The approved turn lane, designed to alleviate increasing rush-hour traffic, was slightly different that the RTC's original proposal. Under the plan, Pyramid Way would siphon southbound traffic into a right-turn-only lane that would start just south of Emerson Way. The traffic would then funnel into an expanded right turn corner and feed into a westbound acceleration lane on McCarran Boulevard.
The original proposal depicted a turn lane that started at Queen Way and wiped out a northbound left turn option at Emerson Way. Friday's board action, however, did reserve the right for the RTC to re-evaluate the longer turn lane following the completion of the shorter project.
The modified proposal pleased some area residents who came and gave lengthy presentations during the meeting's public comment period.
Fred Barrie was allowed 15 minutes of public comment time to speak for all the residents of the nearby Village Green area, a significant increase from the usual three minutes of public comment time allowed.
Village Green resident and state Assemblywoman Debbie Smith also spoke in opposition to the elongated turn lane along with Washoe County Commissioner Bonnie Webber.
Both women were opposed to the RTC's original plan to start the turn lane at Queen Way, which would eliminate northbound access to the subdivision at Emerson Way and give only one northbound entry point at Queen Way.
"I am very happy because our subdivision will not lose the ability to turn left," said Barrie, a 22-year resident of the Village Green development. "I understand that the neighborhood will probably lose that turn lane in the future (when the RTC looks at the longer turn lane), but by then there will be other offsets to help us."
It is Barrie's hope that by the time the longer turn lane becomes an option, greater measures will be taken to improve that general area leading into Spanish Springs.
Although the modified option appeased many concerned area residents, it still needs the approval of the Nevada Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Safety Administration. The previous NDOT and federal approval for the longer turn lane project took nine months to obtain. However, the turn lane's project manager, Bill Vann, said that he expects this approval process to take about three months.
Once the project is approved by NDOT, which owns both Pyramid Way and McCarran Boulevard, the turn lane must jump another project hurdle as it begins the process of acquiring 10 feet of right of way from Norma Lagomarsino' home. Lagomarsino has lived on the corner of McCarran Boulevard and Pyramid Way for almost 50 years. According to RTC officials, she has not agreed to sell the land and they have not begun eminent domain proceedings.
Lagomarsino declined to comment on the acquisition of her property, but did confirm the RTC officials' statements.
The project's construction will cost RTC about $623,000, which will come from regional road impact fees.
According to Vann, appropriating additional funding for the project is one more hurdle that the RTC must deal with.
"The project is currently funded for $500,000," Vann said. "We will have to go augment the budget to receive the additional funding."
Following an approval from NDOT, the Federal Highway Safety Administration, Lagomarsino, the RTC's finance department and the Sparks City Council, bids will be accepted from area construction companies.
"The board has given us our direction which is what we were looking for today," RTC's engineering director Robert Russell said as he prepared to move forward with the project.
Post a Comment