$504 million planned for road building

Friday, Nov. 15, 2002 | 10:32 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Transportation Board on Thursday approved a $504 million construction budget for this fiscal year, with an estimated 70 percent of the money earmarked for road projects in Southern Nevada.

"This is one of the largest programs in the history of the department," said Tom Stephens, director of the transportation department. "Obviously with the population growth in Southern Nevada, great emphasis is placed on congestion in Clark County."

The board, led by Gov. Kenny Guinn, rejected pleas from supporters of projects in Fernley and Carson City for additional money for road construction to serve developers.

Kent Cooper, assistant director for planning and research for the department, said that $253 million would come from the federal government and $151 million would be state funds.

Cooper said the state gets its basic allocation of about $200 million but any special funds for the state have been held up. He said Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., usually gets the state $40 million to $75 million a year in extra money for certain projects.

This means some of the scheduled projects could be delayed until the special allocations are made by Congress.

Among the projects approved by the board were the widening of St. Rose Parkway from Interstate 15 to I-215 and reconstructing the I-15/St. Rose Parkway interchange.

There will be two contracts on this job totaling $64 million.

Other projects include $30 million to widen 20 miles of northbound I-15 from Primm to Las Vegas; $25 million to widen 18 miles of U.S. 95 north of Searchlight; and $20 million for Frank Sinatra Drive from Russell Road to Industrial Road.

Cooper said Sinatra Drive behind the Strip would help relieve traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Work will continue on the $150 million widening of U.S. 95 from the I-15 interchange to Rainbow Boulevard and on the $110 million I-215 and U.S. 95 interchange. Cooper said Clark County is also contributing money for these projects.

The board adopted a proposed 2003-2005 budget of $935 million of which $610 million would be spent on construction projects.

Including in the proposed program are the hiring of 42 more workers, 18 of them in Las Vegas mostly to do maintenance work. That would bring the department to 1,717 employees.

The department wants to spend $600,000 in each of the next two years on additions to its headquarters.

The proposed budget goes to Guinn, who will make the final decision on what is submitted to the 2003 Legislature.