Work on Carson freeway continues - slowly

Work on the Carson bypass freeway is continuing but slowly because of the lack of available money.

The major projects remaining to connect the freeway from Fairview Drive to the Spooner Junction are again listed on the state Department of Transportation's annual work program. But the funding source for all of them is "unknown."

NDOT spokesman Scott Magruder said, however, some work is getting done.

"We're still proceeding, still moving," he said.

Magruder said the bridges at Clearview and Koontz should be done by the end of this year. Those streets will be carried up and over the completed freeway.

As for this coming year, he said there may be some more drainage work and moving utilities to accommodate the project. If money becomes available, he said the bridge at Snyder will be put out to bid but that isn't certain at this point.

The freeway accounts for the vast majority of the nearly $500 million in projects listed as needed in the Carson area, the biggest single project being construction of the interchange connecting U.S. 50 up Spooner Grade to the freeway and to U.S. 395 south to Douglas County. The estimated $215 million project includes on and off ramps as well as frontage roads to complete the interchange.

Carson City is far from alone. Projects all across the state from I-15 at Las Vegas to Elko are in the same situation - funding source unknown. A major factor is the fact Congress hasn't yet settled on a new highway funding package so NDOT officials don't know how much money the state will get.

The list includes six other projects to complete the bypass freeway.

Also on the list of projects are three small drainage projects along U.S. 50 up the hill from U.S. 395 anda $22 million widening of U.S. 50 from the Carson City/Lyon County line to a mile east of State Route 341 to Gold Hill. Altogether, there are 20 projects listed for the Carson area.

Douglas County lists 24 projects, a number of them improvements to U.S. 395 south of the bypass. The largest, however, is a $268 million new road south of Pinenut Road to the freeway. The east side bypass would be 20 miles of new four lane highway.

Because of the major work on U.S. 395, the Douglas total is just over $1 billion. But that list repeats several of the Carson projects that cross the county line.

In Churchill County, the work program lists 27 projects. But the largest is just $3.23 million - reconstruction of Airport Road from U.S. 95 to the Fallon Airport.

After that it the biggest is $3 million to seal and surface Stillwater Road 10 miles north from U.S. 50. The total for Churchill is a modest $16.26 million.