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November 25, 2009

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Letter: State should pay for bypass, then make it toll road

Thursday, May 26, 2005 | 9:20 a.m.

I have a suggestion on how the state of Nevada can invest $350 million of the state surplus and potentially make money. Why not fund the 13-mile segment of the CAN-AM-MEX Highway, better known as the Boulder City bypass?

The property for the bypass is owned by Boulder City and the Bureau of Land Management. Both entities have already agreed to deed the property to the state to construct the bypass. The state could begin constructing the bypass in the next year in order for it to be ready when the new bridge segment opens in late 2008.

The state could make the bypass a toll road, collecting fees from vehicles exceeding 26,000 pounds. Trucks preferring not to pay the fee could continue to use the alternate route, U.S. 95 through Laughlin and Searchlight. When able, the U.S. government could purchase this 13-mile segment of the CAN-AM-MEX at fair market value from the state. Meanwhile the state collects user fees as partial payback from this investment.

NANCY NOLETTE

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