Residents prefer highway bypass

Jeffrey Libby

Friday, April 5, 2002 | 11:05 a.m.

Boulder City residents still appear largely in favor of a $340 million state highway that would reroute traffic along U.S. 93 around the south side of town.

On Thursday they met with Nevada Department of Transportation officials to review preliminary environmental impact assessments of four alternatives.

One alternative is to do nothing; two 11-mile, $220 million alternatives would send traffic through the small downtown; and a third 15-mile route would swing south of town.

The third alternative is by far the most costly, disturbs more Lake Mead National Recreation Area land and disturbs more animal habitat, including that of the desert tortoise and gila monster.

But it also has the support of most Boulder City residents.

"Our No. 1 priority should be the 15,000 residents," said Bob Draney, whose wife runs a downtown art and furniture store. "Not the businesses, not the desert tortoise and not the bighorn sheep."

Some residents are concerned that removing highway traffic would cause downtown businesses to suffer. About 7 million vehicles pass through the downtown area annually.

Four business people interviewed on Thursday said they supported the southern route for a variety of reasons.

Rod and Meg Fair, owners of the Desert Princess, a 320-passenger paddlewheeler that tours Lake Mead, said that despite getting about 20 percent of their business from drive-by traffic, they want the vehicle exhaust and dust pollution diverted south of town.

Cokie Booth, a Realtor and boat repair shop owner, said both of her businesses would benefit from a southern route that would take trucks and recreational vehicles out of the downtown area.

Don Estes, a retired local schoolteacher and 37-year resident of the Hemenway Valley, said he would lose his view of Lake Mead and part of his patio if either of the cheaper options are chosen.

"If they build up the valley, it's over," he said. "They're getting my patio. I'm shaking hands with the truckers."

NDOT will accept public comments through May 20 and make a final recommendation to the Federal Highway Administration in spring 2003.

NDOT has put aside $40 million of its 2006-2010 funding for the Boulder City corridor project. State officials are also expecting cuts of $25 to $50 million from the department's $200 million in annual funding.

Mark Garrity, a consultant, said he didn't care what NDOT built, so long as they widen the 18 inches of pavement he has between the 18-wheelers and a 20-foot drop into desert as he rides his bike down to Lake Mead.

"Whatever they do, I just want a bike path," he said.