2016 Master Plan Page 1

Transcription

1 Virginia City from Mt. Davidson NOTE: Talking Paper This chapter is in draft form and is subject to change. The results of public workshops may also change the contents of this chapter. Please contact the Planning Department at for questions. Lockwood from above Canyon GID water tank Highlands from east Cartwright Rd. Mark Twain from Six Mile Canyon (photo pending) 2016 Master Plan Page 1

2 Table of Contents 8.1 Introduction Roads Virginia City/Gold Hill USA Parkway (State Route 439) Virginia City Highlands Lockwood/Mustang Painted Rock Potential Congestion Safety Connecting County Figures County wide roadway functional classification Virginia City, Highlands, and Mark Twain roadway functional classification Lockwood and TRI roadway functional classification Other Modes Railroad Bus/Air/Transit Pedestrian Bicycling...14 Figures Historic Nevada Trails Historic Nevada Trails Transportation Resources Areas of Concern, Goals, & Improvements Goals Appendix 1 Functional Class Maps.22 Appendix 2 Publically Maintained Roads Master Plan Page 2

3 8.1 Introduction The goal of this Transportation Master Plan is to support and enhance the quality of life for Storey County residents. Safety, travel time, operation and maintenance cost, efficiency, mobility, and promoting economic development are all incorporated in Storey County s transportation plan as they all support the goal. Future demands and growth types are considered to determine the best course of action now. As in the case of rural areas such as Storey County, major streets should be rerouted bypassing residential areas and interval streets drafted to discourage through traffic. In a setting such as Virginia City, pedestrian movement should be considered in order to promote safety and mobility. A parking element in any transportation planning effort is of major importance in Virginia City due to the narrow streets, limited availability of existing facilities and the topography of the town. This chapter covers inventory of existing transportation infrastructure serving county residents along with current and future needs. In designating transportation routes this chapter reviews the existing transportation network, new infrastructure necessary for future growth, and special features unique to the county. Storey County has several distinct areas that have different general transportation needs. While the total population of Storey County is about 4,000, the concentrations are in four general areas. They are in Virginia City/Gold Hill, Highlands, Mark Twain, and Lockwood/Rainbow Bend. There are also unique transportation needs that apply to McCarran, an area reserved almost exclusively for commercial, industrial, and other non-residential uses, as well as potential future transportation needs in relation to planned unit residential development that may occur at Painted Rock (see Chapter 4 Land Use and Chapter 6 Housing). Virginia City/Gold Hill contains a little over 1,000 people according to the State of Nevada Demographer 2014 estimates. The major economic sector is tourism. Over a million people travel to and from Virginia City each year with growth expected in the future. The transportation connection is critical to the local economy. The Virginia City Highlands with about 1,000 people and Mark Twain with roughly 350 are bedroom communities. Little commerce happens locally for those communities other than small home based businesses such as contractors, daycare, and family agriculture/ranching. Their transportation link is their connection to commerce. Lockwood is a mixed use community of about 1,500. There are several light industrial uses in the area mixed with residential, a school and county services. The Lockwood Regional Landfill which services areas of Nevada and other states is on the south side of the community and the highway access, Interstate 80, on the north side Master Plan Page 3

4 Painted Rock is located approximately 18 miles east of Sparks and five miles west of Fernley along the south edge of the Truckee River, including the Truckee River riparian lowlands and the northern foothills of the Virginia Range. The area is dominated by agricultural land along the riparian areas of the Truckee River. It includes about a dozen large estate single-family residential dwellings and farms. There are no nonagricultural commercial or industrial uses in this area. Interstate 80 serves as the primary access to Painted Rock, and Painted Rock Road from Painted Rock Exit 40 connects this area to the interstate. The area is remote and largely undeveloped, but has potential to facilitate a planned residential and mixed-use community serving the housing needs of the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center at McCarran, located approximately six miles to the west. McCarran is located on the north side of the county between Lockwood and Painted Rock and is home to the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (TRI), which includes nearly 20,000 acres of light and heavy manufacturing and distribution, commercial energy generation, data management centers, and other industries. The area is principally served by Interstate 80, from which USA Parkway (SR 439) and Waltham Way serve as the major arterial routes connecting the industrial center to the interstate. These links will receive special attention because of their potential impact on Storey County, Nevada. A development agreement between Storey County and the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center reserves the entire industrial center exclusively for commercial and industrial uses, and prohibits residential development. Due to the intensity of allowed uses in the industrial center portions of McCarran, it is not foreseen, nor is it found appropriate by this master plan, to allow residential development to encroach anywhere near the industrial center. The development agreement requires TRI Center to develop the industrial park including roads, rail, water, and sewer. Storey County is required to reimburse TRI as net revenue from the TRI area becames available to the county. The total cost of those improvements is over $50,000,000 to date and still potentially growing. This size of this investment needs to be put into perspective. If a county of one million people made an equivalent investment, $12,500,000,000 would need to be invested, or $12,500 per person. With this level of investment, Storey County has made economic development a priority. The county needs to continue to align future investments, and administrative processes so maximum return on investment can be realized. Safety of residents, visitors, and economic partners is the top concern for the transportation system in Storey County. With about 40 million miles traveled on Storey County roads and about one fatality annually, Storey County would like to have zero fatalities. 8.2 Roads The widely separated areas of Virginia City/Gold Hill, the Highlands, Mark Twain, Lockwood, Painted Rock, and the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center are connected in a variety of ways and sometimes, not directly connected at all. The major transportation routes to Virginia City are State Route 341 and 342. North of Virginia City, Highway 341 runs past the Virginia City Highlands, about five miles North of Virginia City, and connects with US Highway 395 near south Reno. South of Virginia City is State Route 342, which connects the communities of Gold Hill and Silver City, and connects to US Highway 50 in Moundhouse, about 4 miles east of Carson City. On the east side of Virginia City, Six Mile Canyon Road (two lane paved) connects to US Highway 50 near the Mark Twain/Dayton area, about 10 miles east of Carson City Master Plan Page 4

5 US Interstate 80 runs mostly along the northern bank of the Truckee River in Washoe County. Interchanges and bridges at Lockwood, Mustang, Patrick, Tracy/Clark, USA Parkway, Painted Rock and Orchard provide access to communities, ranches and other development along the southern bank which is part of Storey County. Although there are a couple rough, unimproved 4-wheel jeep trails linking the river district to Virginia City and the Highlands, travelers must use Interstate 80, US Highway 395 and Nevada State Route 341 for access to and from Virginia City Virginia City/Gold Hill With about one million visitors a year and almost all of those arriving by road, Virginia City has a real interest in maintaining the strong road connections of state route 341, 342 and Six Mile Canyon Road. The current demand on these routes while significant is acceptable. There are not congestion delays and none are anticipated. If congestion is experienced on these routes, the county must take action to relieve the delays. Traffic flows in Virginia City get slow at times, especially downtown during heavy tourist activities. There is desire among the residents and businesses to relieve these heavy traffic times. C Street can experience congestion from both vehicles, and pedestrians. Some ideas to reduce these demands are to make C Street one way and have B Street be a one way in the other direction. Another idea is to have C Street closed to vehicles and have B and D Street each be open to one way traffic in opposite directions. These ideas help with the flows of people and goods, but they will decrease safety. With the heavy demand times, the congestion acts like a traffic calming measure and maintains safety levels. The current situation on C Street should probably be kept until safety levels drop or a gridlock situation presents itself. The rest of Virginia City and Gold Hill roads seem to be acceptable. No foreseeable situation in the next twenty years, other than maybe a need to service a new subdivision, will present itself to require action except to maintain the current road network USA Parkway (State Route 439) The connection for the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRI) is USA Parkway which has an interchange on I-80 on the northern part of the county. USA Parkway is about 5 miles long currently and will be constructed through to Lyon County in the Silver Springs area and connect with US Highway 50 by USA Parkway is not likely to be capable of serving anticipated future growth at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. The USA Parkway connection with US Highway 50 will offer more capacity and within TRI, but not enough. Waltham Way offers another connection to I-80 through the Tracy/Clark interchange. The existing Tracy/Clark interchange will need to be upgraded to a full interchange in about 5-10 years to service the additional demand for TRI. This full interchange will also allow expected commercial development on the south side of I-80 at Waltham Way to include gas station, truck stop, hotel, restaurant types of facilities. As employment increases and more companies house businesses in TRI, traffic needs to be watched closely. Active engagement with the Nevada Department of Transportation will help monitor the travel demand in the TRI. As traffic increases on USA Parkway in both directions and Waltham Way demand 2016 Master Plan Page 5

6 increases, active preemptive strategies need to be employed to not create problems with the flow of people and goods to, from, and through TRI. An interstate designation can only come from congress. The Fixing America s Surface Transportation Act of 2015 designated I-11 between Las Vegas and Reno. This designation is important as it is a firm demonstration to the importance of I-11 and the construction of I-11 to the United States. I-5 in California is fully utilized right now and significant expansion is seen as having too great of an environmental impact. I-11 becomes important as a trade corridor to allow the US economy to expand. While the designation from Las Vegas to Reno now exists, the exact alignment does not. It seems to be in the county s best interest to support the USA Parkway alignment as the I-11 alignment through this area of Nevada. Storey County should actively coordinate communication between TRI and the Nevada Department of Transportation to evaluate the idea and accept it as reality. Since much of TRI is still vacant land and there is no residential development in TRI, this idea makes a lot of sense. It also becomes valuable as the industrial park requires strong connections to the surface transportation system. Located at the intersection of two interstate highways, TRI would help cement northwest Nevada as a major international economic center Virginia City Highlands The Highlands residents are five miles north of Virginia City. Access is provided by State Highway 341 (also called Geiger Grade) on the west side of the community. Within the Highlands area local and collector paved and unpaved roads are maintained privately. Cartwright Road and Lousetown Road are both two lane paved roads that are rural collectors to connect the community to state highway 341. All of the paved portion of Lousetown Road and about 2 miles of Cartwright Road are maintained by the county. The rest of the roads in the Highlands area are either maintained by the two property owner associations in the area or are not maintained by any formal organization. There are several jeep trails on the north and eastern part of the Highlands that can offer emergency ingress and egress to the area. The Virginia City Highlands area is less than half built out. There are many parcels of empty land. While available water to service the potential residential growth is of concern, the status of the roads is also an obstacle to growth. General upgrading of the roads to either better maintained gravel roads or paving more of the roads would increase demand for the properties in the Highlands area and help drive infill Lockwood/Mustang The Lockwood area is serviced by an interchange on I-80 and Mustang also has an I-80 exit. Both interchanges need upgrades because the current designs have safety problems and operational limitations. Both areas have a bridge across the Truckee River. Peri Ranch Road connects the two in Storey County and should be a priority to remain maintained to keep redundant access to each area. With the expected growth of the area, mostly industrial, no congestion is expected. The landfill accessed in Mustang could experience significant growth as the Special Use Permit/Operations Agreement allows waste from several western states to be deposited there. Commercial traffic is the area should be kept on Mustang Road and off Canyon Road, as Canyon is through the residential area Master Plan Page 6

7 Louisetown Creek runs parallel to Canyon Road in Lockwood. There are several narrow bridges that cross Louisetown Creek and service a residential area of Lockwood. These bridges should be upgrades as their widths and turning radii are substandard. Connecting the communities of the county will become increasingly important as population and economic activity expand. Significant discussion occurred during the master plan workshops on the potential benefits, adverse impacts, and challenges associated with constructing a north-south arterial route connecting Virginia City to Lockwood and the Lagomarsino area (see Lagomarsino Area Plan, Chapter 4), as well as an east-west route tying the Lagomarsino are into Lockwood, McCarran, and Washoe County. Highlands and Lockwood residents expressed concerns about traffic and adverse human cause impacts that may occur by interconnecting the region in this way. Area residents were also concerned that large-scale residential sprawl may follow major arterial routes through the Lagomarsino area. While certain regional interconnection may be necessary, the county should work closely with area residents to determine alternatives that are consistent with this master plan and ensure that unintended negative consequences are prevented. The county should also consider the future population and other influential factors of Painted Rock before making substantial investment in directly connecting Virginia City, Lockwood, and the Lagomarsino area Painted Rock Interstate 80 serves as the primary access to Painted Rock, and Painted Rock Road from the Painted Rock Exit connects this area to the interstate. The design and condition of local roads, bridges, and other such infrastructures is problematic for this community. The bridge crossing the Truckee River from Washoe County is the only practical access to this area. The bridge is one-lane, antiquated, and below the FEMA 100-year base-flood-elevation. Canal Road, serving local residences, is also problematic. Running atop the Truckee Carson Irrigation District Canal, the road is windy, in many places is wide enough for only one vehicle, and facilitates no shoulder or barriers preventing a vehicle from falling into the canal. Secondary access exists over approximately twelve miles of unimproved roads between Painted Rock and Fernley. However, many of these roads are insufficiently mapped and are difficult to navigate. Many of these roads encroach into private property, including into Union Pacific Railroad right-of-ways, and Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe lands. Further exacerbating the problem, the Union Pacific Railroad has employed concerted efforts to removing at-grade railroad crossings in the area without providing alternative means of accessing adjacent land. The county should consider working with land developers, federal grant administrators, and other organizations to improve and provide reliable secondary access to the northern and southern parts of this area. Until improved railroad crossings are developed by the Union Pacific Railroad, the county should strongly protest the company s efforts to bar access over existing at-grade railroad crossings Master Plan Page 7

8 Figure County wide roadway functional classification 2016 Master Plan Page 8

9 Figure Virginia City, Highlands, and Mark Twain roadway functional classification 2016 Master Plan Page 9

10 Figure Lockwood and TRI roadway functional classification 2016 Master Plan Page 10

11 8.2.6 Potential Congestion A brief analysis of expected traffic flows in the next 20 years reveals that USA Parkway (SR 439) is the most likely to experience congestion as the level of service could drop to a point considered a failure. The completion of USA Parkway through to Silver Springs will offer traffic relief. Waltham Way will also produce results to help relieve potentially heavy traffic volumes on USA Parkway. With average daily traffic counts around 4,000 as of 2013 and 7,500 in early 2015, the level of service could drop dramatically when the average daily traffic count hits 10,000. As employment numbers are growing quickly in TRI, it is expected that traffic will climb to over 10,000 within five years. Average traffic count numbers and overall traffic efficiency should be watched closely. Alternative methods for workers to arrive and depart from TRI should be planned, developed and ready for deployment. These methods should be car/van pools to and from population centers, other commuter services including buses, and potentially utilizing the rail network in TRI as a local commuter service. These efforts should be coordinated with the Washoe County Regional Transportation Commission and NDOT Safety While Storey County experiences several accidents per year, it averages less than one fatality per year. No fatalities are acceptable, and continued effort should be made to have zero fatalities each year. The partnership with the Nevada Department of Transportation should be maintained to deliver the maximum reasonable safety benefits to the traveling public. Safe Routes to School programs should be better implemented in Storey County to help train the public on safe ways to utilize the transportation network Connecting county There has been desire for years to better connect parts of the county. Six Mile Canyon Road which connects Virginia City and the Mark Twain area was paved within the last 20 years and USA Parkway (SR 439) which connects I-80 and US 50 through TRI, is being constructed now. The importance of connecting McCarran and other northern communities to the county seat Virginia City, and visa-versa, will become increasingly important as commercial expansion and population growth continue throughout the county. Additionally, if Painted Rock becomes a developed mixed-use community as discussed in this mater plan, it will become equally important to connect it directly to McCarran, and that surrounding area to Virginia City. Further feasibility studies for alternative routes connecting different areas of the county were discussed during the master plan public workshops. They include a direct north-south route from Mustang Road to State Route 341 through the Highlands and Lagomasino Canyon and Long Valley Road; and a route through Six Mile Canyon and Mark Twain to USA Parkway, McCarran. A possible route connecting Six Mile Canyon directly to McCarran was discussed. AN alternative to connect Lockwood, McCarran, and Virginia City was discussed in which a road from each would meet in the middle of the county. Geography would be challenging, but the benefits would be large. Painted Rock will likely be accessed primarily via Interstate 80 and the Painted Rock Interchange. However, if large-scale development occurs in this area, routes alternative to the interstate connecting it directly to McCarran should be considered. Each route has specific benefits and challenges that need to be assessed further before a final determination 2016 Master Plan Page 11

12 may be made. 8.3 Other Modes Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way crosses back and forth across the Truckee River on the county s northern boundary. Although there are no scheduled passenger stops in the county, there is an industrial spur that services TRI and the surrounding Industrial needs. As TRI has needs to expand the rail spur, TRI will build the rail line and Storey County will reimburse the construction costs to TRI and maintain the rail line in the future. As traffic gets heavy in the future in USA Parkway or Waltham Way, the rail spur might be used to service a transit system for the industrial area and remove cars from the road system in the area. When Painted Rock is developed as a large scale mixed use community, connecting a commuter rail system to TRI should be examined. The restored Virginia & Truckee Railroad in Virginia City is operated solely as a tourist attraction. A recent extension of the rail crosses US Highway 50 connects to communities of Virginia City and Carson City. This extension of the V & T should have an increasingly significant impact on the economies of Gold Hill and Virginia City. The V & T might have some transit uses someday Bus/Air/Transit There is no bus, taxi, or air transport services located within the county. An elderly/handicapped transportation program in Virginia City is sponsored by the Senior Citizens of Storey County. Special event transit services are being considered to service the fair grounds and other destinations. In 2009 an inter-local bus service was tested between Carson City and Virginia City. This might lead into permanent regional service in the future. Carson City provides scheduled bus services and has an airport without scheduled airline service; there are also a few freight trucking firms in Carson City. Reno provides scheduled bus, airline, freight, and rail facilities. Several bus companies in Reno provide tourist related transportation for Virginia City visitors. Once USA Parkway is completed to Lyon County, the Silver Springs airport may provide shipping services to TRI. No Air Services are expected in Storey County indefinitely. As TRI continues to expand and host more employment and USA Parkway s completion, the need for transit services between TRI and the surrounding areas of Reno/Sparks, Fernley, and Silver Springs will continue to grow. Preparations should be made to address this need before it adversely impacts economic development or safety Pedestrian The most common form of transportation is Pedestrians. The average American adult walks about 2.5 to 3 miles a day. This form of transportation has been overlooked for decades. With the cost of other forms of transportation, and current health issues facing society, walking has made a comeback in recent years. This plan supports walkable communities through new urbanism and mixed uses Master Plan Page 12

13 With the unique topography of Storey County and the desire to promote tourism, there are probably marketable pedestrian opportunities in the county, especially in Virginia City/Gold Hill and potentially Painted Rock. Eco-tourism, fitness fairs, and other recreational events are possible. Virginia City/Gold Hill Storey County has limited pedestrian destinations. Within the Virginia City/Gold Hill area there are many destinations for local and tourist pedestrians to traffic. C Street is the most utilized by pedestrians and contains most of the destinations in the area. Pedestrian infrastructure is limited in Virginia City, with almost all being the boardwalk and limited improved sidewalks on C Street. Tourists park in the area of C Street and walk up and down the street using the boardwalk. Locals face an obstacle for walking around town. That is the relatively severe vertical movements going west and east. While it is expected that local pedestrian traffic will increase in years to come, installing and maintaining infrastructure will probably do little to increase usage. Usage will probably increase as locals wish to utilize the town for recreational activities. The tourist activity in Virginia City along C Street should continue to be strong. Because parking is an issue, there will be pedestrian activity associated with parking further away from the tourist destinations. The boardwalk area of C Street is a terrific attraction for the historic downtown and should be preserved. Sidewalks beyond the boardwalk areas of C Street are a patchwork at best. The existing infrastructure is a public hazard because of the broken and degraded condition of the curbs along much of C Street. This is a priority to develop the pedestrian infrastructure along C Street to assist with the safe movement of tourists from parking to their destinations and back. The development of the fair grounds on F Street could present a unique pedestrian issue for Storey County. With hopeful crowds of maybe 4,000 people someday, and very limited onsite parking, pedestrian activity might hold the key to get that many people in and out of this destination. Temporarily infrastructure, public information campaigns, and other such event planning should be examined for each large event. Highlands/Mark Twain/Lockwood Within Highlands, Mark Twain, Lockwood, and other rural areas of the county, there are very limited pedestrian destinations. Most of the pedestrian activity is for recreation and fitness. There is no pedestrian infrastructure in these locations. While no need for infrastructure is expected, Storey County should promote health, wellness and recreational activities for the residents. Painted rock It is envisioned that the Painted Rock development will be a mixed use development. As the development plan is crafted, there should be a significant pedestrian component to allow for this mixed use. Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRI) TRI does have potential pedestrian destinations and should have more in the years to come. Because it is expected that vehicular demand on USA Parkway (SR 439) will exceed capacity, traffic management 2016 Master Plan Page 13

14 practices will be implemented and demand for other modes will increase. There is no pedestrian infrastructure in TRI. It is expected that in years to come, there will be increased pedestrian activity in TRI and the demand for infrastructure will increase. The first items of infrastructure should be crosswalks at potential high pedestrian origins and destinations. Further policy should be to maintain any shoulder or clear space for pedestrians on and around roads to utilize as infrastructure and potential future pedestrian improvements. The pedestrian situation in TRI should be actively monitored year to year to address any safety situations as they present themselves. The Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway is a potential link that could offer additional connections to TRI. Some of the employees in TRI might want trails/multi-use paths as recreation options as well. The county should welcome conversations with TRI to support such improvements Bicycling Cycling has increased over 100% in the last twenty years. Commuters have turned to cycling to avoid congestion, and recreational cycling is growing for all ages. The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) is in the final stages of producing county bicycling plans for each county in the state. This plan for Storey County will identify the county s role in Nevada for bicycling. The NDOT plan identifies the I-80 corridor as a national cycle touring route. This is problematic as areas of I-80 between Sparks and Fernley exhibit questionable safety levels for bikes. It is desired for an alternative route between Sparks and Fernley. While Storey County may offer a few miles of alternative, there is no viable route through Storey County. It is hoped that the Tahoe Pyramid bikeway might be able to fill this gap. State highway 341, Geiger Grade, is a regional cycling attraction from both the Reno and Carson City sides. More advanced riders are attracted to the elevation gains and the wonderful views. Safety on Geiger Grade is always a concern, however data suggests this should not be a large concern and it is not expected to be worse in the future. Modest economic activity is associated with these cyclists. There may be an economic opportunity for a mountain climb race or related event to be hosted in Virginia City. Currently there are many areas of Storey County that are difficult to access except by Jeep Trail. Again, these areas may be useful for mountain biking ecotourism. Lockwood/Painted Rock These areas are just south of I-80 in the northern part of Storey County. While there is little current activity in these areas, there might be in the future. There could be multiuse paths developed through these areas to allow a safe east-west alternative to I-80, and allow commuter traffic to and from TRI. Currently, the development of these paths is not a priority to the county, but it might be in the future. The Tahoe-Pyramid bikeway could be supported in the future. Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRI) TRI has little cycling traffic currently. When USA Parkway is completed through to Silver Springs, there could be more commuter traffic living in Silver Springs and working in TRI. The design and expected construction of USA Parkway should offer wide shoulders and accommodate bicyclists safely. There may exist an opportunity to connect Lockwood with Sparks with a multiuse path (Incorporate Tahoe Pyramid bikeway). This path might open the corridor to commuter traffic, living in Lockwood and 2016 Master Plan Page 14

15 working in the Truckee Meadows. There may also be an opportunity to connect TRI with Lockwood or Painted Rock areas as commuter routes as well. Virginia City/Gold Hill/Highlands Very modest cycling activities exist in these areas. The significant vertical variations throughout the area present a challenge that is expected to limit cycling growth Master Plan Page 15

16 Figure Historic Nevada Trails Master Plan Page 16

17 Figure Historic Nevada Trails Master Plan Page 17

18 8.4 Transportation Resources With only two gas stations in the county, revenue earmarked to address transportation needs, is not enough. Each year, the Storey County Public Works requires additional resources from the county to cover the maintenance needs of the county roads. Development trends should help as new sources of fuels revenues should develop in the years to come. Even with these new sources, it is not expected that revenue will cover resources needs. (New lands from Washoe) Gas tax indexing was made available to the counties in the 2015 legislative session. Historically the gas tax rate was fixed at a number of cents per gallon. The indexing allows the county tax on gasoline to move with inflation. This allows the tax to move with the price of gasoline and is fairer to everyone over time as the users of the transportation system are the ones paying for the roads. The county should consider implementing the indexing as it will help to address the funding deficit for roads, deliver a better product to the public, and show statewide support for transportation and I Areas of Concern, Goals and Improvements C Street curb and sidewalk improvements. Because of their poor condition, and safety concern, improving the C Street pedestrian infrastructure is a top priority. The county will coordinate with the Nevada Department of Transportation to try to address this issue. Tahoe Reno Industrial Center Improvements. USA Parkway is being connected to US 50, but expected growth needs more infrastructure. A traffic signal warrants study at the intersection of USA Parkway and Electric Avenue performed in 2015 by NDOT revealed that a signal, or other traffic management device is almost warranted, but is expected to meet warrants soon in light of observed growth. The Tracy/Clark interchange needs to be upgraded to a full interchange for Waltham Way, and other traffic improvements will be needed soon on USA Parkway. Transit support will also be needed soon in the area. The county has already had conversations with the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County and NDOT on delivering transit services. NDOT will perform a study to craft a plan and address as many identified issues as possible. North/South, East/West Connection. Construction of a road to link Virginia City, Lockwood, the river district communities, and TRI is also recognized as desirable by some interests in Storey County. The existing Largomarsino Road is only passable part of the year. It follows a tortuous route over rough topography and would thus require major reconstruction. It should be viewed of as an absence of any suitable road link within Storey County between the Truckee River area and Virginia City. Another possibility to connect the north and south in the county is to connect Six Mile Canyon Road with USA Parkway. This would produce an efficient link that would require less construction, has easier topography, and presents minimal impact to residential areas. However other interests have concerns about the impacts on Storey County if an improved road is completed, including wild horse population, the petroglyphs and other significant concerns. These and other concerns need to be addressed before a decision is reached. No action should be taken until a full public vetting process is completed. Connecting communities will become increasingly important as population and economic activity expand. Significant discussion occurred during the master plan workshops on the potential benefits, adverse impacts, and challenges associated with constructing a north-south arterial route connecting 2016 Master Plan Page 18

19 Virginia City to Lockwood and the Lagomasino area (see Lagomasino Area Plan), as well as an east-west route tying the Lagomasino are into Lockwood, McCarran, TRI, and Washoe County. Highlands and Lockwood residents expressed concerns about traffic and adverse human cause impacts that may occur by interconnecting the region in this way. Area residents were also concerned that large-scale residential sprawl may follow major arterial routes through the Lagomasino area. While certain regional interconnection may be favorable, the county should work closely with area residents to determine alternatives that are consistent with this master plan and ensure that unintended negative consequences are prevented. The county should also consider future population and other influential factors of Painted Rock before making substantial investment in directly connecting Virginia City, Lockwood, McCarran and other parts of the county. The following text was written by Larry Prater, Storey County Planning Commission Chairman in 2016 to the topic. POTENTIAL INTRA-COUNTY ROAD NETWORK Sometime in the future Storey County may decide that it would be beneficial to connect Lockwood and TRIC to Virginia City via roads entirely within the county. Factors that may drive such a decision could include increased emergency management requirements, growing traffic congestion in the Reno/Sparks areas and demand by residents and businesses for quicker access to the county seat in Virginia City. There exists a series of roads, some of which are very primitive, that connect the three areas now and also provide access to potential cultural assets like the petroglyphs and Cottonwood Springs. These roads are as follow. Leaving Virginia City proceed north on Hiway 341 to Lousetown Road (both of which are paved) then northeast to Long Valley Road (graded dirt). Continue northeasterly to where the road turns northwest toward Cottonwood Springs and proceed northeasterly on the jeep trail through the Chalk Hills to the south edge of the relatively flat plateau area referred to as Nevada Uplands. The distance to this point from Lousetown Road is about 10 miles and there is very little change in elevation. At this point the road divides northeast to TRIC and northwest to Lockwood. The TRIC road is a jeep trail which skirts the south side of Cinder Mountain, continues down Martin Canyon past the Gooseberry Mine to USA Parkway south of the Bush Industries warehouse. The distance from Nevada Uplands to USA Parkway is about 9 miles with a 1500-foot drop in elevation. The road to Lockwood is a jeep trail that proceeds 4 miles northwesterly and skirts the petroglyphs (¼ mile to the west). At the northwest corner of the Uplands the jeep trail intersects an improved dirt road with numerous switchbacks that continues northwesterly to Canyon Way, a paved road into Lockwood. Trucks and other heavy vehicles would be required to divert northerly around the Waste Management landfill to the Mustang exit on I-80. The distance from the Uplands to Lockwood is about 7 miles with an elevation drop of about 1700 feet. Virginia Highlands Area. Steep grades and sharp and blind corners are a problem, especially for school buses, in some sections of the Virginia Highlands. Poor weather conditions can create hazardous driving conditions. Many cul-de-sacs do not have sufficient turn around space for emergency vehicles. There is 2016 Master Plan Page 19

20 probably little the county can do policy wise with these issues because many of the roads in the Highlands area are private. Virginia City Parking. The main street in Virginia City is C Street and has long been identified as having insufficient parking for tourists and residents. Accessibility. Most of the area of Storey County is inaccessible to automobile traffic, and perhaps, given the existing potential and perceived need for development in the county, this situation may be desirable Goals Goal A: Support the safe efficient movement of goods and people to, though, and within Virginia City, Gold Hill, and Divide Objective A.1: Develop full sidewalks/boardwalks and fix curbs/gutters along C Street and develop a stronger pedestrian infrastructure throughout Virginia City/Gold Hill, including safe east/west connections Objective A.2: 341, 342, Six Mile Canyon safety levels. Encourage and actively support Road Safety Audits and implement results. Objective A.3: Utilize NDOT rural transit planning funds to develop transit transportation plan to support the fairgrounds and large events in Virginia City Objective A.5: Develop a multimodal transit hub in Virginia City, including a freight hub at the old depot Objective A.6: Develop off C Street parking in Virginia City and easy pedestrian connections to C Street Goal B: Support the continued orderly development in the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center Objective B.1: Actively monitor traffic and congestion levels in and around TRI Objective B.3: Work with neighboring transportation entities, and NDOT to mitigate traffic impacts in TRI Objective B.3: Apply and receive TIGER Grant award for planning study in TRI long term, full buildout Objective B.4: Continue promoting and collaborating with regional entities to enhance van-pool and other shared commuter systems at TRI-Center Objective B.5: Ensure new infrastructure connectivity between TRI and the new Painted Rock large scale development. Objective B.6: Encourage TRI to examine a pedestrian infrastructure Goal C: Regional Connectivity Objective C.1: Develop, and evaluate with the public, road alternatives between Virginia City and the northern communities of Storey County and TRI as demand grows 2016 Master Plan Page 20

21 Objective C.2: Work with NDOT to implement stronger bike/ped safety and promotion programs in Storey County Objective C.3: Work with Tahoe Pyramid Bikeway to develop multiuse paths along the north end of the county that supports each of the local communities needs Goal D: Support public safety Objective D.1: Work with Storey County Fire District (SCFD), Sherriff (SCSD) Office, the school district, Sr. Center, and Community Chest to make sure the transportation infrastructure supports mobility and maximum practical public safety Objective D.2: Implement annual tours with SCFD, SCSD and Storey County School District to identify their needs Objective D.3: Work with NDOT to correct the safety issues on the Lockwood interchange Goal E: Develop a partial financial plan for transportation infrastructure, growth and maintenance Goal E.1: Reconcile county wide policies with expected revenue and expenses to maintain and potentially grow infrastructure as needed Master Plan Page 21

22 Appendix 1 Functional Class Maps (NDOT) (Removed for draft to shrink file size) 2016 Master Plan Page 22

23 2016 Master Plan Page 23

24 Appendix 2 Publically Maintained Roads Storey County 2016 Master Plan Page 24

25 Street Name From Description To Description Total Miles RD Surface Last Update A ST SOUTH ST MI N. OF SOUTH ST GRAVEL 9/4/2012 A ST 417 FT S. OF TAYLOR ST B ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 ALEXANDRIA CT WALTHAM WY MI S. OF WALTHAM WY ASPHALT 8/16/2012 AMERICAN FLATS RD (LOWER) AMERICAN FLATS RD (UPPER) AMERICAN FLATS RD (UPPER) DIRT 8/30/2012 AMERICAN FLATS RD (UPPER) SR342 ST/ LY COUNTY LINE GRAVEL 8/30/2012 B ST SR341 SR ASPHALT 8/2/2012 BLANCHARD ST TELEGRAPH ST SR ASPHALT 8/30/2012 Britain Dr WALTHAM WY USA PARKWAY ASPHALT 8/16/2012 CANYON WY GRAVEL PIT GATE ST/ WA COUNTY LINE ASPHALT 8/17/2012 CARSON ST SUMMIT ST E. OF SUMMIT BOP DIRT 9/4/2012 CARSON ST E. OF SUMMIT BOP H ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 CARTWRIGHT RD SR FT E. OF LOUSETOWN EOP ASPHALT 8/15/2012 CEMETERY RD CARSON ST CEMETERY ASPHALT 8/3/2012 CONESTOGA WY ROWANS GULCH SAM CLEMENS AVE DIRT 10/4/2012 CROWN POINT ST SR MI S/E OF SR GRAVEL 8/30/2012 D ST DAYTON TOLL RD SR ASPHALT 8/2/2012 D ST SR341 SR ASPHALT 8/2/2012 DAYTON TOLL RD SR MI E. OF SR ASPHALT 9/4/2012 DENMARK DR USA PKWY MI E. OF EOP ASPHALT 8/16/2012 DENMARK DR (WEST) PERU DR USA PKWY ASPHALT 8/14/2012 E ST F ST D ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 E ST E ST MI N. OF E EOP ASPHALT 9/4/2012 E ST DAYTON TOLL RD SHELDON ST ASPHALT 8/2/2012 E ST MILL ST 836 FT N. OF MILL ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 E ST WASHINGTON ST 520 FT N. OF SUTTON ASPHALT 8/3/ MI E. OF USA PARKWAY EAST SYDNEY DR USA EOP ASPHALT 8/16/2012 EDITH LN TERRITORY RD MI N. OF TERRITORY RD ASPHALT 8/29/2012 EDITH LN WAGON WHEEL WY TERRITORY RD ASPHALT 8/1/2012 ELIZABETH LN WAGON WHEEL WY TERRITORY RD ASPHALT 8/1/2012 F ST CARSON ST VIRGINIA CITY RV PARK ASPHALT 9/4/2012 F ST UNION ST MI N. OF UNION ST DIRT 9/4/2012 F ST DAYTON TOLL RD SHELDON ST ASPHALT 8/2/2012 F ST SR341 UNION ST ASPHALT 8/2/2012 FLOWERY ST SR341 D ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 G ST CARSON ST MI N. OF CARSON ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 G ST UNION ST MI N. OF UNION ST DIRT 9/4/2012 G ST F ST UNION ST ASPHALT 8/3/ Master Plan Page 25

26 GERMANY CIR MI W. OF USA EOP USA PARKWAY ASPHALT 8/16/2012 GREG ST STEWART ST MI S/W OF STEWART ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 H ST SIX MILE CANYON RD CARSON ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 H ST TAYLOR ST UNION ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 H ST UNION ST SUTTON ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 H ST 950 FT S. OF WASHINGTON ST TAYLOR ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 HICKEY ST D ST E ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 HOWARD ST MI S. OF CARSON ST MI N. OF CARSON ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 HOWARD ST TAYLOR ST SUTTON ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 HUCKLEBERRY WY SAM CLEMENS AVE SUTRO SPRINGS RD ASPHALT 8/1/2012 I ST 623 S. OF WASHINGTON ST SUTTON ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 IRELAND DR 52 FT S. OF PERU DR WALTHAM WY ASPHALT 8/14/ MI E. OF USA PARKWAY ITALY DR USA EOP ASPHALT 8/16/2012 JULIE WY WAGON WHEEL WY TERRITORY RD ASPHALT 8/1/2012 JUMPING FROG CIR 492 FT S. OF TOM SAWYER WY TOM SAWYER WY ASPHALT 8/1/2012 K ST MI S. OF WASHINGTON ST WASHINGTON ST DIRT 9/4/2012 K ST WASHINGTON ST MI N. OF WASHINGTON ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 K ST UNION ST SIX MILE CANYON RD ASPHALT 8/3/2012 KEYSTONE CIR MI S. OF SKYLINE EOP MI S. OF SKYLINE RD GRAVEL 8/30/2012 KEYSTONE CIR SKYLINE RD MI S. OF SKYLINE EOP ASPHALT 8/30/2012 L ST 966 FT S. OF WASHINGTON SIX MILE CANYON RD ASPHALT 8/3/2012 LAFOND AVE TERRITORY RD MI N. OF TERRITORY RD ASPHALT 8/29/2012 LAFOND AVE LY/ ST COUNTY LINE TERRITORY RD ASPHALT 8/1/2012 LONDON DR BRITAIN DR BRITAIN DR ASPHALT 8/16/2012 LOUSETOWN RD SR341 LOUSETOWN RD ASPHALT 9/4/2012 LOUSETOWN RD SR341 CARTWRIGHT RD ASPHALT 8/15/2012 LOUSETOWN RD CARTWRIGHT RD MI N. OF WILDROSE BULLFROG RD DIRT 8/15/2012 M ST MI S. OF WASHINGTON ST MI S. OF WASHINGTON ST DIRT 9/4/2012 M ST MI S. OF WASHINGTON ST WASHINGTON ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 M ST WASHINGTON ST 0.051MI N. OF WASHINGTON ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 MARTIN RD PROSPECTOR RD SUTRO SPRINGS RD ASPHALT 8/29/2012 MARY WY WAGON WHEEL WY TERRITORY RD ASPHALT 8/1/2012 MEGABYTE DR WILD HORSE CANYON RD WALTHAM RD ASPHALT 8/16/ MI E. OF PORTOFINO DR MILAN DR PORTOFINO EOP ASPHALT 8/16/2012 MILL ST B ST SR ASPHALT 8/3/2012 MUSTANG RD RAMP 2 GATE TO LANDFILL ASPHALT 8/29/ Master Plan Page 26

27 N ST O ST O ST MI S. OF WASHINGTON ST MI N. OF WASHINGTON ST ASPHALT 9/4/ MI S. OF SIX MILE MI N. OF SIX MILE CANYON RD CANYON RD ASPHALT 9/4/ MI S. OF WASHINGTON ST WASHINGTON ST DIRT 9/4/2012 O ST WASHINGTON ST UNION ST ASPHALT 8/2/2012 OPHIR GRADE SOUTH ST ST/WA COUNTY LINE DIRT 8/2/2012 OPHIR GRADE ST/WA COUNTY LINE FIVE MILE RESERVOIR DIRT 8/2/2012 P ST MI S. OF WASHINGTON BOP WASHINGTON ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 P ST MI. S. OF WASHINGTON ST MI S. OF WASHINGTON BOP DIRT 9/4/2012 PAINTED ROCK RD/ CANAL RD END OF ROAD WA/ ST COUNTY LINE ASPHALT 8/17/2012 PAINTED ROCK RD/ CANAL RD WA/ ST COUNTY LINE CATTLE GUARD ASPHALT 8/17/2012 PERI RANCH WY CANYON WY MUSTANG RD ASPHALT 8/17/2012 PERU DR WALTHAM WY MI E. OF WALTHAM EOP ASPHALT 8/16/2012 PERU DR 974 FT S. OF WEST SYDNEY EOP 411 FT W. OF IRELAND EOP ASPHALT 8/14/2012 PITTSBURGH AVE 592 FT W. OF RR EOP USA PKWY ASPHALT 8/16/2012 PORTOFINO DR MI S. OF USA EOP USA PKWY ASPHALT 8/14/2012 PROSPECTOR RD MI N. OF EOP SUTRO SPRINGS RD ASPHALT 8/29/2012 Q ST SIX MILE CANYON RD MI N. OF SIX MILE CANYON RD ASPHALT 9/4/2012 Q ST MI S. OF WASHINGTON ST WASHINGTON ST DIRT 9/4/2012 Q ST WASHINGTON ST UNION ST ASPHALT 8/2/2012 R ST VC TRANSFER STATION GATE WASHINGTON ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 R ST WASHINGTON ST SIX MILE CANYON RD ASPHALT 8/2/2012 RIDGE ST SR342 D ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 RIDGE ST SR FT E. OF SR ASPHALT 8/3/2012 ROWANS GULCH CONESTOGA WY ST/ LY COUNTY LINE DIRT 10/4/2012 ROWANS GULCH ST/ LY COUNTY LINE SAM CLEMENS AVE DIRT 10/4/2012 SAM CLEMENS AVE LY/ ST COUNTY LINE SUTRO SPRINGS RD ASPHALT 8/1/2012 SEVEN MILE CANYON RD SR MI E. OF SR DIRT 8/23/2012 SHELDON ST 190 FT E. OF F EOP SR ASPHALT 9/4/2012 SHELDON ST SR FT E. OF F EOP ASPHALT 8/2/2012 SILVER ST B ST SR ASPHALT 8/3/2012 SILVER ST D ST E ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 SIX MILE CANYON RD SR341 ST/ LY COUNTY LINE ASPHALT 10/5/2012 SKYLINE RD SR MI E. OF KEYSTONE CIR ASPHALT 8/30/2012 SLIPPERY GULCH RD KEYSTONE CIR MI S. OF KEYSTONE CIR GRAVEL 8/30/ Master Plan Page 27

28 SOUTH ST OPHIR GR SR ASPHALT 9/4/2012 STEWART ST TAYLOR ST SUMMIT ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 SUMMIT ST HOWARD ST MI N. OF HOWARD EOP ASPHALT 9/4/2012 SUMMIT ST MI N. OF HOWARD EOP MI N. OF HOWARD ST DIRT 9/4/2012 SUTRO SPRINGS RD TERRITORY RD MI N. OF TERRITORY RD ASPHALT 8/29/2012 SUTRO SPRINGS RD LY/ ST COUNTY LINE TERRITORY RD ASPHALT 8/1/2012 SUTTON ST H ST I ST DIRT 9/4/2012 SUTTON ST I ST L ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 SUTTON ST D ST E ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 SUTTON ST HOWARD ST D ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 TAYLOR ST O ST R ST ASPHALT 9/4/2012 TAYLOR ST STEWART ST I ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 TELEGRAPH ST SR MI S. OF BLANCHARD ST GRAVEL 8/30/2012 TERRITORY RD WILLIE WY LAFOND AVE ASPHALT 8/29/2012 TERRITORY RD LAFOND AVE MI E. OF LAFOND ASPHALT 8/29/2012 TOM SAWYER WY SAM CLEMENS AVE SUTRO SPRINGS RD ASPHALT 8/1/2012 TUNNEL RD SR342 SR GRAVEL 8/2/2012 UNION ST B ST R ST ASPHALT 8/2/2012 USA PKWY ST/ WA COUNTY LINE RAMPS 1 AND 2 OF I80 EAST ASPHALT 8/29/ MI S. OF WA / ST USA PKWY COUNTY EOP ST/ WA COUNTY LINE ASPHALT 8/14/2012 VENICE DR DENMARK DR PORTOFINO DR ASPHALT 8/16/2012 WAGON WHEEL WY SUTRO SPRINGS RD LAFOND AVE ASPHALT 8/1/2012 WALTHAM WY SR655 USA PARKWAY ASPHALT 8/16/2012 WASHINGTON ST D ST R ST ASPHALT 8/3/2012 WEST SYDNEY DR PERU DR USA PKWY ASPHALT 8/16/2012 WILD HORSE ENTRANCE TO MUSTANG CANYON DR RANCH WALTHAM WY ASPHALT 8/16/2012 WILLIE WY SUTRO SPRINGS RD TERRITORY RD ASPHALT 8/1/ Master Plan Page 28