Editorial: A state of denial

Sunday, May 20, 2007 | 6:56 a.m.

Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons' transportation plan has been roundly ridiculed for not taking seriously enough the traffic gridlock Southern Nevadans suffer.

Nonetheless, after Gibbons presented his inane and possibly illegal plan, state Sen. Bob Beers sent out an e-mail in support of the proposal. In it the Las Vegas Republican boldly stated:

"I have come to the conclusion Nevada's roads 'crisis' is exaggerated."

We have come to the conclusion that he is in denial.

Last year a blue-ribbon task force concluded that Nevada will have a deficit of at least $3.8 billion over the next eight years to build enough roads to ease gridlock.

While there is no shortage of debate over the ways to solve the problem, there is a consensus of opinion on the problem. If you don't believe the study, drive the Spaghetti Bowl at rush hour or Interstate 15 near the Strip any workday afternoon.

Beers says there are some "highway construction challenges" and offers some thoughts sure to boil the blood of any Las Vegas commuter.

"I am not sure we need an immediate response to this 'crisis,' " Beers stunningly wrote, adding that the crisis "appears contrived by folks interested in things other than moving Nevadans comfortably from point A to point B. But I could be wrong."

But if it is a manufactured crisis, then why support any plan?

You can try to deny it, but the fact is each day Las Vegas moves closer to Los Angeles-style gridlock.

If the magnitude of the crisis is not clear now, it will be soon if the Legislature takes Beers' and Gibbons' nonsense seriously.