NDOT receives $20 million in additional highway spending

The Nevada Department of Transportation received $20 million in additional federal highway spending to go toward funding various road projects in the state, including a few that impact the Pahrump Valley.

NDOT plans to issue the funds to state projects through redistribution of Federal Highway Administration fiscal year-end funds.

The additional money will help finance several state road projects, including the Highway 372 roundabouts and the State Route 160 widening projects.

The Highway 372 roundabouts project will construct one at Blagg Road and the other at Pahrump Valley Boulevard along a one-mile-long stretch of the highway. The $4.05 million project broke ground Monday, with an expected completion time frame of late April 2017.

The roundabout project will create sections of new curb, gutters and sidewalks, as well as new handicap-accessible pedestrian crossings in each direction. New street lighting, signage, and stretches of new asphalt and concrete paving with sections of friction finishing course that will help vehicle tires hug the road in order to prevent skidding are also in the plans.

The $3.49 million widening of SR-160 between Rainbow Avenue and Calvada Boulevard that began in June, will also receive funding from the redistribution.

The project is expanding a 1.75-mile-long stretch of SR-160 from two to four travel lanes and will also add a center turn lane and flatten side slope shoulders for safer vehicle turnouts in some areas. The project is scheduled for completion in mid-November.

Known as August redistribution, the Federal Highway Administration annually reassigns transportation funding authority from states unable to utilize their full allotment.

Funds are then redistributed to states demonstrating projects that are ready to go and meet federal funding requirements. NDOT showed that it will utilize all federal funding authorized to the state in fiscal year 2016, while also showing current projects that fit all requirements for federal funding redistribution.

NDOT has secured more than $165 million in additional money during the last 12 years for state transportation projects.

“Our priority at NDOT is to provide a transportation system that keeps Nevada safe and connected, and provide it through the most efficient and responsible use of taxpayer funds,” said NDOT Director Rudy Malfabon. “This is a testament to the work of our NDOT staff, as well as our partners at local FHWA offices, to make sure that the state continually utilizes all funding available for important transportation projects. We continue putting more federal dollars to work here in Nevada.”

Information on major state road projects is available at nevadadot.com. Meanwhile, all planned state and regional road projects can be found at estip.nevadadot.com.

Contact reporter Mick Akers at makers@pvtimes.com. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.