Charleston project put on fast track

Friday, Sept. 11, 1998 | 10:38 a.m.

In Las Vegas, three things are certain: death, taxes and the flooding of the Charleston Underpass when it rains.

On Thursday the board of the Clark County Regional Flood Control District took a big step toward eliminating the third by fast-tracking the three phases of the Charleston Underpass Bond Project.

The action, approved unanimously by the board during its meeting at the Clark County Government Center, means the work now is expected to be completed by October 2000 -- four years sooner than previously planned.

But it also means that local governments will spend nearly $14 million on top of the $36 million that already has been spent to upgrade flood-control devices at the Charleston Underpass.

But it is welcome news for local motorists who, during storms this week as in the past, were routed away from the deeply sunken major artery under the downtown railroad tracks that quickly floods when it rains.

"Although major flood projects take time and can't happen overnight, we worked with the flood control district to speed up the timetable," said Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones, a member of the flood control district's board.

The board also approved $21.49 million to fast-track seven other flood-control projects within the city's limits, including the Gowan South Detention Basin, which now is projected to be completed by 2001 -- nine years sooner than previously planned.

The three phases of the Charleston Underpass project, which is projected to cost $13.77 million, all are slated to start in October 1999.

The first phase is a freeway channel from Alta Drive to Wall Street at a cost of $6 million. The second phase is a freeway-channel bypass facility at Western Avenue from Wall to Sahara Avenue at a cost of $2.7 million.

The third phase, originally planned for completion in 2004, is a freeway channel from Wall to Sahara along the west side of Interstate 15. That has a price tag of $5.07 million.

Following are other projects approved by the commission, their cost and the projected completion date:

* Ann Road project (Allen Lane to Rancho Drive), $5.7 million, 2001 (an acceleration of two years).

* Gowan North Channel (from Buffalo Drive to Durango Drive) and the accompanying Durango Drive System (from Gowan Avenue to Alexander Road), $5 million, 1999 (an acceleration of a few months).

* Gowan North Channel (Alexander Road to Lone Mountain Road), $4.98 million, 2001 (an acceleration of two years).

* Rancho System (Peak Drive to Lake Mead Boulevard), $2.66 million, 2001 (an acceleration of three years).

* Gowan South Detention Basin, $1.7 million, 2001.

* Smoke Ranch System (from Peak Drive to Torrey Pines Drive), $0.9 million, 2000 (an acceleration of three years).

* Freeway Channel North (west side of I-15 from Washington Avenue to Vegas Drive), $0.55 million, 2001 (an acceleration of two years).