RTC creates wish list for fed funding

Friday, March 14, 2003 | 9:34 a.m.

The Regional Transportation Commission, the lead road and mass transit agency for Southern Nevada, has delivered a wish list for federal highway funding to the state's congressional delegation.

Congress is now considering a multiyear authorization that would name projects that could receive federal funding, an extension of the Transportation Equity Act known as TEA-3. While getting a project into the bill does not ensure federal funding, it means that agencies "have a hunting license for the funds," explained Jacob Snow, RTC general manager.

The list approved 5-0 by the RTC board on Thursday included interchanges along the Las Vegas Beltway -- at U.S. 95 for $112 million, at Summerlin Parkway for $44 million, at Interstate 15 for $56 million and at the airport connector for $24 million.

Also on the list: Widening of I-15 from U.S. 95 to the Speedway interchange for $150 million, continued widening of U.S. 95 from Rainbow Boulevard to the Kyle Canyon turnoff to Mount Charleston, State Route 157, for $40 million and about a dozen other projects.

The largest item on the list was a widening of U.S. 95 from I-15 to the junction with Boulder Highway south of Henderson for an estimated $600 million.

Snow said no one should expect full federal funding of any of these projects, including the last one.

Tom Stevens, Nevada Department of Transportation director, agreed. "All these things on our wish list -- they probably aren't going to be under the tree," he said. "It's important to get things on the high-priority list even if you don't get all the money you're looking for."

Stevens said his agency and the RTC agree on the project priorities, but his agency has a separate list: Among the NDOT priorities are $80 million to $100 million for continued work on a new bridge over the Colorado River below Hoover Dam and continued improvement to U.S. 95 between Searchlight and Laughlin for $20 million.

Also among the state priorities is widening of I-15 from Las Vegas to Primm.