Highway funds to be considered

Suzanne Struglinski

Thursday, Jan. 22, 2004 | 11:13 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Nevada stands to gain $1.62 billion in highway funds from the Senate's transportation bill, a 35.6 percent increase compared to the last allocation in 1998.

The Senate released state-by-state breakdown Wednesday of its $311.5 billion transportation reauthorization bill. In the House version, introduced in November, $1.7 billion of $375 billion was earmarked for Nevada.

The Senate bill includes an additional $50 million for the Hoover Dam bypass bridge.

While the House version contains $250 million for transit projects such as the Las Vegas Monorail and the bus system, the Senate bill has $56.5 billion for all transit programs over the next six years. State numbers have not been finalized, according to an aide to Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Nevada's Transportation Director Jeff Fontaine called an increase "good news for Nevada," but said there are still a number of steps before anything is final.

Congress needs to renew the transportation bill by March. The bill, first passed in 1998, was to expire at the end of September, but lawmakers passed a five-month extension, buying them time to complete the multibillion-dollar bill without affecting projects.

Fontaine said nothing has been put on hold, although other states have had to stop projects.

The House Transportation Committee and some Senate committees still need to approve the bill, and sources say the bills could be voted on in early February. Once approved, differences will be worked out in a conference committee.

Specific projects will be dealt with during conference.

Fontaine said money, once approved, would help with the widening of U.S. 95 and Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Primm.

"There are dozens and dozens of projects," Fontaine said. "The sooner Congress passes it, the better."