Email from Mark Guiton to all staff regarding transportation earmarks, November 30, 2001 (3 pages)

Urban, Heather From: Guiton, Mark Sent: Friday, November 30, 2001 1:04 PM To: NV01 ALL STAFF Subject: Transportation Earmarks Rep. Berkley helped secure at least 12 separate earmarks in this year's transportation appropriations bill. Her earmarks total $29, 550,000. Also included in the bill is the public-federal match language for the monorail project. This means that Las Vegas will receive matching federal funds to build a public monorail through the downtown area using almost exclusively federal funds. This not only means a huge financial windfall to Las Vegas, but it may also place the city in a unique position nationally. Maglev is also funded in the bill for $1,175 million, though the reid camp is responsible. TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS Final Conference Report 1) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project - The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada requested federal assistance for the implementation of its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in the Las Vegas Boulevard North Corridor. This corridor is the third busiest in the Citizens Area Transit System, carrying over 8,000 passengers per day, with vehicles regularly crowded to capacity for a 13-hour peak period. The funding requested would be used to help fund the purchase of five Civis Systems' vehicles (with an option for an additional 5 vehicles). The vehicles are low floored, clean diesel-electric powered and carry up to 168 passengers. They have four points of entry and exit for passengers, facilitating efficient and timely boarding, and the low floor interior space promotes greater accessibility and increased passenger capacity. The vehicles offer the transportation advantages of a light rail system but at a significantly lower capital cost. Fund: Bus Discretionary Line Item: $4.5 million to the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada for bus rapid transit. Fund: Buses and Bus Facilities Line Item: $1.75 million for the Las Vegas Boulevard North Corridor BRT, Clean Diesel Electric 2) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project - The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada requested federal assistance for the BRT project, specifically for electronic information signs in the BRT passenger stations, development of software for signal prioritization, cellular pocket data technology, vehicle opticon devices for signal prioritization, and optical guidance technology for the Civis Systems. The BRT project will utilize new and innovative technologies that will help improve efficiency in transit service by facilitating greater ease in passenger boarding and transfer and will also improve transit time through effective communication and coordination of bus operations with highway signalization. Fund: Intelligent Transportation System Projects, Federal Highway Program Line Item: $1.1 million to the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada 3) Las Vegas Monorail Project - The City of Las Vegas requested federal assistance for the construction design for monorail stations between Sahara and Fremont Streets in Las Vegas. With the rapidly growing population in the Las Vegas Valley, the need for more mass transit alternatives in a necessity. The monorail will give visitors and local an option other than the use of their vehicles. l Fund: Surface Transportation Projects Line Item: $500 thousand for the Las Vegas Nevada Monorail Project 4) SR 146 St. Rose Parkway and 1-15 interchange - The State of Nevada Department of Transportation requested federal assistance for the widening of the St. Rose Parkway and 1-15 interchange in Henderson, Nevada. This project proposes to widen the existing 2-lane facility to an 8-lane divided arterial with managed access in the City of Henderson. The project will be constructed in three phases. The initial Phase I will construct the I-15/St. Rose Parkway Interchange, construct St. Rose Parkway from 1-15 to Spencer as a six-lane arterial, and construct from Spencer to 1-215 as an eight-lane arterial. Subsequent phases will widen the 6 lanes to 8 lanes and will construct the direct connector ramp from 1-15 southbound to St. Rose Parkway eastbound. Fund: Federal Lands Highway Discretionary Line Item: $4 million for the construction of road expansion and improvements to the St. Rose Parkway and 1-15 interchange in Henderson, Nevada. 5) 1-215 Southern Beltway to Henderson -The State of Nevada Department of Transportation requested federal assistance to complete the Southern Beltway in Henderson, Nevada. This project will construct a freeway facility from Stephanie to 1-515, with a new interchange proposed for the I-515/Lake Mead (St. Rose Parkway) in Henderson. The project will include an interchange at Gibson Road. Fund: Interstate Maintenance Discretionary Line Item: $500 thousand to complete the Southern Beltway in Henderson, Nevada. 6) Medium Intensity Approach Light - The Clark County Department of Aviation requested federal assistance for the installation of a Medium Intensity Approach Light with Sequenced Flashers (MALSF) system at the North Las Vegas Airport. A precision instrument landing system (ILS) is currently being designed for installation at the airport. This is funded through a previous year's FAA Facilities and Equipment Program budget appropriation. Funding and installation of the MALSF will make this ILS configuration consistent with the national standard. This is a safety concern as pilots flying a precision ILS approach expect an approach light system. Fund: Facilities and Equipment Line Item: $650,000 to the Clark County Department of Aviation, Nevada. 7) FAA Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower - The Clark County Department of Aviation requested federal assistance to construct a new FAA Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower at Las Vegas - McCarran International Airport. The new tower would be taller than the existing structure, thus eliminating an existing ATC controller blind spot (non-visible) area along Taxiway D and west of Terminal 2. The new tower will have a larger cab supporting more controller positions, the need for which is consistent with the expected increase in flight activity at McCarran International. Additionally, the new tower can provide for a larger radar room (TRACON) in which approaching, departing and enroute aircraft are handled for a 3,000 square mile area surrounding the Las Vegas Valley. This is critical for the efficient utilization of airport capacity at the County's general aviation airports and the proposed new commercial service airport in the Ivanpah Valley south of Las Vegas. Fund: Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities-Replace, Facilities and Equipment Line Item: $4 million to the Clark County Department of Aviation. 8) Hoover Dam Bypass Project - Fund: Federal Lands Highway Line Item: $8 million to the State of Arizona 2 9) North Las Vegas Air Traffic Control - The Clark County Department of Aviation requested federal assistance for the North Las Vegas Airport. The North Las Vegas Airport is the second busiest airport within the State of Nevada and is home to nearly 550 corporate and general aviation aircraft. Additionally, the airport serves as the point of departure annually for thousands of Grand Canyon National Park sightseeing flights. Of much concern to the Clark County Department of Aviation and the Federal Aviation Administration, is the unacceptably high instance of runway incursions recorded at the airport. Fund: Facilities and Equipment - Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities Replacement Line Item: $550,000 to the Clark County Department of Aviation for North Las Vegas Airport. 10) Henderson Executive Airport - ???The Clark County Department of Aviation requested federal assistance for the reimbursement for land acquisition - purchase airport, construct runways 17R/35L & 17L/35R Fund: Small Community Air Service Development Pilot Program Line Item: $2 million to Henderson Sky Harbor Ariport 11) McCarran Airport - The Clark County Department of Aviation requested federal assistance for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of apron pavements at terminal 1 and the construction of taxiway Z. Fund: Facilities and Equipment - High Priority Projects Line Item: $2 million to McCarran Airport for reconstruction/rehabilitation of apron pavements tl 3