A Jump Around Carson Bus at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center on Feb. 29.
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Eco-friendly public transportation and more pedestrian safety improvements could be coming to Carson City.
Wednesday, starting at 4:30 p.m. in the community center boardroom, the Carson Area Metropolitan Planning Organization will be reviewing a Zero Emission Transportation Plan followed by the Regional Transportation Commission’s review of proposed pedestrian safety improvements along College Parkway and Fairview Drive.
The zero-emission plan was funded with a $225,000 grant through NV Energy as part of the power company’s electrification initiative. CDM Smith Inc. was the contractor hired in December 2023 to complete the plan.
“The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requires the development of a plan for transit agencies to be eligible for project funds related to low- or no-emission vehicles, and related infrastructure, through the Bus and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program under FTA Sections 5339(b) and 5339(c),” according to the agenda. “The plan examines how operating and maintaining low- or no-emission vehicles and related infrastructure will impact CAMPO and the Jump Around Carson (JAC) long term fleet management plan, cost of transition and implementation, policy and legislation, existing and future facilities, partnerships with utility providers like NV Energy, and workforce impacts within a realistic, phased approach.”
A staff report says the plan could help guide a regional electrification network.
“This includes electrical infrastructure planning for existing or future routes between Carson City and Washoe County (RTC Intercity) and the Tahoe Basin (TTD),” the report says.
Recommendations from the plan include the pursuit of FTA grants “with potential for matching funds from state or local utility sources;” replacement of existing diesel buses with hybrid diesel buses; and potential phase-in of electric buses after assessment of operations, according to the staff report.
“Other considerations of the plan include training staff on the maintenance of battery electric buses, potential upgrades to the city’s fleet maintenance facility related to battery electric vehicles, and the benefits and drawbacks of low- or no-emission transit on historically underserved communities,” reads the staff report.
The plan can be viewed online: https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2946621/6A_CAMPO_Exhibit_2_-_CAMPO_Zero_Emission_Transition_Plan.pdf.
After CAMPO adjourns, the RTC will convene to review the College Parkway Pedestrian Safety Project.
“The Carson Area Metropolitan Planning Organization completed a Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) which provided both location specific and systemic recommendations to improve safety along roadway segments and at intersections in the CAMPO area,” according to the agenda. “Using this data, staff evaluated various intersections in Carson City with respect to characteristics that predict higher severity crashes to pedestrians and vulnerable road users. A list of potential intersections was developed, and five intersections along College Parkway and Fairview Drive have been selected for inclusion in the project.”
The project would include the intersections of College Parkway and Imperial Drive; College Parkway and Northgate Lane; Fairview Drive and Gordon Street; Fairview Drive and Desatoya Drive; and Fairview Drive and Edmonds Drive, according to the agenda.
“During 2024, staff evaluated intersections in Carson City to prioritize locations with the highest risk for high impact crashes involving a vulnerable road user,” reads a staff report. “Ten intersections were identified as high risk. Five of those intersections are within the limits of existing or future projects. The five remaining intersections can be modified with low-cost improvements to decrease the risk for high-severity incidents. Potential mitigations include bulb-outs, pedestrian refuge, increased lighting, changes in intersection control, and lane narrowing.”
Project costs are not yet known, according to the city.
“Staff has begun coordination with the Nevada Department of Transportation for the use of Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds,” the staff report says. “HSIP funds require a 5% local match which is expected to come from the Regional Transportation fund, Safety Improvement Project.”
In April, the Appeal published the results of an investigation into pedestrian deaths in the city, revealing 19 such deaths since 2013. That total included a 2016 fatality at Fairview and Gordon and a 2022 death on College Parkway near Imperial Way.