UPDATE - DECEMBER 1:
The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County and its regional partners are celebrating the completion of the Veterans Roundabout Modifications Project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday.
The project, located at the intersection of Geiger Grade Road and Veterans Parkway, improved roadway capacity and traffic flow by adding a second eastbound lane through the roundabout.
It also included upgraded lighting and new crosswalk signals designed to increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
ORIGINAL STORY - JULY 8:Â
The Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County (RTC) has kicked off construction at the Veterans Parkway and Geiger Grade Road roundabout in south Reno.
This project has been in the works since last fall.
Increasing road capacity is the focus of the project, but Reno City Council member Brandi Anderson says there will also be safety improvements for pedestrians.
"We have a lot of people that are living in areas where walking is very, very feasible," Anderson says, "And so we need to improve the traffic safety and pedestrian safety for them."
Anderson says the city will be installing flashing beacons at all crosswalks by the roundabout. These improve pedestrian visibility and lower the chance of a crash.
Other than that, the RTC says they will be adding an eastbound lane through the roundabout onto Veterans Parkway, as well as a slip lane that allows drivers heading to Virginia City on Geiger Grade to avoid the roundabout completely.
They tell us local development is a big reason behind the project.
"The traffic in this area is only going to get more and more impressive and intense because of the building out here," Anderson says, "And this is just a lovely place to live."
The RTC says only one lane in the roundabout will remain open during construction, so delays are to be expected.
But that may not be a large problem for traffic heading towards Virginia City.
"If you're going east to Virginia City," Anderson says, "Lucky for you, you're going to have a dedicated lane to bypass the roundabout altogether."
The project is estimated to cost $6.6 million and will be funded by Washoe County gas taxes.
"People ask, why do we pay such high gas taxes?" Alexis Hill, the RTC chair, says, "And it's because we are committed at RTC to ensure that you have amazing roads in this community."
Anderson says the long-term goal is to balance efficient traffic movement with safety.
"It's going to give us more opportunity to get to where we're going safely," Anderson says, "We're going to be able to find multiple paths in and out of this area."
Alin Beane was at a ceremony for the start of the project, and spoke with officials.
The RTC hopes to finish this project by December of this year.
