Carson transportation officials talk snowplow routes, zero-emission plan

The meetings Wednesday for the Carson Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) and Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will include items on a potential zero-emissions plan for the city as well proposed snowplow routes.

The CAMPO meeting starts at 4:30 p.m. in the board room at the community center, 851 E. William Street. The RTC meeting will commence at the end of the CAMPO meeting.

CAMPO will consider a contract with CDM Smith Inc. — not to exceed $191,923.44 — to complete a zero-emission transportation plan.

On July 12, CAMPO approved a grant agreement with NV Energy in the amount of $225,000 to complete the plan, according to a staff report. No local match was required for the grant money, which stems from NV Energy’s Economic Recovery Transportation Electrification Plan.

“The (local) plan will evaluate opportunities and constraints for future low- or no-emission transit vehicle and infrastructure projects, as required by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA),” reads the report. “The plan will also include a review of regional policies, an identification of workforce training needs, decarbonization transition strategies and stakeholder outreach. CDM Smith is anticipated to complete the plan by Dec. 31, 2024.”

The plan will make Carson City eligible for more federal funding, according to transportation officials.

“The plan will review potential concepts and opportunities to maximize future NV Energy funding as well as other federal grants,” the staff report said. “The plan will also evaluate opportunities to partner with stakeholders and neighboring transit operators for the development of a regionwide transit electrification network. This includes electrical infrastructure planning for existing or future routes between Carson City and Washoe County (RTC Intercity), Lyon County, Douglas County (DART) and the Tahoe Basin (TTD).

“Additionally, the plan will examine how operating and maintaining low- or no-emission vehicles and related infrastructure will impact CAMPO and Jump Around Carson’s administration, maintenance facilities and workforce.”

Switching gears at the RTC meeting, commissioners will consider proposed revisions to Carson City’s snowplow routes “to add certain cul-de-sacs and streets to the route because they are on a steep grade or their addition will improve city connectivity,” according to the agenda.

“Carson City’s routes consist of emergency (priority one), secondary (priority two) and non-essential (priority three) routes,” reads a staff report. “These classifications provide clear priorities during snow removal operations across Carson City. Proposed revisions to the routes would add certain cul-de-sacs and streets as secondary (priority two) routes.”

Vista Lane, Dawn Circle and West Appion Way are among many streets listed in the proposed revisions.

“The cul-de-sacs being added have existing grades generally steeper than 10 percent, and the added streets are consistently being plowed during storm events because of steep grades or connectivity to other routes,” the report says. “Therefore, the proposed revisions are intended to ensure emergency access and garbage collection on steep roads and to provide connectivity between consistently plowed roads.”