$700 million should be spent on streets, consultant says

Thursday, April 18, 2002 | 9:58 a.m.

A consultant recommended that North Las Vegas spend about $700 million to expand Interstate 15, Lake Mead Boulevard and the city's streets to handle a population that is expected to double every 10 years.

The City Council accepted the report unanimously.

In addition, Louis Berger & Associates told the City Council Wednesday night that express bus lanes should be added on Las Vegas Boulevard North to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and to downtown North Las Vegas.

Roger Patton of Louis Berger said the final report will contain about 50 street improvements, including a network of roadways north of Craig Road. The proposed projects include widening North Fifth Street and connecting Losee Road and Civic Center Drive.

The $700 million pricetag is evenly divided between widening I-15 and the street improvements, Patton said.

Besides roads and streets within the city, Patton said the City Council could support 17 miles of beltway through the eastern Las Vegas Valley that would cost $900 million. However, the Clark County Regional Transportation Commission is the lead agency on that project, he said.

The Nevada Department of Transportation with the city of North Las Vegas, Clark County, the Regional Transportation Commission and the city of Las Vegas began a transportation study of the I-15 northeast corridor in September 2000. All of the municipalities and agencies are working together to complete the study.