Storey, Lyon still looking for Six Mile Canyon funding

Storey and Lyon county officials are planning to join forces to procure funding to repair Six Mile Canyon Road.

Pat Whitten, Storey County administration and budget director, and Donna Kristaponis, Lyon County manager, are working on a joint resolution to be voted on by each county's Board of Commissioners, according to Storey County Administrative Officer Marilou Walling.

The resolution would then be presented to state and federal officials and will include a request for funding.

It will cost between $300,000 to $550,000 to fix the road, and Storey County does not have the funds. So far neither the state or the Federal Emergency management Agency, which could be responsible for repairs needed due to the flood, have offered funds.

"We will be tasking our delegation to figure out a way to fund the road repair," Kristaponis said. "There's got to be a way, some way, to get this done. It's a pretty significant item, and the first step is to ask."

Assemblyman Tom Grady, R-Yerington, whose 38th District includes both Lyon and Storey counties, also said this action is a first step to locate the resources to fix the road.

"I think everybody from the governor's office and NDOT are trying to come up with some funding," Grady said. "I think everyone realizes the problem, mainly that Storey County doesn't have the funds to fix that road. They're feeling the pinch like everyone else."

Grady said that once the joint resolution is completed, passed and presented to the state and federal authorities, funding sources would be found.

"I think the state is looking at the federal to try and get some funds," Grady said. "Everyone knows the problem and is trying to work on the problem, but no one yet has written a check."

The road linking the Dayton Valley with Virginia City was closed after flooding on New Year's Eve caused it to collapse in six places. It is a major route for Lyon County residents who commute to Reno and for Comstock residents who shop at Smith's Market in Dayton.

A solution can't come too soon for the Storey County Fire Department, which has numerous concerns over safety issues regarding the road.

"We're already geographically a remote county, so it does have an impact to us because it cuts off an artery we are accustomed to using," said Eric Guevin, acting fire marshal for Storey County.

Guevin said first response to an emergency should not be affected due to a mutual aid agreement with the Central Lyon County Fire District, but that in a significant emergency incident, service could be delayed.

He said there have been reports of parties in the area. That could be a safety issue for people hanging out along the closed road, or for firefighters and deputies trying to respond to emergencies.

"There's a lot of risk to people being hurt," Guevin said. "The road is in dangerous condition, and some areas are subject to collapse."

-- Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.