, and has called Fontaine several times within the last week.

"We want cooperation from NDOT," Jones said. "We have legitimate concerns, and we've been living with this for too long."

Fontaine said NDOT employees will begin the new audit immediately, and an NDOT engineer is scheduled to meet with Jones today.

The safety audit will be concentrated on Highway 395 between College Parkway and Mount Rose Highway.

Fontaine said a similar audit of Highway 50 in 2002 was useful in implementing additional safety measures between Silver Springs and Fallon.

Engineers will report back in 60 days with their findings, and in the meantime, Fontaine said, NDOT will install oversized speed-limit signs.

He said NDOT will also hold public workshops in the Pleasant Valley area to address residents' questions and concerns about Highway 395 safety.

Contact Robyn Moormeister at rmoormeister@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1215.