Nevada gets $293 million for transportation projects

RENO, Nev. - Nearly $293 million in federal funds is headed to Nevada for a variety of transportation projects, including a Hoover Dam bypass in Southern Nevada and Interstate 80 improvements in Northern Nevada.

The transportation appropriations bill was approved Friday by the Senate and now awaits President Clinton's signature.

''Our roads, highways and airports are a business lifeline and an important part of the quality of life,'' Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said.

''This funding will help address Nevada's transportation needs as we continue to grow into the 21st century.''

The bill contains $210 million for road and highway improvements statewide, with the bulk of the funds targeted for projects in booming Southern Nevada.

In the south, $10 million will go for work on Interstate 15 between Nevada and California, and $10 million for the widening of U.S. Highway 95 between the Laughlin Cutoff and Railroad Pass.

In Northern Nevada, $10 million is earmarked for improvements to I-80 and U.S. Highway 395.

Reid also secured $20 million for the Hoover Dam bypass.

''Drivers, commercial truckers and sightseers all have to compete for the two-lane road that runs across Hoover Dam,'' he said.

''This funding will provide additional resources for the continued preliminary engineering and design of a new bypass at Hoover Dam that will increase safety and decrease congestion.''

The budget also contains millions of dollars for transit projects, including $1.5 million for continued engineering of the Las Vegas Fixed Guideway mass transit system and $7 million for various improvements to the Reno area's public bus system.

Also in the Reno area, $1 million is earmarked for a car-sharing demonstration project and $1 million for transportation for welfare-to-work recipients.

As for Lake Tahoe, the budget features $2 million for a compressed natural gas bus fleet, $500,000 for deployment of a so-called ''intelligent'' public transit system and $510,000 for erosion-control walls.