Storey County should slow down on toll road idea

There are several reasons we don't like Storey County's idea of putting a toll road on Six Mile Canyon Road, a popular route for drivers going from the Dayton Valley to Virginia City and Reno.

For one, it sends a negative message. How would you or a visitor feel about coming across a toll booth in beautiful rural Nevada? Certainly not welcome, and probably like you were being fleeced by the local government.

That message also doesn't speak well to regional cooperation, and there are probably many people in Lyon County who out of spite would support a toll charged on their section of the road to Storey County residents. Lyon County is taking the high road, however, and vows not to put a toll on its section.

But most importantly, it sidesteps the real solution to the problem. The state should take over maintenance of this road, which will grow in importance as the region's explosive growth continues. In an area with many tourists and commuters crossing county lines, maintenance of that road isn't a local problem.

Efforts to get the state involved in maintaining the road have failed. But the county's residents and representatives shouldn't give up.

Unfortunately, Storey County has set a rapid timeline for putting the toll in place. We would encourage them to put on their brakes and, at a minimum, put the toll road issue to voters in their county.

As a more direct route, a well-maintained Six Mile Canyon Road will save a lot of gas, and will likely bring more visitors to Virginia City. But not if it's a toll road. How many people will pay the $300 annual fee to use the road?

Our guess is the traffic will be heavier on the Tahoe Rim Trail.