Beltway plan still on track

      To set the record straight, the western leg of the Las Vegas Beltway will be finished on schedule.
      Representatives from Clark County and The Howard Hughes Corp. assured Summerlin and Northwest residents that the western leg of the new road system will reach West Cheyenne Avenue by 2004 as planned.
      "What people don't realize a lot of times is that we are ahead of schedule on this portion of the Beltway," said Lance Malone, a member of the Clark County Commission. "We accelerated the plan in order to make sure folks in the Northwest had alternate routes to reach home and work. We are still on schedule to finish the project all the way to Summerlin Parkway by the year 2000, but the next leg to Cheyenne might take until 2004."
      Many people had raised concerns about the phantom delay, believing the original schedule had slated that portion of the new freeway to also be completed by 2000. In actuality, the county and The Hughes Corp. are ahead of schedule.
      "When we reached an agreement with the county it was to excavate the complete beltway up to Summerlin Parkway by 2000," said Jeffrey Rhoads, director of advance planning for Summerlin. "We will complete that on time but the leg going to Cheyenne might take the addition time up to the original schedule for completion."
      Recent media reports had claimed the county and The Hughes Corp. were at odds over an apparent reversal of commitment from Summerlin to complete the entire project up to Cheyenne by 2000. Both parties said that perception simply isn't true.
      "I think we have had some misinformation out there in regards to this project," Rhoads said. "The original plan was to have the western leg completed by 2004. The county then accelerated the project and we agreed to it up to Summerlin Parkway."
      The fact The Hughes Corp. is even involved with the project is unprecedented. The parent company that develops Summerlin has given precious lands to create the beltway and agreed to excavate the site at a lower cost than the county could build it. The Hughes Corp. will then turn around and sell the right-of-way to Clark County at a significantly discounted rate.
      "I know sometimes people paint us differently but what we have done here goes above and beyond what most corporations do," Rhoads said. "It really is a breakthrough partnership and it is going well. It's hard to understand why some think otherwise."
      Malone agrees with Rhoads and said the possibility of the beltway being finished up to Cheyenne still could happen -- with some luck.
      "When you are talking about excavating and removing that much earth it becomes a serious problem," Malone said. "If Summerlin can find a place for it I can see the project being completed up to Cheyenne by 2002. The worst case scenario is completion on the normal schedule by 2004. Either way we are not behind schedule on the project and neither is Summerlin.
      "The Howard Hughes Corp. and Summerlin have been a fantastic community partner during the course of this whole project. They are really the people who have made it possible for us to accelerate this project and open the beltway far ahead of its projected schedule."
      The perceived slowdown on the western half of the beltway is easily understandable considering why The Hughes Corp. may have to slow down on excavation of the beltway from Summerlin Parkway to West Cheyenne Avenue.
      Finding a home for excavated earth is often a difficult job. Once the dirt is removed, it is usually purchased by other construction or development companies. The problem lies in the fact that sometimes, the supply of dirt far exceeds the demand.
      Because The Hughes Corp. has far more dirt than the market demands, it must slow work on the project. Should demand increase for excavated earth, then The Hughes Corp. may be able to complete the project on the accelerated plan.
      Malone held a town hall meeting at Becker Middle School concerning the beltway to ask for public input. Many thought the meeting would turn into a confrontation between residents and the two principals in the beltway project. What occurred was actually the opposite.
      Although the county sent out 14,000 notices announcing the meeting, only 50 residents attended the meeting.
      "I think that shows that this issue really is a non-issue," Malone said. "People here support the project and they want to see it move forward and be finished so they can hurry and use it."
      The only point of contention remaining was whether or not to build an interchange at West Lake Mead Boulevard. A small group of Sun City and Summerlin residents had complained about the possibility of a major interchange with the beltway being in their backyard.
      But in the end, all but five residents raised their hand in support of the added interchange.
      "I live in Sun City and if they don't build an interchange at Lake Mead I will have to drive all the way around to Cheyenne or down Anasazi," said Milton Brach. "Since there is no access to Cheyenne from Sun City, that creates a problem. And furthermore why would we want more traffic through our neighborhoods down Anasazi?"
      According to The Hughes Corp., if a Lake Mead interchange were not built, traffic on local streets would increase by more than 20 percent. That reason alone is enough to convince Brach.
      "It's simple logic," said Brach, 72. "I understand people are worried about traffic but not building it will make traffic worse."
      Laureen Flader, a Summerlin homeowner who lives near where the beltway and Lake Mead will meet, said she too wants the interchange so her and her family have easy access.
      "What is the point of building this whole thing if we can't get on the thing," Flader said. "I understand the people in Sun City and Summerlin are concerned about traffic. But if they educate themselves and talk to the people involved they will see this is the best option."
      The current beltway plans call for major interchanges at West Charleston Boulevard, West Cheyenne Avenue and at Anasazi Drive and Town Center Drive in Summerlin. An interchange will also be constructed at Summerlin Parkway and the beltway.