Nevada gets $293 million for transportation projects

Monday, Oct. 9, 2000 | 9:29 a.m.

The transportation appropriations bill was approved Friday by the Senate and now awaits President Clinton's signature.

"Our roads, highways and airports are a business lifeline and an important part of the quality of life," Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said.

"This funding will help address Nevada's transportation needs as we continue to grow into the 21st century."

The bill contains $210 million for road and highway improvements statewide, with the bulk of the funds targeted for projects in booming Southern Nevada.

In the south, $10 million will go for work on Interstate 15 between Nevada and California, and $10 million for the widening of U.S. Highway 95 between the Laughlin Cutoff and Railroad Pass.

In Northern Nevada, $10 million is earmarked for improvements to I-80 and U.S. Highway 395.

Reid also secured $20 million for the Hoover Dam bypass.

"Drivers, commercial truckers and sightseers all have to compete for the two-lane road that runs across Hoover Dam," he said.

"This funding will provide additional resources for the continued preliminary engineering and design of a new bypass at Hoover Dam that will increase safety and decrease congestion."

The budget also contains millions of dollars for transit projects, including $1.5 million for continued engineering of the Las Vegas Fixed Guideway mass transit system and $7 million for various improvements to the Reno area's public bus system.

Also in the Reno area, $1 million is earmarked for a car-sharing demonstration project and $1 million for transportation for welfare-to-work recipients.

As for Lake Tahoe, the budget features $2 million for a compressed natural gas bus fleet, $500,000 for deployment of a so-called "intelligent" public transit system and $510,000 for erosion-control walls.