Road project allocations

City transportation officials allocated $1.4 million for road projects over the next two years.

Carson City's Regional Transportation commissioners Wednesday spent more than $500,000 for year 2000 transportation projects and about $900,000 for the 2001 fiscal year.

With the completion of the $6.5 million Graves Lane extension in December, no major projects will be done until 2003 while the commission saves its money. The next large scale project will probably be the $1.8 million Curry Street extension from Lake Glen to Koontz in 2003 and 2004.

Until then, the commission approved a limited spending schedule designed to pinch pennies.

Included on the list for the 2001 fiscal year are:

-- a $110,000 contingency for emergencies

-- a $10,000 left turn lane on Roop Street at Northridge

-- $200,000 worth of improvements to the intersection at Carson Street and Clearview Drive

-- a $25,000 signal system for South Carson Street

-- a $125,000 upgrade to Old Clear Creek Road

-- a $150,000 traffic signal at Roop Street and Winnie Lane

Projects funded last year and in construction this year include the roundabout at Edmonds Drive and Fifth Street and the College Parkway soundwalls.

About 10 Carson residents came to the meeting to make sure the $745,000 Ormsby Boulevard extension moved from a high priority to a low one.

"It's so glaring to have this low priority on a high list," resident Laura Work said.

Deputy City Manager Dan St. John agreed saying at times, developments come forward that have potential to change the commission's priorities.

"This time next year, we'll do this thing all over again - this is an interim process," St. John said.

The commission is funded by a 9-cent gas tax. Five cents is funneled directly to the Nevada Department of Transportation for the city's portion of the northern leg of the freeway - estimated at $1.7 million this year. About $60,000 a month is generated for the commission by the other four cents after salaries, supplies and a roughly $278,000 debt payment for Graves Lane is subtracted.