If you’ve ever crawled through a Las Vegas construction zone only to realize there’s not a worker in sight, you’re not alone.
One longtime Nevada journalist just floated an idea that’s got drivers cheering – and maybe even a few lawmakers listening.
Steve Sebelius, senior political reporter for KTNV Channel 13 and member of the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame, recently took to X to share a tongue-in-cheek but surprisingly practical proposal:
“Here’s a special session idea,” Sebelius wrote. “End phantom construction zones by making it illegal to close any lane of traffic unless work is actually being performed. Violations are civil fines starting at $5,000 per incident per day. Budget problems solved!”
It’s a rare issue of bipartisan agreement: no matter your politics, just about every driver in Nevada has sat fuming behind those bright orange cones wondering why traffic is snarled when the only thing moving is the tumbleweed.
The Phantom Zone Problem
In recent years, Nevada’s highways and city streets have turned into what locals jokingly call “cone farms.”
In Clark County alone, road construction has become so constant that it’s practically part of the landscape.
But the problem isn’t the work itself – it’s when nothing is actually happening.
Contractors often block lanes days before real work begins or leave them closed long after it’s done. Drivers see empty lanes, no equipment, and still no relief.
The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) says some closures are needed for safety or scheduling reasons.
But to most folks, it just looks like waste – wasted time, wasted gas, and wasted patience.
A Simple, Conservative Solution
Sebelius may be a journalist, but his “special session” idea carries a distinctly conservative appeal: accountability.
If contractors or agencies faced a $5,000-per-day fine every time they shut down a lane without work being done, you can bet the orange cones would vanish faster than a mirage.
And that fine money? He joked it could “solve budget problems.”
But he’s not wrong that Nevada could use the cash. State lawmakers are always hunting for new revenue sources without raising taxes.
This would penalize inefficiency instead of productivity – a concept fiscal conservatives can get behind.
Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican known for his focus on common-sense government, could easily make this a bipartisan win.
The idea fits his emphasis on cutting red tape and holding agencies accountable. Even Democrats, eager to show they care about everyday frustrations, might find it hard to oppose.
Public Safety and Personal Responsibility
Conservatives have long argued that government should be run like a business – with responsibility and results.
Closing lanes with no work being done is the opposite of that. It’s like locking your store doors during business hours and still charging customers to wait outside.
Holding contractors accountable for unnecessary closures could also improve safety.
When lanes are closed for no reason, drivers weave, brake, and speed through confusion. Enforcing real-time work standards could reduce frustration and accidents alike.
Time to Put the Cones Where the Work Is
Nevadans are fair-minded people. They understand that road repairs take time and traffic will always be part of growth.
But what frustrates people is when the system feels unaccountable – when it looks like nobody cares how much time or money is being wasted.
Sebelius’ post might have been half joke, half vent, but it struck a real nerve.
Maybe that’s how real change starts – not in a policy paper, but with one fed-up Nevadan saying what everyone else is thinking.
If lawmakers ever do take up his “special session” idea, drivers across the Silver State might finally see a little less orange and a lot more common sense on the road.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
