Where I Stand — Guest columnist Jacob Snow: An uphill transit task

Thursday, Aug. 22, 2002 | 8:50 a.m.

Editor's note: In August the Where I Stand column is written by guest writers. Today's columnist is Jacob Snow, the general manager of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.

WHEN I BECAME general manager of the RTC in July 1999, I looked forward to steering our community toward a future full of transportation options. Little did I know what a challenge that was going to be.

Streets and roads, traffic, air quality, transit services and alternative transportation options -- these issues affect us all. And trying to balance the projects we can presently fund with the ever-growing needs and desires of our community is like trying to wrestle an eight-armed giant.

With plentiful jobs, a low cost of living and a warm and inviting climate, Southern Nevada has been a natural draw for individuals looking for a better quality of life. Our population is growing at a rate even faster than predicted, adding over 750 more cars each week. Additional population and more vehicles on our roads means more traffic, more exhaust being emitted into our air and more of our time being spent getting where we need to go.

Every new citizen, in one way or another, uses our transportation infrastructure, and wants that use of it to be safe, convenient and free of delays. However, keeping up with the growing needs of this community increasing by 5,000 people each month is a daunting task, and one that longtime residents and newcomers must face together if we are going to continue to thrive.

There are currently $6.5 billion worth of transportation projects and programs budgeted and planned over the next 20 years, bringing much of our current infrastructure to full build-out. Even with this, our gridlock is projected to increase from the current 341 miles congested roads during peak commute times to 2,300 miles of standstill traffic.

To help answer the concerns and manage the tremendous demand placed on our transportation system today and in years to come, the elected members of the RTC established a Regional Transportation Commission Community Coalition (RTC3). Made up of community leaders representing every stakeholder group from transit riders to developers, seniors to environmental advocates, the disabled to local government and the taxpayers to public safety agencies, this group researched and recommended sensible and acceptable solutions to the transportation-related challenges that will improve and enhance our quality of life.

These recommendations included adding 425 high-speed lane miles to our street and highway network; additional incentives to promote carpooling and other rideshare activities to reduce the numbers of vehicles on our roadways; synchronizing traffic signals; adding more Intelligent Transportation System, or ITS projects, such as HOV lanes, ramp meters and dynamic messaging signs; and increasing and improving public transit options.

The majority of the costs of many of these projects will be paid with federal dollars. In fact, it's about time we begin to get these tax dollars back to benefit our community. Prior to the RTC's startup of CAT in 1992, Southern Nevada was entirely without a public transit system, and is still without a completed rail-type system. Because of this, our community loses out on tens of millions of federal dollars every year that originated from our state. We have instead been subsidizing transit systems in areas like Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago and even Salt Lake City. By supporting and developing additional much-needed projects, we can change this.

In addition to bringing in additional federal funds, the RTC is working on partnerships to fund transportation activities with private dollars. The RTC developed Silver Star transit routes to help meet the needs of our senior population. In order to provide this service, the Nevada Division for Aging Services stepped up to fund the costs to operate two of these Silver Star routes. Also, the private sector, in a public/private partnership with the RTC, is funding the entire cost to build the first phase of the Las Vegas Monorail project. These private dollars then will be counted as our community's local contribution to receive federal funding for the second phase.

Even with federal and private funding, however, we will each pay a price as we continue to experience the growing pains of a thriving metropolitan area. Fortunately, we have the luxury of determining what that price will be. Is it too high a cost to give up your vehicle one day a week to carpool, ride transit or bike? Is an employer's cost to purchase transit passes for their employees too unreasonable a price? Or do these pale in comparison to the money our community will hemorrhage as we sit in gridlock traffic?

It is up to us all to decide. Personally, I have chosen to make small changes in my commuting lifestyle; I've been a regular on the CAT 402 Crosstown Express, and I have a carpool partner. This choice to give up my vehicle for some of my daily commutes is not too dear a price to pay, especially in comparison to losing our economic livelihood or wonderful quality of life.

Little did I know what kind of transportation challenge was ahead for our community just a few short years ago. But with this community's resolve and support, I am more confident today than ever that this eight-armed giant can be tamed.