Transportation game loses two major players

Imagine if Joe Montana and Jerry Rice up and left the San Francisco 49ers during their dynasty years in the 1980s. If Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson parted ways in the midst of the Lakers reign in the ’80s.

Unlike those scenarios, the sudden departures of Jacob Snow and Susan Martinovich will go unnoticed nationally, but in Southern Nevada it has the potential to shake up the transportation world.

On Tuesday, Henderson City Council members voted unanimously to hire Regional Transportation Commission general manager Snow as their new city manager. That same day, Martinovich, director of the Nevada Department of Transportation, announced she is leaving the agency.

Big deal? It could be.

These two agencies work closely with each other to determine the valley’s transportation needs, set priorities for capital projects and find funding to complete them. It’s a unique relationship because most local transportation agencies battle with state organizations over funding.

"There are fights over money. Big fights. They get personal," Snow said of other local-state transportation relationships. "Construction projects really slow down when that happens. There is a lot of mistrust on both sides, so they really have had some problems."

As the Las Vegas Valley’s population exploded and spread to the east and southeast, it quickly became apparent that a better connection was needed at Interstate 215 and U.S. Highway 95. In 2003, the two agencies began collaborating on what became the Henderson Spaghetti Bowl four years later.

The state department and the Regional Transportation Commission shared the cost to build and operate the Freeway Arterial System of Transportation, a high-tech center that monitors traffic on freeways and thoroughfares as well as traffic signals.

Most recently, the two began work on a new interchange in Mesquite, improving the traffic flow on Interstate 15 at Falcon Ridge Parkway. The transportation commission pitched in $13 million to build the interchange even though the interstate is the state department’s jurisdiction and NDOT is overseeing the project.

"We sit down together and say, ‘How can we solve these problems and what resources do we have?’ " Snow said. "We don’t worry about who is going to get credit for it."

With the sagging economy, never before have these two agencies faced such a challenging time. The state division receives a good chunk of its money from fuel tax revenues. Fuel taxes have not been raised in 19 years and the purchasing power is less than half of what it was. Add the proliferation of electric and hybrid cars and, well, you can see where this is going.

The Regional Transportation Commission relies heavily on sales tax revenue. While sales in the Las Vegas Valley have crept up slightly, the recession has cut deeply into the agency’s budget.

The point is, it is more important now than ever that the state and local transportation divisions work together and share funding for major road projects.

The potential problem is that cooperating with each other is not something mandated by Nevada laws. It is not something that the two agencies have to do. It is simply something that Martinovich and Snow have done well together.

Now they are leaving, essentially at the same time.

"Am I concerned? Yes, I am," Snow said. "The relationship is determined by the individual and the individual’s approach. That relationship is crucial."

If the new leaders for some reason developed a tumultuous relationship, Snow’s agency would still be in healthier shape than other metropolitan transit departments that rely on state funding.

Thanks to former Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, who served on the RTC board for 24 years, the division has developed other methods to generate funding. It was Woodbury who suggested voter-approved initiatives to help pay for new roads and other transit improvements.

"He put his credibility on the line. He said we have to have a good track record and do what we said we were going to do," Snow said. "I think we’ve done that."

It is unclear who will take over for Martinovich when she leaves the department this summer. Snow, who will begin his new job in April, recommended that his deputy general manager Tina Quigley replace him permanently. Quigley would at least provide some consistency and a smoother transition.

As he heads to Henderson, he has one piece of advice for his replacement.

"Work hard to have a good relationship with the Nevada Department of Transportation director," he said. "Be open and honest with all the commissioners and share everything. Don’t hide anything."

If you have a question, tip or tirade, call Adrienne Packer at 702-387-2904, or send an email to roadwarrior @reviewjournal.com. Include your phone number.