SUMMARY--Urges Congress to provide for bridge with four traffic lanes to serve as bypass to existing highway over Hoover Dam. (BDR R-1387)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: No.
EXPLANATION - Matter in italics is new; matter in brackets [ ] is material to be omitted.
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION--Urging Congress to provide for a bridge with four traffic lanes to serve as a bypass to the existing highway over Hoover Dam.
Whereas, The point at which U.S. Route 93 crosses the Hoover Dam on the border of the states of Nevada and Arizona is the major commercial corridor between Nevada and Arizona, the major commercial corridor between the states of Arizona and Utah and is on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) "CANAMEX" route between Mexico and Canada; and
Whereas, Presently, this portion of the highway is one of the most congested sections of two-lane highway in the country with continual traffic each day of approximately 1,500 trucks and buses and 12,427 cars, and drivers often cross the double yellow line into oncoming traffic in an attempt to negotiate the serpentine curves; and
Whereas, Every time there is an accident, the lack of shoulders on the side of the highway interferes with the access of persons delivering emergency medical assistance and causes significant road closures; and
Whereas, This traffic situation poses a serious safety hazard to the more than 1 million visitors who tour Hoover Dam each year; and
Whereas, Other alternative commercial routes between Arizona and the states to the north are through California, an additional distance of more than 250 miles and the other northbound highways are also more unsuitable for this amount of traffic than the present U.S. Route 93; and
Whereas, The traffic congestion caused by the inadequacy of the highway across Hoover Dam imposes serious economic burdens on the states of Nevada, Arizona and Utah and interferes with commerce on the vital "CANAMEX" corridor; and
Whereas, The traffic on the existing highway has increased many times since it was opened 60 years ago and is expected to increase by 50 percent in the next 10 years; and
Whereas, Construction of a bridge with four traffic lanes with connecting roadways to the existing U.S. Route 93 will serve as a vital link between Interstate Highway No. 40 and Interstate Highway No. 15; and
Whereas, The states of Nevada and Arizona have an interest in the maintenance of their respective portions of U.S. Route 93; and
Whereas, Over $3,000,000 has been spent by the Federal Government and the states of Nevada and Arizona to study the possibility of a bypass of the present highway over Hoover Dam; and
Whereas, Presently the states of Nevada and Arizona are cooperating with the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the National Park Service to complete an environmental impact statement for a bypass of the present highway over Hoover Dam; and
Whereas, The portion of U.S. Route 93 over Hoover Dam is owned and controlled by the Federal Government and is not maintained by either of the states of Nevada or Arizona; and
Whereas, The Federal Government has the sole responsibility to fund future costs associated with any upgrades on this portion of the highway; and
Whereas, U.S. Route 93 was designated a NAFTA corridor and identified as a "high priority corridor" in the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada, Jointly, That the members of the 69th session of the Nevada Legislature hereby urge Congress to approve legislation to include among the highway projects to be federally funded a bridge with four traffic lanes that would serve as a bypass to the existing highway over Hoover Dam and would connect existing highways to U.S. Route 93; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as the presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and each member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further
Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage and approval.