On behalf of the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, I am deeply saddened by the passing of Sparks Mayor Ron Smith. Mayor Smith was a long-standing member on the RTC Board of Commissioners, serving in various roles, including Board Chair, since 2009.

As a Veteran and longtime Sparks resident, he truly believed in making our community a better and safer place for future generations. A champion for transportation and infrastructure, Mayor Smith was a proponent to build major regional projects, including the Pyramid/McCarran Intersection Improvements, the SouthEast Connector, and the 4th Street/Prater Way BRT, among others. Mayor Smith also led the community effort to build a Veterans memorial, which is now under construction at the Sparks Marina, in tribute to all Nevada Veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

We will remember him for his kindness and how deeply he cared for all of us. To honor his memory and his contributions, it is up to the rest of us to carry on his legacy of caring and visionary leadership, stewardship, and public service.

Our deepest condolences to his family, friends and the City of Sparks.

Memorial service details have not yet been announced. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza Project at nvmp.info. P.O. Box 50967 Sparks, Nevada 89435.

Midtown-area Update: 

August marked a major milestone for the Virginia Street Project in Midtown as a newly transformed Virginia Street reopened to two-way traffic. We worked together; we worked hard; and we achieved this milestone ahead of schedule. Many thanks to the Midtown business community for their steadfast perseverance, patience and collaboration, which allowed us to deliver this project. And our sincere appreciation to the community as a whole for their ongoing support and patronage of the Midtown businesses during construction and the modified business operations due to the pandemic. We also want to thank the project partners for their support and leadership in delivering this project to the community: City of Reno, University of Nevada, Reno, and the Federal Transit Administration. We also thank our contractor, Sierra Nevada Construction, our construction manager, Atkins, and our design and environmental consultants, NCE and CA Group.

While the roadway has reopened to two-way traffic, construction crews are finishing landscaping, finalizing construction on the new Bus RAPID Transit stations, and doing final clean-up work through September. Drivers can anticipate minor lane closures and brief workday detours as crews finish the remaining punch-list items.
 
The RTC project team produced a video (above) to celebrate the milestone, featuring community leaders and project partners sharing special messages to all of us. The video highlights the work that has been underway during the past two years.  We hope you enjoy it and encourage you to share it with your friends and family. Welcome back to Midtown!
 

University of Nevada, Reno-area Update:
The RTC is continuing construction on Virginia Street near the University campus to improve safety, access, and transit facilities. As classes are underway and faculty, staff and students return to campus, please be aware that there are some closures and detours in place.  

• The bridge on Virginia Street over I-80 between Maple Street and Eighth Street, west of Walgreens, is closed to through traffic until mid-September. Northbound traffic and pedestrians are detoured to Center Street via Maple Street. Southbound traffic and pedestrians are detoured to Sierra Street via 9th Street. 
• Traffic is two-way on North Virginia Street from 9th Street to 15th Street. 
• Traffic is one-way northbound on North Virginia Street between 15th Street and the Sierra Street/Comstock Drive/Virginia Street intersection, just south of McCarran Boulevard. Southbound traffic in this area is detoured at Sierra Street and utilizes 15th Street back to North Virginia Street. This closure is anticipated to be in place until the project is completed this fall.

The RTC is enhancing its transit service and some changes may affect your RIDE. The RTC is implementing these changes to continue to provide passengers with reliable and on-time transit service.

The following changes will be effective Saturday, September 5, 2020:

• Route 18: There will be three additional trips on weekdays at 7:15 p.m., 8:15 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., and four additional trips on Sundays at 9:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m., and 12:15 p.m. to fill in gaps of service.
• Route 25: Discontinued and replaced with Route 26.
• Route 26: Reinstate Route 26, which will extend to Northern Nevada Medical Center. FlexRIDE will continue to serve this area. The McCarran Boulevard, East Lincoln, Howard loop will be eliminated.
• All routes: Continuation of timetable adjustments to continue improving travel times and on-time performance.

Also included in this service change was an extension of Route 5 to serve the new Desert Skies Middle School/Washoe County Food Pantry. This extension began on Saturday, August 15, to coincide with the beginning of the school year on Monday, August 17. 

Later this fall, the RTC will launch two new FlexRIDE service areas in Somersett and Spanish Springs. Spanish Springs will be merged with the current Sparks FlexRIDE service area to become the Sparks-Spanish Springs FlexRIDE zone, with access to Sparks and RTC CENTENNIAL PLAZA. FlexRIDE allows passengers to request rides at their closest curbside location and get dropped off at another curbside location within the microtransit service area. The RTC will provide more information about how to book FlexRIDE in these areas closer to the start date.
 
The RTC encourages transit passengers to check their routes to see the changes at rtcwashoe.com, or by calling RTC Customer Service at (775) 348-RIDE. Route brochures will be available at RTC 4TH STREET STATION and RTC CENTENNIAL PLAZA. The brochures are free to the public, and replace the Bus Book, which will be easier to use for the specific routes passengers ride.

The RTC is seeking community input as they begin to develop transit service improvements that could be implemented in January 2021. The RTC invites the community to learn more by viewing a virtual video presentation at rtcwashoe.com. This online presentation will be in place of a physical meeting to comply with Governor Sisolak’s March 22 emergency directive on public meetings.

On the website, the community is able to watch a brief video presentation and provide comments by calling (775) 335-0019 or emailing mdulude@rtcwashoe.com. Comments will be accepted through 4 p.m. on September 17, 2020.

The RTC is proposing route and timing changes, including improvements to the RAPID Virginia Line. The RTC is considering the following service changes:

• RAPID Virginia Line: Extend the current RAPID Virginia Line to Lawlor Events Center at the University of Nevada, Reno. Continue to end the route at Meadowood Mall. Frequency will remain 10 minutes on weekdays and 12 minutes on weekends. Lawlor Events Center would be the route’s new layover point. 4TH STREET STATION will become a regular stop for this route; the bus will not have a layover at the station. This service improvement is planned to coincide with the completion of construction of the RTC’s Virginia Street Project in Midtown and near the University of Nevada, Reno.
• UNR-Midtown Direct: Discontinue this temporary route and replace with extended RAPID Virginia Line service. This service was scheduled to end when the RAPID Virginia Line begins its new route.
• All routes: Continuation of timetable adjustments to continue improving travel times and on-time performance.

The RTC will present the proposed transit service changes and the public input received to the RTC Board on September 18, 2020. The RTC Board will then give direction and potential approval.

The RTC is announcing plans for a future regional service between the Reno/Sparks area, Incline Village, and Sand Harbor in Lake Tahoe through a collaborative partnership. The RTC is currently developing a pilot transit project that will allow people in the Reno/Sparks area to book a public transit trip on an RTC FlexRIDE vehicle 24 hours prior to their trip using an app. More people from the Truckee Meadows will be able to enjoy Lake Tahoe during the summer months starting in 2021.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto shared this announcement on August 24 in advance of the Lake Tahoe Virtual Summit. Senator Cortez Masto helped pass provisions in the CARES Act to support Nevada's public transportation long-term projects that are vital to infrastructure improvements and conservation efforts around Nevada. The RTC appreciates her support as we work together towards a more sustainable future for everyone.

Project development is now underway in partnership with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transit (TART), and the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD). The service is being developed using the FlexRIDE model the RTC began operating in November 2019 with current service operating in the Sparks and North Valleys communities, and new service coming this fall to the Spanish Springs and Somersett/Verdi areas. 
 
The new transit project will improve access between our communities, cut down on traffic congestion, parking hassles, and decrease emissions helping to improve our region’s air quality. Additionally, this will create connections to TART and TTD service in the Lake Tahoe Basin to the Reno/Sparks area. 
 
Public transportation is providing innovative solutions to move people around the region, safely and efficiently. Funding for this new transit project is anticipated to include federal grant dollars and contributions from regional partners. 

The RTC received a $4,080,000 grant from the United States Department of Transportation to upgrade its public bus fleet. This funding award will help the RTC purchase six hybrid diesel-electric buses. The purchase of replacement buses will further the RTC’s commitment to providing excellent and reliable transit service to our customers, promote regional mobility, and improve the region’s air quality. The discretionary grant award represents the RTC’s strategic investment to reduce energy consumption, emissions, and costs.

The RTC appreciates this grant from the Department of Transportation. This funding will go a long way to help the RTC achieve its goal of having an all alternative-fuel fleet by 2035.

Demand for FTA’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program far exceeded available funds, as FTA received 282 applications totaling approximately $1.8 billion in funding requests, from 51 states and territories. Project proposals were evaluated based on criteria outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

The Department of Transportation’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program makes federal resources available to states and direct recipients to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment, and to construct bus-related facilities.

The Vision Zero Truckee Meadows regional task force is reminding the community to use extra caution in and around schools as Washoe County School District classes are back in session.

Last school year was particularly dangerous for local students. During the 2019-2020 school year, 31 Washoe County School District students were hit by cars and injured. One student was hit and killed.

Crashes near school zones are preventable. Local law enforcement agencies will be increasing enforcement in and around school zones this summer and fall, to help keep students safe.

Vision Zero Truckee Meadows recommends the following safety tips:

• Stay on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the far left so you can see oncoming traffic.
• Cross the street only at corners or crosswalks.
• Make eye contact with drivers. Make sure they see you.
• Walk in groups and use extra caution in the dark.
• Take your earbuds out, turn your devices down, keep your head up.

Because there are fewer cars on our roadways right now, regional law enforcement agencies have noticed an increase in speeding. Drivers are urged to slow down, especially around schools.

Some drivers in last school year’s crashes reported that bright sun affected their visibility. If you are unable to see where you are driving due to the bright sun, please pull over until you are able to see the roadway to safely continue.

Additional safety information is available on the Safe Routes to School website, https://www.washoeschools.net/Page/10976.

The RTC is continuing construction on a roadway rehabilitation project on East Prater Way in Sparks between McCarran Boulevard and Sparks Boulevard. The pavement in this section of roadway had deteriorated and needed to be replaced. The project will add sidewalks and bike lanes, and improve center medians, curb ramps, and crosswalks. The RTC will also improve storm drainage and replace aging sewer infrastructure.

The contractor, Spanish Springs Construction has completed the first three phases of construction on the north side of East Prater Way. They replaced more than 2,000 feet of sewer pipe, installed almost one mile of conduit, pulled new fiber for Sparks Police Department communications, and replaced more than 15,000 square feet of sidewalk. The RTC is entering into the into the final phase, which is focused on the south side of East Prater Way. The RTC anticipates this project will be complete in October, weather permitting. 

This project represents an estimated $5.6 million dollar investment in our community.  

Construction continues to improve Sun Valley Boulevard from 7th Avenue to Highland Ranch Parkway. The project will increase safety, access, and mobility in the neighborhood and benefit drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users.

The RTC does anticipate increased traffic within the construction zone and encourages drivers coming from Sparks to use Pyramid Highway instead of cutting through to Sun Valley Boulevard, when possible. Homes and businesses along this corridor will remain accessible during construction.

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) recently lowered the speed limit on Sun Valley Boulevard from US 395 to Rampion Way from 45 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour. The permanent new speed limit will enhance travel speed continuity and safety with the RTC's upcoming pedestrian and bicyclist improvements.

Phase one of the project includes improvements on Sun Valley Boulevard from 7th Avenue to Highland Ranch Parkway, including:

The RTC's roadway rehabilitation project on Greg Street in Sparks is nearing completion. The project included the rehabilitation Greg Street from McCarran Boulevard to the railroad tracks just east of Spice Island Drive. 

The pavement in this section of Greg Street had deteriorated and needed to be rehabilitated. As part of the project, the RTC added new sidewalks between McCarran Boulevard and Spice Island Drive and improved pedestrian ramps and crosswalks. This segment of Greg Street is now smoother and safer.

The project represents a $1.75 million investment in our community

The RTC is intermittently closing lanes on Sparks Boulevard between Greg Street and Baring Boulevard at nighttime through October 2020. 

Construction crews are doing exploratory work under the roadway in preparation for potential future roadway-widening construction that will improve safety and mobility on Sparks Boulevard. During the exploratory work, the roadway will remain open to two-way traffic. 

This exploratory work under the roadway is part of the RTC’s planned Sparks Boulevard Project and crews will be performing on-site soil sampling, pavement sampling, and surveying topography.
 
As funding is identified, the RTC plans to widen Sparks Boulevard between Greg Street and Baring Boulevard. The potential project also includes bicycle and pedestrian improvements. Construction dates have not yet been identified.

We are in the final weeks of the 2020 Census and it's not too late to #BeCounted! The 2020 Census count will be used to determine Congressional representation for states, as well as hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending for roads, hospitals, school lunches, and food assistance, among other infrastructure needs, programs and services for the next 10 years. During this unprecedented time, it is more important than ever before to ensure Washoe County and the state of Nevada has a Complete Count to receive these federal dollars for these essential needs.
 
Census employees are now going door-to-door to collect responses from households that have not yet responded. If you want to avoid a Census representative visiting your home, you can complete your census survey today at 2020census.gov or by calling (844) 468-2020 to complete the census in English. If you are a Spanish speaker, you can call (844) 468-2020. Census representatives will also visit open, public spaces, including RTC transit centers, across the Reno/Sparks area to encourage and assist people with responding to the 2020 Census. The last day to complete your census is September 30.

The Nevada Department of Transportation has launched the first phase of spaghetti bowl renovations with resurfacing of I-580 northbound from Mill Street to the spaghetti bowl. Through December, northbound I-580 lanes are split as crews replace aging interstate concrete. The existing interstate lanes are reduced between Mill Street and the spaghetti bowl 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, with middle lanes closed for reconstruction and traffic using lanes to both sides.  Left-hand lanes are designated for through traffic traveling to U.S. 395 north of the spaghetti bowl. Right lanes are for drivers accessing Interstate 80 and local interstate ramps, such as Glendale Avenue. With speed limits reduced to 55 mph, drivers should anticipate moderate travel delays. Additional overnight lane closures will also take place.

The improvements kick off construction of the first phase of NDOT's spaghetti bowl renovations, known as Spaghetti Bowl Xpress. Over the next two years, the eastbound I-80 to southbound I-580 Spaghetti Bowl ramp will be widened to two lanes and eastbound Interstate 80 lanes between Wells Avenue and the Spaghetti Bowl striped. On southbound I-580, auxiliary merge lanes and improved ramps will also be added between the Spaghetti Bowl and Plumb Lane, along with sound and aesthetic walls. Additional interstate improvements will be built in prioritized phases through 2039 as funding is identified.

Now - September 17
Virtual Public Presentation - January 2021 Service Change
Watch brief video presentation on RTC's YouTube page and provide comments by emailing mdulude@rtcwashoe.com or calling (775) 335-0019 by 4 p.m on Thursday, September 17.

September 2
RTC Citizens Multimodal Advisory Committee (CMAC) - 5:30 p.m.
Stream live at bit.ly/RTCWashoeYouTube

September 3
RTC Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) - 9 a.m.
Stream live at bit.ly/RTCWashoeYouTube

September 5
RTC Fall 2020 Transit Service Change goes into effect
Check routes and schedules at rtcwashoe.com

September 18
RTC Board Meeting
Watch on YouTube at 9 a.m.

This meeting will be available to view on RTC's YouTube page. In-person attendance will not be allowed, but this meeting will be available to view online.

Following are approved ways for the public to participate in the meeting without having to be physically present:

• Use our online Public Comment Form (Select the Public Comments option)
• Email rtcpubliccomments@rtcwashoe.com
• Leave a voicemail at (775) 335-0018 (3-minute time limit)

Please note that public comments and voicemails submitted by 4 p.m. on Thursday, September 17, will be entered into the meeting record.