NDOT to issue bonds today for projects including the bypass

The Nevada Department of Transportation is expected to authorize issuance today of $199.3 million in bonds to fund major road projects -- including completion of the northern half of the Carson City bypass.

NDOT Director Tom Stephens said the money will complete the bypass project from Arrowhead Drive in the north "down to and over Highway 50" East.

The actual work, he said, will take until 2006 to complete.

The project will go to bid in the fall, he said. At the same time, engineers will begin designing of the southern half of the bypass from Highway 50 to the Spooner Summit junction "immediately."

In addition to the bypass, the money will go toward the widening Highway 95 to 10 lanes in Las Vegas and construction of the "Spaghetti Bowl" in Henderson by 2006.

Also on today's agenda is a motion to allow NDOT to immediately take control of 82 acres of the Lompa Ranch between Highway 50 and Fairview so that work can begin on drainage structures that must be in place before the bypass can be built there.

The action will allow work to proceed while a condemnation dispute over how much the state should pay the Lompa family for the property is in court.

Gov. Kenny Guinn is expected to lay out his wishes at today's meeting to complete construction of the bypass, Highway 95, the Henderson interchange and I-580 from Reno to the north end of Washoe Valley. The governor said in his State of the State Address that he intends to complete all of those projects and was prepared to commit a total of $514 million in bonds to them.