MINDEN - Douglas County residents can get a preview of the upcoming road construction season today and comment on projects they'd like to see completed in the next few years.
The county's regional transportation commission will hold the second of two public meetings to hear comments on the five-year transportation plan, which is updated each year. The first was held Tuesday at Lake Tahoe.
Comments and suggestions from both meetings will be incorporated into an updated version of the plan, to be approved in March.
"It's open to any comment," said County Engineering Manager Eric Teitelman. "If somebody has a special interest or a special need, they can bring that up."
The plan outlines schedules for maintenance, construction, installation of traffic signals, bike and pedestrian facilities and community transit programs.
Longer-term projects listed in the plan include signals on Highway 395 at Stephanie Way and Airport Road in 2004 and 2005. Construction of roads that are expected to meet the county's future traffic demands, such as expansion of Heybourne Road between Airport and Buckeye and extending Ironwood Drive to a future Muller Lane parkway, is predicted by 2005.
More immediate plans call for reconstruction of Waterloo Lane between Highway 395 and Elges Lane in Gardnerville, realignment of the County Road-Highway 395 intersection at the Minden-Gardnerville line and overlays for parts of Johnson Lane and Fish Springs Road.
Teitelman said the Waterloo Lane project will involve revamping the road's intersection at Elges. Toler Lane, which ends near the junction of those two roads, will probably be turned into a cul-de-sac, he said.
That intersection will be cleaned up, he said.
The work was approved in 1999 and will probably start in April or May, with a mid-summer completion date.
In addition to taking public comment on the complete list and tentative schedule of road projects through 2005, Teitelman anticipates some discussion of state road projects.
He said the state plans to add a second left turn lane for traffic leaving Highway 88 and turning north on Highway 395 as well as a median and acceleration and deceleration lanes at Airport Road and 395.
Those improvements are to coincide with a complete overlay of 395 between Highway 88 and Carson City.
Teitelman noted Douglas officials are still hoping for state approval to complete a traffic signal at Highway 395 and Ironwood Drive.
What: Douglas County's five-year transportation plan
When: 5:30 p.m. today
Where: Old courthouse, 1616 Eighth St., Minden.
