Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal City officials plan to widen Clearview Drive east of Carson Street to ease traffic problems. The city plans to demolish the recently purchased A&W restaurant to make it possible for motorists traveling east and west to make left-hand turns at the same time.
Motorists will be happy to learn that traffic on Carson Street will flow a little more smoothly thanks to a planned lane widening of Clearview Drive.
The city wants to widen Clearview Drive near the Carson Street intersection, by adding a fifth lane to a 300-foot stretch of Clearview east of Carson.
"This is one of the small adjustments we can make to improve the north-south flow of traffic on Carson Street before the construction of the new freeway," said Deputy City Engineer John Flansberg, who is overseeing the project.
The city bought the A&W fast food restaurant on Clearview for $600,000 to make room for the added lane.
Widening Clearview Drive has been a top concern among city engineers for five years, but only recently became a reality when A&W owner Pete Livermore, a city supervisor, put the restaurant up for sale.
Dollar Loan Center had wanted to buy the property but voluntarily backed out of the deal after the city expressed interest.
The additional lane will allow motorists turning left onto Carson from Clearview east and west to make simultaneous left turns without colliding.
The city is putting out bids for the restaurant's demolition, which is slated for May at a cost of $40,000 to $50,000.
City engineers hope to start construction by late summer or early fall. The city has set aside $1 million for the lane-widening project.
Congestion on Carson Street ranked high among citizens' complaints in last year's citywide public opinion survey.
n Contact reporter Dan Moreau at dmoreau@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.
