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Washoe RTC urges sustained fuel‑indexing, highlights TRI Center access and Spaghetti Bowl work
Summary
Washoe County’s transportation commission told the Assembly it relies on fuel‑tax indexing to preserve purchasing power and urged lawmakers to consider indexing and other revenue tools as state leaders weigh transportation priorities.
Dale Keller, deputy executive director of the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, told the committee that fuel‑tax indexing under NRS 373.066 has allowed the region to adjust its local fuel tax annually, preserving purchasing power and enabling continued investment in local roads and transit.
Keller described Washoe County’s revenue mix (local fuel tax, local sales tax, federal grants, passenger fares and a region impact fee) and noted that indexing has accounted for a substantial share of the region’s local road revenue since adoption in 2010. "Since 2010, RTC has collected over $1.23 billion of revenue based off fuel tax," Keller said, and he added that indexing provided roughly 58% of that additional revenue.
Tri Center access and regional bottlenecks
Keller told lawmakers that the Tahoe‑Reno Industrial Center (TRI Center) is a major regional employment hub with roughly 15,000 jobs today and projections that local planners cited of 35,000–50,000 jobs by 2040. Washoe‑area leaders said the center lacks sufficient redundancy — currently there is essentially one major access route — and that NDOT had secured approximately $275 million in federal discretionary grant funding to address access. The RTC described consideration of northern and southern arterial alternatives and even commuter rail as options to create reliable access and to support projected employment growth.
Spaghetti Bowl and construction priorities
Keller described continued coordination with NDOT on the Reno Spaghetti Bowl interchange improvements and said Phase 1 had previously delivered measurable congestion benefits. He asked the Legislature to consider the statewide consequences if Clark County’s indexing program lapses; Washoe RTC officials said a falloff in Clark funding could shift state prioritization and have spillover effects for Washoe County projects.
Traffic safety cameras and other measures
Keller told the committee the RTC will monitor proposals for traffic‑safety cameras, including school‑zone enforcement and school‑bus stop cameras, and legislation that would allow speed cameras in construction zones. He said some other jurisdictions have produced data showing cameras reduce crashes and improve worker safety.
Ending
Washoe RTC emphasized continued collaboration with NDOT and local governments on funding, safety and access for major employment centers, and urged the Legislature to include indexing and other sustainable funding options in statewide transportation discussions.
