SOUTHWEST LAS VEGAS — Drivers in southwest Las Vegas are raising concerns about safety and congestion at the busy intersection of Blue Diamond Road and Rainbow Boulevard.
From illegal U-turns to inconsistent speeds, many say the area has become difficult, and at times dangerous, to navigate.
WATCH| Shakeria Hawkins goes to the intersection of Blue Diamond Road and Rainbow Boulevard after locals raise concerns
“Its definitely one of the hardest areas to drive, I’d say other than the east side,” said driver Literature Walker.
Residents point to ongoing construction, confusing lane shifts, and traffic signal timing as key issues contributing to the problem.
“The traffic lights are not really monitoring the actual traffic…so it’s letting people sit and create more traffic, and then there’s road hazards as well,” Walker added.
Others say the concerns go beyond inconvenience and are raising safety red flags.
“Have you almost been in an accident here?” I asked.
“Several times,” said Greg, a southwest Las Vegas driver.
Greg says what should be a short commute often turns into a much longer one.
“A 15–20 minute commute sometimes takes 45 minutes to an hour,” he said.
Drivers also report a mix of speeding, slow driving, and illegal maneuvers happening simultaneously, creating unpredictable conditions on the road.
According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s crime map, in the last 30 days, there has been at least one DUI reported in the area, along with roughly a dozen driving-related incidents.
Channel 13 reached out to Metro for more information and data. While officials were not available for an on-camera interview and could not confirm whether this intersection is more problematic than others across the valley, the station is working to obtain more detailed statistics.
For now, drivers like Walker say they’ve learned to adjust, but hope improvements are coming soon.
“I know how to maneuver now…so it’s gotten a little better, but as far as GPS and following the road, it’s still difficult,” he said.
We will continue tracking concerns in the area and follow up on what’s being done to address them.
