Nevada officials approve 2001 highways budget

Thursday, Sept. 21, 2000 | 2:05 a.m.

Some of the big-ticket items in the budget include the widening of U.S. 95 from its interchange with Interstate 15 into northwest Las Vegas, extension of the southern beltway and widening of I-15 from Las Vegas to the California state line.

The budget approved Wednesday by the board, chaired by Gov. Kenny Guinn, also allocates $150 million over the next two years plus another $135 million by 2010 to finish a bypass from the north to the south end of Carson City.

State Transportation Director Tom Stephens and Guinn both said funding for the Carson City project doesn't take money from an I-580 project, a $310 million extension of the freeway between Reno and Carson City.

Stephens said major work on I-580 should start in July 2002 with construction of the interchange at the north end of Washoe Valley.

The state's budget includes $230 million for the I-580 project, which will be completed over a four-year period.

The budget also allows for widening and rebuilding the highway between Fernley and Fallon starting next year. By 2010, the entire project could run about $50 million.

The first project will expand the existing road to four lanes from Scheckler Road in Fallon to the Leetville Junction turnoff to Carson City and Dayton, at an estimated cost of $9 million.

The construction budget also includes $1.6 million worth of work on U.S. 50 East in Mound House, just east of Carson City.