Flight crew of B737 fails to turn from runway 25R to D taxiway at las as cleared.

Attributes
ACN	602217
Time
Date	200312
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	602217
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Airport
Situations
Airport	construction : las.airport signage : las.airport

Narrative:

Due to taxiway B being closed from spot 12 to end of runway 25R, a non standard taxi instruction was given. Taxi west on 25R, taxiway D, for runway 1R. We read this back and taxied slowly, both pilots had airport charts out to verify this new route to runway 1R. Both pilots were heads up, both very familiar with las airport. We taxied west on runway 25R and did not see any taxiway markings for taxiway D until we saw hold short markings for runway 1R. We stopped told ground we must have passed taxiway D, ground told us to go to tower frequency. We did 180 degree turn and tower told aircraft behind us to give way to us. We departed las normal flight. My view is las is going to have this taxiway B closed for 6 months, the markings for txwys are not clearly marked and the close proximity of taxiway D to runway 1R. They need temperature signage and/or lighting, or I believe there will be runway taxi incident. If you look at the location of taxiway D signs, you will notice how far removed they are from runway 25 and very hard to see or find.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B737 FAILS TO TURN FROM RWY 25R TO D TXWY AT LAS AS CLEARED.

Narrative: DUE TO TXWY B BEING CLOSED FROM SPOT 12 TO END OF RWY 25R, A NON STANDARD TAXI INSTRUCTION WAS GIVEN. TAXI W ON 25R, TXWY D, FOR RWY 1R. WE READ THIS BACK AND TAXIED SLOWLY, BOTH PLTS HAD ARPT CHARTS OUT TO VERIFY THIS NEW RTE TO RWY 1R. BOTH PLTS WERE HEADS UP, BOTH VERY FAMILIAR WITH LAS ARPT. WE TAXIED W ON RWY 25R AND DID NOT SEE ANY TXWY MARKINGS FOR TXWY D UNTIL WE SAW HOLD SHORT MARKINGS FOR RWY 1R. WE STOPPED TOLD GND WE MUST HAVE PASSED TXWY D, GND TOLD US TO GO TO TWR FREQUENCY. WE DID 180 DEG TURN AND TWR TOLD ACFT BEHIND US TO GIVE WAY TO US. WE DEPARTED LAS NORMAL FLT. MY VIEW IS LAS IS GOING TO HAVE THIS TXWY B CLOSED FOR 6 MONTHS, THE MARKINGS FOR TXWYS ARE NOT CLEARLY MARKED AND THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF TXWY D TO RWY 1R. THEY NEED TEMP SIGNAGE AND/OR LIGHTING, OR I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE RWY TAXI INCIDENT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE LOCATION OF TXWY D SIGNS, YOU WILL NOTICE HOW FAR REMOVED THEY ARE FROM RWY 25 AND VERY HARD TO SEE OR FIND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.