[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6279676,"mediaKeyId","2621350-de6ee8eedf03ddaf86cf27c6ca9b8d4e","parentId",2621350,"title","RTC outlines transit ridership growth, BRT projects and road work; residents ask about Hidden Valley service and hydrogen buses","audioSeconds",4408,"startMs",2564000,"endMs",6972000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2621350-de6ee8eedf03ddaf86cf27c6ca9b8d4e&start=2564&end=6972","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2621350-de6ee8eedf03ddaf86cf27c6ca9b8d4e/thumbnail_2564000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6279676/Nevada/RTC-outlines-transit-ridership-growth-BRT-projects-and-road-work-residents-ask-about-Hidden-Valley-service-and-hydrogen-buses","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6279676-a42346af9c64995362aca6b79a07c1b3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093458&Signature=aWm0prxzl5Jpt6eLK5ygv9opjYlaghgkpAG7WIKUo4iMDgTIrx6eYoY8gdm6pz-W5Prjto1v~zpcglp1EbQyKkl2ehTZlXbXrvtXVnhDG6gZD2FL~NtRLcSOqyUEvkrAJDIxoepuxnL5DgzcRKRnXjbA3kvmNmeQnYTT9NJXJdhNcy6YujFPwPyYDUJIrSHTLKjNVamTb5EYZEIO6Ri7~~EsGNhTjv~kb10yg~nthn-NudCnJWWcaa-G30VR1V1BRDA9mjcgL7lCsvzAembzJPZJ63Yop8IPy06QOUAVN-GfFHlcxs17IKQ-Tgh5eUbqTs2cdEmF4wmwagU2ATJg3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Washoe County, Nevada","date","2025-03-13T21:58:28Z","article","The Regional Transportation Commission provided a multi-part update on transit, planning and road-construction projects affecting the Truckee Meadows region.

Paul Nelson, government affairs officer at RTC, said the region’s fixed-route system delivered about 5.5 million rides in the last 12 months, with 60% of those trips for work. Nelson said bus-rapid-transit (BRT) service on Virginia Street carried nearly 1 million riders last year and the Lincoln BRT line had about 450,000 rides.

“We’ve had 30 straight months of ridership growth,” Nelson said, and described fleet diversification that includes diesel‑electric hybrids, battery-electric buses and two hydrogen fuel-cell buses in service with six more expected. Nelson and RTC staff said a typical bus—whether hybrid, electric or hydrogen—costs roughly $1 million to procure; they also said hydrogen fuel is currently delivered from out of state and noted a per‑kilogram cost discussed in a recent staff briefing.

RTC presented ongoing and near-term projects: Meadowood Mall Circle rehabilitation and preventive pavement maintenance; safety and lane improvements at the Veterans Parkway/Geiger Grade area and Exit 29 on South Virginia Street; Virginia BRT station upgrades and a bus‑only lane between Peckham Lane and Thunder; Pembroke Drive capacity work planned for 2026; and a long‑range Geiger Grade realignment targeted later in the decade dependent on funding.

Nelson described regional planning items including a 2050 regional transportation plan expected for board adoption Feb. 21, a neighborhood network/active-transportation program that will solicit local input, and a regional CAD program for first‑responder dispatch scheduled for completion this fall.

On revenue, RTC said roughly 42% of its funding comes from local fuel tax, 18% from sales tax and the remainder from grants and other sources; transit operations represent about 30% of RTC’s expenditures. Nelson said RTC is pursuing federal discretionary grants for major projects and noted ongoing state and local funding discussions.

Residents asked whether Hidden Valley has transit service; RTC staff confirmed there is no fixed-route service to Hidden Valley and said microtransit/flex-route pilots have been added in areas with sparse demand and could be considered for other neighborhoods. Citizens also asked for comparative operating-cost data on hydrogen buses versus diesel; RTC staff offered to follow up with cost comparisons and fuel‑cost details.

Ending: RTC urged residents to engage in neighborhood planning sessions and said the 2050 plan and project‑specific outreach will include public meetings; staff offered to provide written summaries and contact points for neighborhood transit and access programs.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2/6/25 South Truckee Meadows/Washoe Valley (STM/WV) CAB","oneSentenceSummary","RTC officials reported 5.5 million transit rides last year, continued BRT expansion, microtransit pilots and regional roadway projects; speakers raised questions about Hidden Valley service, hydrogen-bus costs and funding sources.","taxTitle","Events, Nevada","taxId",79634,"location","Nevada","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6279681,"Truckee Meadows Fire reports steady call volume, five recruits graduated and Hidden Valley station planned",745,822000,1567000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2621350-de6ee8eedf03ddaf86cf27c6ca9b8d4e&start=822&end=1567","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2621350-de6ee8eedf03ddaf86cf27c6ca9b8d4e/thumbnail_822000.jpg","/articles/6279681/Nevada/Truckee-Meadows-Fire-reports-steady-call-volume-five-recruits-graduated-and-Hidden-Valley-station-planned","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6279681-8c4d68948c331ceb307f68abd0855017/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093458&Signature=F5xSPTwH15Ovgoixnt1U7tyurIRftrszQthOSXMvGXM6cgacnM6UruDLyvaMMqHqOpkqgzRwME2AveQCPKrgIZgul69~j9dxamG~JfOKTtT6KxgUHl7VOGnmVvWsQ2iVCwwc2CsnyDzdbmZQBxojN-TJNSfUfMLIO69n4Gv-4d8ptrjGpPD9uqYO6H2l7CFl3ECucwJRdy3LEsyGJBo3KxvFL6vaNe6TNNfjqCC6-6hFvM2osGqX57oUagRymIWRKEwoNAokKwbK4L3geoM20jHKPq~DMvVG33Mob6xexrcGk9HpP61N9pOT0-cy94-~srylu3xb4VH6IkpS~EdPTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue provided an operations update to the South Valleys CAB covering 2024 call volumes, recent recruit graduations and station planning.

Joe Shum, division chief overseeing operations, said the South Valleys community recorded 3,072 calls in 2024—an average of about 256 calls per month—with January registering 244 calls. He said crews responded to three structure fires that year, a range of medical and motor-vehicle incidents and a minor hazardous-materials gas leak.

“We had 3,072 calls…that’s an average of about 256 calls a month,” Shum said. He added that crews graduated five personnel from the Carson City Regional Academy on Jan. 31; the graduates will complete Truckee Meadows driving and apparatus training before assignment to stations in late February.

Shum said staffing is currently at the number of positions approved in the board‑adopted budget and noted retirements among senior officers. He also gave a timetable for a permanent Hidden Valley station, saying the goal is to occupy the new facility by October if weather and construction proceed as expected.

On hydrant safety, Shum said the Truckee Meadows Water Authority runs routine testing and maintenance for most hydrants in the area. “They make their rounds on an annual or biannual basis,” he said, and reported that crews completed about 67% of hydrants in the Tamarack area in the fiscal year ending 2024.

Fire staff fielded public questions about traffic and winter driving hazards, water supply during large incidents and regional differences in departmental drug‑testing policies. Shum said Truckee Meadows follows a nonzero tolerance drug policy for safety-sensitive functions and that the department does not comment on other agencies’ policies.

Ending: Shum urged residents to avoid driving through flooded intersections and said fire crews are preparing for mud and access issues this season in burn-scar and low‑lying areas. He invited questions and said training and recruitment remain priorities as retirements continue.

","Division Chief Joe Shum told the CAB that South Valleys saw 3,072 calls in 2024, crews graduated five recruits and a new Hidden Valley station is expected later this year; hydrant testing is handled by Truckee Meadows Water Authority.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6279686,"Washoe County manager lays out homelessness, behavioral-health and budget priorities; residents press for transparency",2131,1479000,3610000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2621350-de6ee8eedf03ddaf86cf27c6ca9b8d4e&start=1479&end=3610","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2621350-de6ee8eedf03ddaf86cf27c6ca9b8d4e/thumbnail_1479000.jpg","/articles/6279686/Nevada/Washoe-County-manager-lays-out-homelessness-behavioral-health-and-budget-priorities-residents-press-for-transparency","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6279686-419868ad198564f452bdd89973942fbf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093458&Signature=kzy47JB0QlK7WXrdytBO6p957a33e0r6~t4vgOrmVfWMkN-JxMuOa-5cjc5vByjmUl46Q-Al2xr4LXSNvrl8bxcxyneRO2PCHIg7wOeOHLdkIEQbJ2tkJsUPs3Gd7LrHS07ObRRuyQcE6Z-pElgemd3mviubg7B88De9GUf0EEgjlb~qsG8bv~FxdwDRu6CvBB0bIUA-Ea-E3TxboasBMbBKQlP~s1DI2RMA6muw5PGU1X6XpHUFaeVOP-wjuVtp85U8bG2PnPbGMV6LtGos0urtAo2C1zcm7ipsn-fg3CN3xh1R5DN5uzt6bQfxwRr8D2Gn9Lk00D4MUmQPjHrDdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County Manager Eric Brown on Feb. 25 delivered the annual review of Washoe County accomplishments and priorities, outlining projects and funding tied to homelessness, behavioral health, emergency dispatch modernization and an effort to shore up the county’s five‑year financial forecast.

Brown told the South Valleys Citizens Advisory Board that the county has secured $20 million in state ARPA funding to build 50 units of permanent supportive housing on the CARES campus, and that the project is scheduled to be completed in April. He also said the county distributed about $4.5 million in opioid-abatement funds last year and received $14.5 million from the state interim finance committee to renovate the former West Hills behavioral-health hospital for youth and subacute adult care.

Why it matters: Brown framed the work as multi‑year and tied to the commission’s strategic priorities—seniors, mental health and infrastructure—while warning of revenue pressure in years three to five of the county’s five‑year forecast driven by a flattening of consolidated (C) taxes. The presentation included staff direction to complete a regional computer-aided dispatch (CAD) platform and to update CAB ordinances and maps.

Brown described the West Hills conversion as part of a “sequential intercept” strategy to reduce cycling through emergency rooms, shelters and the jail. “We are allocating space within the old West Hills facility so that these folks can be treated and hopefully brought closer to a situation where they can be stabilized,” Brown said. He noted the county has hired a behavioral-health administrator, Julia Ratti, and that short-term state grants fund the initial program that county leaders hope to sustain with longer-term funding if results continue to be positive.

Public commenters challenged several assertions and sought more transparency. Penny Brock said she had asked whether South Valleys Park work will proceed if ARPA funds are reclaimed by the state; she also asked whether a Pennington Foundation donation to build a girls’ softball facility at the park raises equity concerns. “We don’t know,” Brock said of the ARPA funding status.

Residents pressed Brown on homelessness. Paul White and other speakers alleged problems at the CARES campus, questioned the county’s homeless counts and said the county had undercounted people to produce a reported decline. Brown said the county cooperates with the continuum of care and is shifting toward data tracked in the HUD Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) rather than sole reliance on point-in-time counts. “If you check into any of our shelters…you go into the HMIS system,” Brown said, calling it “a much more accurate way of defining who’s homeless.”

Election administration also drew public comment. Drew Rebar, a primary candidate, said his name had been left off sample ballots and urged improved election safeguards. Brown acknowledged an error with a sample ballot, said the registrar’s office leadership is being replaced and that the county has moved to the statewide “top-down” voter-management system used by all 17 counties. “We’re replacing the leadership of the registrar voters,” Brown said, and added that the county is fully staffing the office.

On budget questions, Brown said Washoe County currently has a structurally balanced budget and improved bond ratings, but warned of long-term “financial headwinds” and said the county will focus on completing existing priorities rather than adding staff during the current budget season. He said the county is not engaged in an effort to raise C tax rates or the property-tax cap, though he acknowledged those issues are being discussed regionally and at NACo and the legislature.

Brown also said staff is proceeding with CAD implementation and that attorneys are updating CAB ordinances and boundary maps; he said the frequency of CAB meetings will be determined locally by commissioners and CAB chairs. He said a public financial transparency tool, modeled on the state’s Open Checkbook, will launch in April.

Ending: Brown invited questions and said the county will continue public reporting on ARPA outcomes and opioid-abatement spending. Residents asked for more tours of shelters and clearer public contacts for county offices; Brown said tours are available and encouraged people with access problems to contact his office.

","County Manager Eric Brown presented a year-in-review and 2025 priorities including permanent supportive housing, West Hills behavioral-health conversions and regional dispatch planning. Several public commenters questioned homeless counts, shelter operations and election errors.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

RTC outlines transit ridership growth, BRT projects and road work; residents ask about Hidden Valley service and hydrogen buses

Truckee Meadows Fire reports steady call volume, five recruits graduated and Hidden Valley station planned

Washoe County manager lays out homelessness, behavioral-health and budget priorities; residents press for transparency