Nine Carson City proposed road projects to go to RTC

A list of nine proposed road projects for the next fiscal year go to the Regional Transportation Commission for its approval next month.

The city expects to have about $1.6 million in RTC capital funds in 2017-2018 to spend on roads, Patrick Pittenger, Carson City transportation manager, told the Transportation Resource Advisory Forum for Carson City (TRAFCC) at the group’s first quarterly meeting Tuesday.

The projects going before the RTC for approval are surface sealing on Stewart Street from William to Carson streets; Fairview Drive to Snyder Avenue and Edmonds Drive to Bigelow Drive; 5th Street from Saliman Road to Fairview Drive; College Parkway from Carson Street to Ormsby Boulevard; Koontz Lane from Edmonds Drive to Curry Street; Arrowhead Drive and Medical Parkway, from Emerson Drive to Eagle Valley Ranch Road; Airport Road from College Parkway to U.S. Highway 50; and Carson River Road from 5th Street to Sierra Vista Drive.

The last project, College Parkway from Nye Lane to Sherman Lane, would be a major rehabilitation project called a mill and overlay in which the top two inches of a road is removed and replaced.

The projects total an estimated $1.3 million.

The city also considered Colorado Street and Mountain Street, and has put Fairview Drive on its radar for 2018, Pittenger said.

One issue is any project that involves more than a slurry seal needs to bring the road up to compliance with the American Disabilities Act, which can add significant cost.

That’s why Mountain Street, which has 70 corner ramps, was put off and Stewart Street, which has 50 curb ramps, is a slurry seal.

This year about half the city’s traffic signals will get equipped with battery back ups, Pittenger said.

Battery back up will be added to 12 signals on Arrowhead Drive, North Carson, William and 5th streets and Fairview Drive by the city.

Another 13 signals on Arrowhead Drive, Highway 50, South Carson Street, and Fairview Drive will get equipped in partnership with the Nevada Department of Transportation.

The city still has a substantial shortfall in its roads maintenance budget, Pittenger said.

The city could spend $15 million to $18 million annually to upkeep its roads in good to fair condition.

“In either scenario, we’re woefully short,” said Pittenger.

If all available funds were used to maintain arterial roads, the city’s most trafficked roads, those main streets would be in fair condition while collector and local roads would all fall into poor condition.

The 2017 Nevada Legislature may take up the issue as 15 of the state’s 17 counties failed to pass the gas tax indexing ballot in order to raise more funds for roads.

Washoe County already has gas tax indexing and Clark County passed it, but still expects to generate only half the money needed to maintain the county’s roads, Pittenger said.

The list of Carson City road projects will be voted on at the Feb. 8 RTC meeting and the next TRAFCC meeting is scheduled for April 18.