Editorial: Driving into gridlock

Sunday, Dec. 10, 2006 | 7:43 a.m.

Drive around the Las Vegas Valley at peak times and you'll experience the problem: The highway system is quickly moving toward total gridlock.

The traffic will get worse, according to a state blue-ribbon task force report released last week, unless the 2007 Legislature and the new governor act decisively. The state Department of Transportation reports that it will have a shortfall over the next nine years of at least $3.8 billion to build much-needed projects, such as widening portions of Interstate 15 and U.S. 95 in the valley.

The task force report suggests that unless a long-term plan is in place and funded, nearly every highway in the valley will be at gridlock within the next 25 years. Already highway congestion in the Las Vegas Valley is costing billions of dollars in lost productivity, and unless something is done, it means not just longer commutes but also problems for tourism and the economy.

The task force, commissioned by Gov. Kenny Guinn, spent a year analyzing the problem and is recommending that the Legislature:

The task force, led by Phillip Peckman, did an excellent job of laying out the problems and providing potential solutions.

What the Legislature needs to do is find a way to provide a consistent and reliable source for highway funding so the state doesn't have to revisit this question .

We agree with raising the gas tax and the vehicle and driver's license fees, but we don't think the Legislature should be looking at the surplus as an answer beyond this year because the state can't count on a surplus. We also don't believe lawmakers should redirect money from the general fund unless they find a consistent source of revenue to replace that money. Otherwise, the Legislature is just creating another budgetary hole it will have to fill.

The last comprehensive look at how the state pays for highway construction was done in 1990 by a citizens advisory committee, which recommended a broad-based tax structure to pay for future construction. Instead the 1991 Legislature made short-term decisions by raising the gas tax and fees for vehicle registration and driver's licenses. Those increases haven't kept up with the cost of road construction over the years.

Raising taxes is the third rail of Nevada politics, but the 2007 Legislature must understand that the task force's report sends a clear message: Taxes must be raised to ease traffic congestion, and lawmakers must be prepared to do so. It is vital for the future.