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Sun Valley advisory board backs RTCapplication for $25 million BUILD grant for $88 million boulevard overhaul
Summary
After an RTC presentation on regional transit and Sun Valley Boulevard improvements, the Sun Valley Citizens Advisory Board voted to send a letter supporting RTC's application for a $25 million USDOT BUILD grant toward an estimated $88 million reconstruction of Sun Valley Boulevard.
The Sun Valley Citizens Advisory Board voted to send a letter endorsing the Regional Transportation Commission's application for a $25 million BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help fund a proposed roughly $88 million reconstruction of Sun Valley Boulevard.
Paul Nelson, government affairs officer at the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), told the board the Sun Valley Boulevard project would replace open drainage, add sidewalks and bike lanes, improve ADA access and address chronic flooding and safety problems along the corridor. RTC is pursuing the maximum $25 million BUILD grant and plans to contribute the remainder of the projected cost, Nelson said.
Why it matters: Sun Valley Boulevard serves as the community's primary commercial and transit corridor, board members and RTC said, and long-standing deficiencies have limited safe walking, biking and transit access for children, seniors and people with disabilities.
Nelson described RTC program highlights and local benefits as context for the request: RTC reported about 5.5 million rides in 2024 and near 6 million for the current year, vanpool and youth-fare programs that reduce absenteeism, and pavement- and signal-work that supports multimodal travel. On the Sun Valley Boulevard project specifically, he said itwould include enclosed drainage, sidewalks, bike lanes and traffic detection upgrades.
"We're going for the maximum," Nelson said of the BUILD application, urging the advisory board's support. RTC staff outlined an estimated total project cost of about $88 million and said winning the $25 million BUILD award would cover a significant portion of that amount.
Board action: A board member moved and a colleague seconded a motion to approve the advisory board letter supporting RTC's BUILD grant application. The board voiced "Aye," and the chair said she would sign the letter on behalf of the Sun Valley Citizens Advisory Board.
What the vote does and does not do: The advisory board's letter is a community endorsement for the federal grant application; it does not commit local construction funds or change ownership of the roadway. Nelson said the plan envisions eventual transfer of the roadway from Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) to Washoe County after construction, subject to interagency agreements.
Next steps: RTC expects to submit the grant application this cycle and, if successful, planned construction could begin in 2027, Nelson told the advisory board. The board recorded its support by voice vote and will deliver the signed letter to RTC.
