NDOT to select contractor on Carson bypass project

The contractor will be determined this week for the first phase of the decade long project to extend Highway 395 from Reno to Carson City.

The Nevada Department of Transportation on Thursday will open the bids on the $80 million project to build the Carson City freeway from near Arrowhead at the north end of the capital to near Pinion Plaza off Highway 50.

That part of the highway construction should start in the fall and be completed by fall 2006, according to Scott Magruder, spokesman for NDOT.

The second phase of that part of the project will overlap with the initial phase and start in about two years, said Magruder.

That phase will extend the highway from Pinion Plaza to near 50 East at the south end of town.

Before that, though, NDOT will open bids on August 7 for what is called the Interstate 580 extension - building out 395 from Mt.

Rose Highway at the southern end of Reno to Winters Ranch at the opening of Washoe Valley.

The first phase of that will be to build four bridges along the route - at Corey Canyon Way, Brown's Creek, St.

James Parkway and Galena Creek.

That is also estimated to be an $80 million project that should take up to three years to complete.

Magruder said that eight contractors have so far expressed interest in that project, including Granite Construction Co.

of Sparks, Carson City and Las Vegas, and Frehner Construction Co.

Inc.

of Elko, Sparks and North Las Vegas.

NDOT opens the bids at its office in Carson City and the lowest bid wins, once it can be verified by the department.

Bids are usually opened at 1:30 p.m.

and tardy contractors are turned away at the door, said Magruder.

"We've had contractors come a minute or two late, and we don't take their bids," he said.