Lemmon Drive – Q&A
Question: Where will the new roadway alignment be?
Answer: This project will realign a portion of Lemmon Drive from its existing location further west and place it over the natural berm near Swan Lake. The shift will begin at the approximate intersection of Deodar Way/Lemmon Drive and continue to the intersection of Pompe Way/Lemmon Drive.
Question: Will this project help mitigate flooding?
Answer: This project will provide transportation resiliency for the community, but will not have an impact on flooding. The realigned roadway will be elevated above the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 100-year floodplain elevation. Large culverts will be located beneath the elevated roadway providing equalization between Swan Lake and the new retention basins to the east of the new alignment. Additionally, for each cubic yard alloted for the elevated roadway, the construction team will remove 1.3 cubic yards of soil from the project area. This will allow extra space for water retention, but is not anticipated to have a significant impact on flooding mitigation. Washoe County is the lead agency for flood mitigation in this area of our community.
Question: How many lanes of traffic will the project have?
Answer: When it is complete, Lemmon Drive will have two lanes of traffic, one in each direction, north of Palace Drive. Lemmon Drive between Fleetwood Drive and Patrician Drive will increase to two in each direction to improve traffic operations.
Question: What happens to the existing road?
Answer: As we are in the preliminary design phase, discussions on what will happen with the old roadway are ongoing. It could become a frontage road, partially become a frontage road, or be removed.
Question: What happens to the space between the current road and the new alignment?
Answer: That area will be used for volumetric earthwork mitigation and to create basins for water storage. When the project is built up, the construction team will need to account for the space that used to hold water, so the basins will ensure that there is a place for water to go.
Question: Will there be traffic impacts when construction begins?
Answer: This project is not anticipated to have a significant impact on traffic in the community because most of the construction will take place away from the existing Lemmon Drive alignment.
Question: Will there be a multi-use path?
Answer: Yes, in addition to the roadway, there will be a multi-use path built as part of the project that can be used for walking or biking. All modes of non-vehicular traffic can use the path.
Question: Will construction impact Lemmon Valley Elementary School?
Answer: RTC will work with our contractor to ensure the safety of students and staff during the construction process.
Question: How much will this project cost and where will the funding come from?
Answer: The Lemmon Drive Traffic Improvements & Resiliency Project is estimated at $50 million, resulting in a significant investment into the North Valleys community. The project will be funded with RTC fuel tax and federal funds, including $4 million in Congressionally Designated Spending for design and a $25 million US DOT Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant for construction.
Question: When will construction begin?
Answer: The project is in the RTC’s five-year plan. First, the project will go through an environmental-review process in compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) from summer 2023 through winter 2024. The project will also go through the design phases and right-of-way acquistion from fall 2023 through summer 2025. Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2025 and be completed by the end of 2026, weather permitting.