Senate overrides F Street veto; cost estimated at $45M

Monday, June 1, 2009 | 10:19 p.m.

Senate panel advances initiative to reopen F Street (5-15-09)
F Street: Taking on the Road to Nowhere (5-14-2008)
Protesters march against closure of F Street (4-18-2009)
Roadwork works up West Las Vegans (12-1-2008)

Residents fight for F Street reopening

You need to upgrade your Flash Player

F Street's dead end

CARSON CITY – The Senate voted 17-4 on Monday night to override the veto of Gov. Jim Gibbons on a bill to start connecting West Las Vegas to the downtown area via F Street.

Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford pledged that money to construct the project won't come from other projects in the state. And the cost could be anywhere from $25 million to $70 million.

The bill, overridden by the Assembly 29-13, requires Las Vegas to supply $22.5 million to estimate the cost and contribute to the construction. The city and the state Transportation Department would work together to secure federal funds.

Horsford said there is a pending suit by residents of West Las Vegas and a verdict could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. This bill would mitigate any damages, he said.

Horsford, D-Las Vegas, said construction of Interstate 15 “physically isolates West Las Vegas," an area that is predominantly black. Residents are cut off from their employment and entertainment, he said.

He also said there was inadequate notice to residents in the area about the expansion of Interstate 15 that cuts off F Street to the downtown area. He said those who live on G and H Streets did not get notice that the freeway was going through to cut off F Street.

He said the project would cost an estimated $45 million. But Gov. Gibbons, in his veto message, said the cost would be an estimated $70 million.

Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, questioned whether money would be taken from a Carson City freeway and the expansion of Interstate 80 to fund the F street project.

He also asked whether the F Street project would take priority over other jobs.

Horsford said the F Street project would have to go through the normal course of approval. There is a contractor working on Interstate 15 and that contract could be adjusted to include F Street to save money. If the project is delayed two to three years the cost could escalate, he said.

And he said there is no intent to “divert funds” from other projects.

Discussion: 4 comments so far…

By ths

6/1/09 at 10:47 p.m.

Suggest removal

How does G and H get noticed but not F.

I hear this to often and I am an activist to help communities, but this is a lack of people reading their mail.
By LasVegas2009

6/2/09 at 7:21 a.m.

Suggest removal

Great we are in the worse recession in recent history and they have found a way to waste even more money. Next year when they cut off all your food stamps for lack of money remember you wanted to waste the money so you would not have to drive another 5 min. A whole neighborhood living off of social programs once again take another huge bite out of the taxpayers pie. The working mans gotta worry about the people at the top stealing from him and the people at the bottom.
By Guy Demarco (Staff)

6/2/09 at 7:29 a.m.

Suggest removal

Hey all. This is one of many topics we will discuss with State Sen. Steven Horsford today (June 2) on Face to Face with Jon Ralston. The program airs at 5:30pm, 6:30pm and 8:00pm on Las Vegas ONE, Cox Cable Channel 19.
By ddrabek

6/4/09 at 12:23 p.m.

Suggest removal

This topic wasn't discussed on Face to Face as mentioned as far as I was able to see.

I cannot believe the closure of the F Street bridge under I-15 was ever an issue to begin with, but now it is truly ridiculous that the State Lawmakers have vetoed Gov Gibbons and is requiring NDOT go back and put the bridge in. There is a bridge approximately 800 feet south of F Street for Bonanza Rd, another bridge 800 feet north of F Street for D Street and a 3rd bridge 1,500 feet north of F Street at Washington Ave. Why does this community of less than two dozen homes need four bridges to access their neighborhood. Are they really that lazy? And are our government representatives really that stupid?! Remember, this is going to cost us who pay taxes, at least $20 million and probably closer to $70 million!! For what??!! This was Senator Horsford's "TOP PRIORITY" in this past legislature session!!