Speaking for Nevada - November 2008

Nevada Department of Transportation Gets Creative

by Susan Martinovich

Transportation in Nevada has faced numerous challenges during the last several years. Rapid growth has contributed to congested highways, which degrades the economic vitality of a city as well as the quality of life for our residents and visitors. Highway revenue sources have not kept pace with inflation, high fuel prices have contributed to increases in road building materials and federal agencies have added regulations that slow project delivery, all of which affect the ability to meet the demands for new capacity and preservation of our existing system.

However, despite these challenges and the economic downturn, this is a period of great opportunity for the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) to investigate new and unique sources of funding and ideas to reduce congestion and improve safety.

One of my goals as NDOT director is to look to the future and explore ways to improve the transportation system. An immediate opportunity is to generate new revenue through innovative partnerships. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are a concept being pursued to bring in new money to Nevada, to build improvements immediately and then pay back the money over a period of time from user fees. NDOT is proposing a demonstration project on a section of I-15 and US-95 where an authority would “manage the lanes.” Motorists could choose to use the managed lanes and pay a user fee for reliability and to bypass congestion. The fee, which would be collected through automated transponders, could vary depending on the time of day. To ensure only motorists who are using the lane had paid for it, enforcement would be automated. Also, the vehicles using the managed lanes would be removed from the “free” lanes and thus an overall reduction in congestion.

The process of selecting a company to manage the lanes would be open and transparent with accountability being overseen by the state Transportation Board, not another layer of bureaucracy. An advantage to PPPs is the state would receive the use of a project years sooner compared to building it when traditional funding is available. Additional savings would occur by pushing the long-term maintenance requirement onto the outside investor.

We are also proposing the opportunity to raise additional revenue by allowing advertising on several NDOT interchanges or along certain corridors. If approved during the 2009 Legislature, these are immediate revenue generating opportunities.

A long-term idea that is gaining recognition nationally is to eliminate the gas tax and implement a vehicle mile travel fee – charging users for when, where and how much they drive. NDOT is leading a research effort to evaluate this strategy.

Solutions to congestion are not always the fault of available asphalt and concrete. Non-recurring events, like crashes and fatalities, contribute to almost 50 percent of the congestion on our highways. Safety has always been our top priority and as such NDOT has cultivated partnerships with local government agencies, law enforcement and emergency responders, to develop an aggressive plan to continue the trend in reducing fatal crashes. When these tragic incidents occur, innovative action plans and strategies are being utilized to clear the highway and get people on their way sooner.

Communication and improving customer service are also keys to our success. Something as simple as letting motorists know about a traffic incident ahead by messages on freeway signs or through the phone allows people to make informed decisions such as using a different route or leaving a little earlier for their destination.

NDOT is working to maximize dollars to provide a safe and effective system. We are making sure the right projects are ready to go when funding becomes available and that every dollar is spent wisely. We strive to do this efficiently and transparently.

Keeping traffic moving, and moving safely, is critical to our state’s economy.

Time spent in traffic congestion is money. Now is the time for the Nevada Department of Transportation to move forward with opportunities to raise revenues, reduce fatalities and continue to enhance Nevada’s economy.

Susan Martinovich
Susan Martinovich, P.E. is the Director of the Nevada Department of Transportation.