NLV marks completion of North Fifth Street plan’s first phase

By Erin Dostal

Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2010 | 7:38 p.m.

The first phase of a North Fifth Street improvement plan is complete, made official Wednesday by a vote of the North Las Vegas City Council.

The project, with a price tag of about $16 million, began in December 2008 when the city council awarded a contract to Frehner Construction Company. The money came from the Regional Transportation Commission, and the city's Sewer Utility Fund and Water Utility Fund.

Improvements included in the project were widening North Fifth Street and installing traffic signals at the street’s intersections with Carey Avenue, Lake Mead Boulevard South and Lake Mead Boulevard North.

The first three phases of the project initially were lumped together, but because of costs and the economic downturn, they were divided into pieces, said Qiong Lu, director of the city's public works department.

There are several phases to the project, she said, but it is unclear exactly how many there will be. That will depend, in part, on the amount of money available, she said.

This first phase opened to the public Feb. 19. The contract states that if damage were to happen to the road before February 2011 – one year after its public opening – the company would be liable for repairs.