New Downtown Transportation Center in Las Vegas among major bus-related projects funded

September 3, 2008

 Las Vegas, NV – As high gas prices drive demand for good public transit options, Nevada Senators Harry Reid and John Ensign are bringing home more than $54 million in grant funding to upgrade bus travel in cities throughout the state.

 The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada will receive more than $47 million for major advancements including a new Downtown Transportation Center and ACE Rapid Transit service on Boulder Highway between Henderson and Las Vegas. More than $3.6 million will go to the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County for continued work on its Reno intermodal transfer center, and the State of Nevada will receive $897,000 for buses, radios and signage.

 "An efficient bus system is at the heart of tackling our energy challenges and this money will go a long way," Reid said. "Nevadans deserve quality mass transit options to help them save money and get where they need to go safely and quickly, and anything we can do to reduce the number of cars on the road will help with our goal of reducing fuel consumption."

 "With gas prices continuing to hurt the budgets of families across our state, public transportation has become a welcome alternative for many," Ensign said. "These funds will help to ensure that our public transit system in southern Nevada receives the improvements it needs to support the rise in ridership across the valley, help keep our air clean and further reduce our reliance on foreign oil."

 PROJECT LISTING

 Sunset Maintenance Facility: This is a new bus maintenance yard that will support the RTC's fixed route, ACE Rapid Transit and Paratransit bus systems. It will feature 180,000 square feet of bus bays and maintenance areas, as well as fueling stations and bus wash facilities. The facility is currently under construction near the corner of Sunset Road and Decatur Boulevard, near the 215 Beltway. The facility will replace the RTC's existing Tompkins bus maintenance facility, which is nearing capacity. It is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in 2009.

 Central City Intermodal Transportation Terminal: The new terminal will replace the existing Downtown Transportation Center, located in downtown Las Vegas. The existing facility is owned by the City of Las Vegas, which has other plans for the land. The new terminal will serve as the central hub for the Regional Transportation Commission's transit service and will include bus bays for transit vehicles, an air conditioned terminal for passengers to wait for transit service, and a bike center where cyclists can check their bikes in during work days. The terminal will be built at the corner of Bonneville Avenue and Casino Center Blvd. in downtown Las Vegas. The facility is expected to be completed in 2010.

 ACE Boulder Highway: This rapid transit project will be the second new rapid transit line in the RTC's ACE Southern Nevada. ACE will feature fast transit service on sleek rail-like vehicles in dedicated transit lanes along portions of Boulder Highway. Passengers will board at level platforms along Boulder Highway, with fast service connecting downtown Las Vegas and Henderson. ACE Boulder Highway is in the design phase and it is scheduled to open in 2011.

 Laughlin Transit Facility: The RTC is working to develop a new administration and maintenance facility to serve Paratransit and fixed route operations in Laughlin. The RTC provides transit services in Laughlin through the Southern Nevada Transit Coalition, a non-profit organization that provides such services for governmental agencies in Nevada. Currently, the Southern Nevada Transit Coalition is utilizing an old police station building for its operations and is maintaining its vehicle fleet in the parking lot with no protection from the elements. The Laughlin Maintenance Facility will be located on 5.2 acres, north of Civic Drive. The project includes a 6,000-s.f. building with administrative offices and five bays for maintenance and repair of vehicles, parking spaces for 20 fixed route and 10 Paratransit coaches and a bus wash area. The facility is anticipated to be open for operations in late 2009.

 Reno 4^th Street Station: Building construction will begin in spring 2009 on the new transit hub in downtown Reno known as RTC 4TH STREET STATION. Artistically designed, the station is expected to open in late 2010 at the corner of East 4^th and Lake Streets. It will house transit operations for RTC RIDE, the regional bus service, RTC SIERRA SPIRIT, the downtown circulator, and RTC INTERCITY, the commuter express service to Carson City. The $37 million center replaces the current facility two blocks to the west and will increase much-needed capacity, maximize transit efficiency and is a major contribution to downtown Reno revitalization. It will neighbor the new baseball stadium and make the old location available for revitalization in the downtown core. Work on site preparation began in August.