I-515 Alternatives Development Study Public Information Meeting March 31, 2016 Welcome Welcome! Introduce yourself I want to let everyone know that a court reporter will be recording this presentation and the question and answer session that follows FYI The flyers and door hangers were distributed Monday 3/28 Newspaper Ads were run 3/17 Review Journal 3/25 El Mundo 3/30 Review Journal 3/31 Review Journal

What can I expect tonight? Introduction to the I-515 Alternatives Development Study Project Timeline Opportunity to review preliminary concepts Opportunity to submit comments Receive answers from project staff Note that representatives from other NDOT projects and Zero Fatalities are present.

Programmed Projects This freeway is a congested major freeway in southern Nevada. NDOT has initiated this study to identify and implement near-term improvements on this critical freeway as soon as possible. Programmed projects in the corridor include: 1. Project Neon limits are from approximately Sahara Avenue on I-15 to Rancho Drive on US 95 - This project is presently in the 2016 Statewide Transportation Improvements Program for a total of approximately $ 990 million. 2. The Charleston Interchange Project is focused on interchange improvements on Charleston Boulevard between Lamb Blvd and Pecos Street- This project is also in the 2016 STIP @ $ 3.894737 million 3. Downtown I-515 Viaduct Rehabilitation for northbound lanes is planned for between 2018 and 2020 - $ 8 million is in the 2016 STIP

Why are we doing this Study? Improve traffic flow and safety on I-515 The area is approximately 5.58 miles of the I-515 corridor Traffic jams repeatedly occur during peak travel periods as a result of traffic, bottlenecks, and higher than average crash rates. NDOT initiated this study to identify near-term and cost-effective concepts to improve traffic on I-515 between I-15 and Charleston.  The focus is operations and safety. The plan is to get improvements built/implemented early solving current operational and safety issues. We are looking for a few projects that can be implemented within the timeframe of say about the next 10 years, each with a budget/cost, risk and benefits such that the Department can deliver these projects with a high degree of confidence.

Purpose and Need Purpose Improve traffic flow and safety on I-515 between I-15 (Spaghetti Bowl) and Charleston Boulevard Interchange by implementing near-term and cost-effective transportation improvements that are compatible with other future improvements. Mobility Need Impaired traffic flow due to high traffic volumes, highway deficiencies, and incidents. Safety Need Above-average crashes due to traffic congestion and highway deficiencies. A purpose and need statement is a requirement The crash rate for our study section of I-515 is 1.3 crashes per million vehicle miles travelled while the statewide average for similar facilities is 1.0 Congestion extends from 6:30am to beyond 9am and from 3to 6pm. Generally, northbound congestion extends for a longer period.

Study Goals Improve traffic flow Improve safety Do not preclude long-term improvements Minimize property acquisition Minimize environmental impacts Improve access to Downtown Las Vegas Have independent utility and logical termini Improve mobility during special events Maintain and improve multimodal connections Be compatible with adopted plans It’s a federal requirement – It generally means that we want to identify “standalone projects” that are useful and of reasonable expenditure. “Have independent utility” means to have independent significance; that is, be a standalone usable project of reasonable expenditure even if no additional transportation improvements in the area are made. Essentially we want to identify “standalone projects”. “Logical termini” means that the study corridor be of sufficient length to address environmental matters on a broad scope; or in other words – have rational end points. Having logical termini means choosing a corridor of sufficient length to look at all impacts. An example of an adopted plan is the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada’s Regional Transportation Plan.

Study Approach NDOT is using a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) approach to shorten the time required to take projects from planning to implementation. Therefore, decisions made during this study could be used in future NDOT environmental studies to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act. More information on this approach can be found at FHWA’s PEL website: www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/index.asp PEL –represents a collaborative and integrated approach to transportation decision making that: Considers environmental , community and economic goals early in the process Use information, analysis and products developed during planning to inform environmental review process

What is the Study process? Develop potential improvements that address the goals of the Study Objectively screen and assess the potential improvements Group improvements based on compatibility, geographic proximity, and logical termini to develop standalone alternatives and then projects Prioritize projects

Study Screening Process The screening includes a tiered process where the improvements are refined while being subjected to increased level of analysis and scrutiny at each subsequent tier. Early in the process we look at any major flaws in our concepts that would make a certain concept unacceptable. In later levels of screening we consider more detailed criteria to ensure that the project provides us value and benefits at reasonable cost. Step 1 – Does the improvement: Meet the purpose and need? Meet a study goal? Result in an unsolvable environmental impact? - Is it cost exorbitant? - Is it opposed by Stakeholders or the public? Step 2 – Determine if the improvement improves operations and safety is geometric and construction feasible maintains flexibility for planned improvements Step 3- Determine if improvements are grouped together if they complement each other to address a study goal or if the grouping will provide efficiency or cost savings during construction Step 4 – Prioritize alternatives. BCA, Cost Estimates, Cost Risk Assessment and Value Engineering are tools used to do this

What is the range of alternatives being considered? No-Action Alternative (Assumes no improvements beyond those currently planned) Interchange and Ramp Improvements Collector-Distributor Roads Auxiliary Lanes (lanes between interchanges) Congestion Management Improvements (extra exit lane to relieve ramp back-ups) Enhancement Type Improvements (signs, lighting; trail, pedestrian & bicycle connections, aesthetics) Transportation System Management Improvements (traffic signal improvements or provisioning an additional left or right turn lanes) Transit-Supportive Improvements Examples: Congestion management improvements could be the addition of an extra exit lane at ramps that currently back up. Enhancement type improvements could be improving signs, lighting; trail, pedestrian and bicycle connections at a ramp terminal intersection that is being improved, or improvements to the aesthetics of a noise wall that is being moved, or a gateway feature associated with landscaping. Transportation system management improvements could be traffic signal improvements or the provision of additional left or right turn lanes.

What is the Study timeline? PROJECT MOBILIZATION Collect data Determine objectives Develop preliminary concepts SCOPING AND FATAL FLAW ANALYSIS Evaluate concepts against fatal flow criteria Input from NDOT and other stakeholders LEVEL 1 COMPARATIVE SCREENING EJ impacts Constructability Operation and safety screening Assess ROW impacts Assess ability to implement in short-term LEVEL 2 QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT Traffic operations Safety and Cost assessment Environmental Impact Assessment LEVEL 3 EVALUATION Value Engineering Analysis Benefit-Cost Analysis Project Prioritization PREPARE TOP PROJECTS FOR CONSTRUCTION Develop conceptual plans for top 3 projects Clear top project through environmental process The screening process is underway. The Scoping and fatal flaw analysis is underway. Level 1, 2 & 3 were discussed in slide 9. Prepare top projects for construction discussed in next slide Each Federal agency shall make achieving environmental justice part of its mission by identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations FALL 2015 MARCH/APRIL 2016 SUMMER 2016 FALL 2016 2017 and beyond

Study Products Prioritized list of projects that address operational and safety issues Highest priority project(s) selected for environmental review process Proceed with project development of highest priority project assuming construction as early as 2018

We need your help! Review the preliminary potential improvements on Boards around the room and give us your input and comments Give us your ideas/concepts for improvements to I-515 in the study area Sign up to follow our progress on twitter, facebook or on our webpage at Nevadadot.com Provide us your comments and stay involved

Open comment period Please state your full name prior to your question or statement Three-minute verbal comment per individual A court reporter will be recording the presentation and Q&A period and is available to take comments

Additional ways to provide comments Fill out a comment form, included in your handout packet, and place it in the comment box or provide a verbal comment tonight Submit comment forms by mail to: Nevada Department of Transportation Attention: Dwayne Wilkinson P.E., Senior Project Manager 123 E. Washington Avenue P.O. Box 170 Las Vegas, NV, 89101-0170 Send email to dwilkinson@dot.state.nv.us with “I-515 Alternatives Development Study” in the subject line Comments will be accepted until 5 p.m., Friday, April 15, 2016

Thank you! I-515 Alternatives Development Study Public Information Meeting March 31, 2016 Thank you! Work on the previous project that was looking at roughly 18 miles of the I-515 in Las Vegas, Unincorporated CC and Henderson (Foothill Grade Separation to the Spaghetti Bowl) was formally withdrawn in June 20, 2012. This work started in 2003 approximately 7.8 million was expended on this effort. This study information that is still applicable is being used in this study effort .