Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Transportation officials put Tesla highway project on fast track

Brian Sandoval-Tesla-Bill-Signing

Cathleen Allison / AP

Surrounded by lawmakers and staff members at the Capitol in Carson City on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval signs into law an unprecedented package of incentives to bring Tesla Motors’ $5 billion battery factory to the state.

Tesla Special Session Day 2

Nevada Senators Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, and Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, react to their final vote during the second day of a special session at the Nevada Legislature, in Carson City, Nev., on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. Lawmakers are considering a complex deal to bring Tesla Motors to Nevada. (AP Photo/Cathleen Allison) Launch slideshow »

CARSON CITY — Nevada transportation officials are expediting plans to connect Interstate 80 east of Reno to U.S. Highway 50 near Silver Springs with the USA Parkway that was part of the deal that landed Tesla's $5 billion battery plant.

The Department of Transportation's board of directors approved $43 million for the right-of-way, easements and existing road improvements needed to complete the 18-mile stretch of highway. They also endorsed a fast-track approach Monday to consolidate the design and construction under one contract to be let for bid next year.

The highway project itself is expected to cost $70 million and be completed in 2017.

Six miles of privately built roadway already exists running south from I-80 about 10 miles east of Sparks where Tesla plans its "gigafactory" at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center.

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