Officials sound off over parkway expansion

Jeffrey Libby

Thursday, June 7, 2001 | 10:20 a.m.

Casting doubt on state highway engineers' projected noise levels for an expanded St. Rose Parkway, Henderson City Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers said Wednesday that city officials will "hold NDOT's feet to the fire on this one."

State highway officials unveiled plans to expand the two-lane road to an eight-lane highway in March, but they said studies had determined that increased noise levels would likely fall one decibel short of the cutoff for federal funding for sound walls.

Sound engineers who conducted the studies say the difference between 66 and 67 decibels is "almost indiscernible." And nearby residents who live a stone's throw from the road continue to pepper state, county and city officials with requests to preserve their quality of life as they widen roads to account for expected growth in the Las Vegas Valley.

Bob McKenzie, spokesman for the Nevada Department of Transportation, confirmed Wednesday that the state has agreed to pay half the costs of constructing sound walls at an estimated cost of $1.4 million to $2.4 million.

But Cyphers called that offer "almost humorous," suggesting that the state should pay all of the costs.

Mayor Jim Gibson also expressed skepticism of the sound studies, despite the state's claim that it reconfirmed initial results after residents complained.

"It may be that the findings are a little short of what the reality might be," Gibson said, adding that "sound attenuation has to be a part of what goes in here."

The $60 million widening project would widen to eight lanes a six-mile stretch of St. Rose Parkway between Interstates 15 and 215. Turn lanes could increase the roadway to 10 to 12 lanes in places.

Residents of the 1,000-unit development at Eastern Avenue and St. Rose have yet to reach a consensus on whether they want a sound wall. Some households would lose views of the Las Vegas Strip and have suggested reducing the number of lanes.