Ferraro still pursuing alternate truck route

Jeffrey Libby

Monday, May 7, 2001 | 9:54 a.m.

Boulder City Mayor Bob Ferraro has scheduled a three-day trip to Washington, D.C., hoping to get legislation drafted that would alter an international truck route known as the Canamex highway, established by Congress six years ago.

In a move that has strong support from residents but has many federal and regional officials voicing guarded skepticism, Ferraro plans to meet May 24 with Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

The Canamex trade route, established in 1995, is a designation of 1,500 miles of federal highway systems running between Edmonton, Canada, and Mexico City. The route, which passes through five Western states, includes U.S. 93 between Phoenix and Las Vegas, which runs through Boulder City.

Ferraro wants to discuss with Reid the city's proposed alternative, which would reroute the trucks through Laughlin and Bullhead City, Ariz.

City Manager John Sullard and Councilman Mike Pacini plan to accompany Ferraro to Washington.

Ferraro quotes the most recent Nevada Department of Transportation statistics available, from 1999, to make his point -- about 3,500 trucks a day pass through town, he says.

"If we're not successful and the Canamex remains on U.S. 93 ... all that truck traffic would absolutely destroy us," Ferraro said.

Although the truck route designation is nothing new, the Federal Highway Administration's decision in March to approve a $198 million bypass bridge just south of the Hoover Dam and about 2 miles east of Boulder City has raised new concerns from residents.

More than 1,500 residents, or about 10 percent of the city's population, have signed a petition supporting the alternative in part out of fears that the improved traffic conditions promised by the bridge will bring more trucks through their small town.

Councilman Bill Smith says it's time to face that reality and plan accordingly, rather than trying to export the traffic problem to Laughlin.

"Ferraro's trip is a total waste of time and money," Smith said. "We have to recognize that the bridge is going to be built at Sugarloaf Mountain. And if we're going to build the bridge there, how in the world could we expect to send the trucks through Laughlin and Bullhead City?"

Tom Greco, project manager for the Nevada Department of Transportation, said the proposed alternative route is not even eligible for consideration, because chosen roads must be part of the national highway system.

The roads through Laughlin and Bullhead City are state routes.

JoElle Hurns, executive director of the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce, said despite previous statements by Boulder City officials to the contrary, city officials in Laughlin are not "waving our arms down here asking for truck traffic."

"Our worst fear is being pressured, being a pawn, and getting stuck only with truck traffic and those trucks carrying hazardous waste, because frankly, our infrastructure can't handle it," Hurns said.

Bullhead City officials could not be reached for comment.

Like Smith, Hurns questioned why the federal government would spend $200 million to get truck traffic off the Hoover Dam bridge and then send it 23 miles out of the way to Laughlin, where roads with little discretionary funds for improvement are already operating at capacity.

Hurns called the attempt to change the designation "a pie in the sky."