Completion of northern half of bypass going to bid

The state will begin seeking contracts today to complete the northern half of the Carson City freeway.

Bids will be opened July 10 and construction is set to begin in September. It will take about three years to finish.

"This is great news not only for motorists who drive through Carson City but for drivers throughout Nevada who live in the nation's fastest growing state," said Gov. Kenny Guinn, chairman of the Transportation Board which manages highway projects in the state.

The project will cost an estimated $80 million and will complete the freeway from Lakeview Hill at Carson City's north end to Highway 50 East -- a stretch of about 4.6 miles.

The first portion of the project involved purchasing land for the northern half of the bypass and constructing the overpasses and bridges over Arrowhead Drive, Northgate Lane, College Parkway and Emerson Drive.

Now that those structures are ready, the project going to bid today will build the freeway connecting them.

Jeff Fontaine, director of the Nevada Department of Transportation, said the Carson City freeway is one of several major projects the state plans to have under construction before the end of this year. Those projects, including the Henderson spaghetti bowl and widening work on both I-15 and Highway 95 in Southern Nevada, total $600 million.

The southern half of the bypass project, which will extend the freeway to the junction of Highway 395 and Highway 50 West, is still in the planning stages.