North Las Vegas airport gets grant to move power lines underground

Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005 | 9:31 a.m.

The North Las Vegas Airport, the second-busiest airport in the state, has been awarded a $4.5 million federal grant to remove elevated high-voltage power lines that potentially pose a safety hazard for take offs and landings.

Nearly 4,000 feet of elevated power lines on steel towers stretch along Carey Avenue on the south side of the airport, which is owned and operated by Clark County. The 60-foot-high lines are near two of the airport's three runways. The plan calls for putting them underground, said Elaine Sanchez, a spokeswoman for the Clark County Aviation Department.

The high-voltage lines are highlighted with large orange balls around them. Sanchez said the airport has had complaints from pilots who said they don't see the lines until they get closer to the facility.

An airport map depicts the power lines within 1,511 feet of a 4,000 foot-runway and 1,050 feet of a 5,000-foot runway. The two runways run from southeast to northwest. A third runway runs east and west.

Airport Director Doug McNeeley said putting the power lines underground has been the No. 1 request of pilots. The airport has been the scene of several fatal crashes in recent years, but McNeeley said the power lines haven't caused any accidents.

"I wouldn't say it is dangerous," McNeeley said. "The reason we requested it is that we want to enhance safety at the airport. We just want to eliminate obstructions at the end of the runway."

About 60 percent of takeoffs at the general aviation airport go over the power lines and 40 percent of the landings go over the lines, McNeeley said.

No timetable has been set for putting the lines underground, McNeeley said. The work will take 18 months once construction starts.

Nevada Power spokeswoman Sonia Headen said the work will cost at least $5 million. She said it's expensive because the work is labor-intensive.

The high-voltage power lines serve as transmission lines for the Las Vegas valley and distribution lines for North Las Vegas, Headen said. To ensure safety, the lines need to be encased in a concrete conduit. Manholes are needed for crews to service the lines, she said.