House panel backs northern extension of Interstate 11
WASHINGTON — The House Transportation Committee approved legislation Thursday that could pave the way for construction of a highway directly linking Las Vegas and Reno.
The measure was included in a broader highway funding bill that would spend up to $325 billion on transportation projects over the next six years — provided lawmakers can find a way to pay for the final three years.
The bill offers no direct funding for the proposed I-11 northern extension, but does establish the project as a priority — a designation welcomed by Nevada lawmakers who say it will eventually lead to federal funding. Reps. Cresent Hardy, R-Nev., and Dina Titus, D-Nev., who serve on the committee, supported the designation.
“It is on the books and now we in Nevada can start getting the lay of the land,” Hardy said. “The more we are prepared to go for it perhaps the more money we can get for it.”
Similar language is included in the Senate version of the bill, making it more likely that the designation will be included in any final version of the bill that Congress might eventually approve.
“No doubt, Nevada will reap the economic benefits of the I-11 extension for years to come, and I am grateful we are one step closer to pushing it over the finish line,” said Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., after the House committee passed its bill.
Hardy said the I-11 project — linking Las Vegas to Phoenix to the south and Reno to the north — would provide tremendous economic opportunities for Nevada.
Eventually, I-11 would link Canada to the north and Mexico to the south.
The House bill, which received bipartisan support Thursday, would spend $261 billion on highways, $55 billion on transit and about $9 billion on safety programs.
Titus was able to secure an amendment Thursday that would require planning agencies to consider enhancement of tourism when making long-term transportation plans.
“We need to ensure that the needs of the travel industry are addressed in long-term planning processes at the state and local level,” Titus said.
The proposal is supported by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Titus said the highway bill also includes a provision aimed at improving the safety of local streets by requiring state transportation agencies to consider “best practices” for improving the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. For example, she said, it could mean adding pullouts for buses, better marking of crosswalks and bicycle paths.
“We have so many pedestrian accidents and deaths,” she said. “One of the most dangerous in my district is Flamingo and Maryland.”
Contact Peter Urban at purban@reviewjournal.com or at 202-783-1760. Find him on Twitter: @PUrbanDC.