NDOT chief wants deputy in south

Wednesday, April 9, 2003 | 9:44 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- After being named director of the state Department of Transportation Tuesday, Jeff Fontaine said his first act will be to ask the Legislature to approve a deputy director of transportation for Southern Nevada.

"A second deputy director will help us better serve Southern Nevada," Fontaine, 48, said.

The state Transportation Board, headed by Gov. Kenny Guinn, Tuesday selected Fontaine as the permanent replacement for Tom Stephens, who resigned the $98,226 a year job earlier this year. Fontaine has been acting director of the transportation department since Stephens left the job.

Fontaine is a registered professional civil engineer in Nevada and California and has been the agency's deputy director since 1995. The department has 1,600 employees and an annual budget of $600 million.

Guinn nominated Fontaine for the top job and the board endorsed the recommendations.

Fontaine said Guinn "has challenged the Transportation Department to move quickly on projects to address congestion and safety as well as keep our highways in very good condition." Guinn said the state is "about to embark on the most aggressive highway work program in the history of Nevada." More than $500 million in highway projects statewide are scheduled to start construction by fall.

Clark County projects include: construction of the I-515/I-215 Henderson interchange for $92 million; a Nevada approach to the Hoover Dam bypass bridge for $51 million; widening U.S. 95 from Searchlight to U.S. 93 near Railroad Pass, at an estimated cost of $25 million; adding a northbound lane at U.S. 95 and the Rainbow curve; constructing a $50 million single point urban interchange at U.S. 95 and Rainbow Boulevard; and upgrading to a full interchange at Lamb Boulevard and I-15 for $20 million.