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Located in the high desert of northwestern Nevada, 30 miles south of Reno and just 25 minutes from Lake Tahoe, Carson City is the capital of Nevada. Carson City retains the best vestiges of a frontier town with a well-preserved historic district and several annual events that showcase the Old West.
Once the smallest capital in the United States, Carson City now has a population of 53,000 and has outgrown that distinction as its traffic has outgrown its streets. Newcomers, tourists, long-time residents, truckers and others crowd the roads in and around Carson City. To alleviate congestion on the main street through town, the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) is constructing the Carson City Freeway. This Freeway will be the state capital's first above grade roadway. It will block views of the mountains and limit the feeling of space that is part of the quality of life in Carson City. The Freeway is the largest construction project ever to be built in Carson City. Phase I went to bid in early 2000 and should be completed in 2005-06.
The time is right
Highway beautification has become a state priority due in part to GROW’s efforts on behalf of the Carson City Freeway. In 2000, Nevada’s Attorney General Frankie Sue del Papa chaired a committee to develop “A Landscape and Aesthetics Master Plan for Nevada State Highway System”. GROW was a member of this committee. The plan was approved by the Nevada Board of Transportation and is being implemented on the second phase of the Freeway. Funding is provided for implementation of this plan but it was not retroactive to Phase I of the Freeway.
GROW's mission is to ensure the establishment of a low maintenance, water efficient landscape on the slopes, interchanges, and gateways of the Carson City Freeway using native or naturalized plants.
GROW is a grassroots organization that started as a cooperative effort of Master Gardener volunteers and concerned citizens of the community. It obtained its non-profit 501 (c)3 status in June 1999. Membership in the organization is open to all individuals, without regard to race, color, creed, or national origin, who subscribe to the purposes for which this organization was formed.
Thanks to the expertise of the Master Gardeners, professionals in the landscape field and dedicated citizens, the landscape plan is carefully crafted and environmentally sound. Using native or naturalized plants, boulders and a low maintenance, water efficient system, the planned landscaping will incorporate a variety of plant life blending with the surrounding hills, yet be essentially self-sufficient after the plants are established.
GROW’s mission will mitigate the visual impact of the Freeway as it cuts Carson City in half by ensuring landscaping or planting of the gateways, interchanges and adjacent slopes of the Carson City Freeway with native and naturalized vegetation to blend the structure into the surrounding hills. The goal—an attractive, low maintenance landscape that beautifies the Freeway, offers visual mitigation to the community and makes the multi-purpose path more enjoyable.
To date, NDOT has allocated funds for erosion control of the embankment, slopes and interchanges along
the nine-mile freeway, NDOT’s current plan includes a limited amount of berming and topsoil,
placement of large boulders and seeding with a mixture of native plants and grasses. NDOT is
providing a starting point, but with GROW’s plan we can greatly improve the finished product
and create landscaping that will blend with the natural beauty of the surrounding hills.
This improvement does come at a price. GROW’s plan for landscaped interchanges and gateway will
require additional funds, predominantly for drip irrigation and the planting of trees and larger
shrubs. GROW believes this is essential, however, because seeding without irrigation will take
years to produce mature plants.
The cooperative effort that has evolved between GROW, the government of Carson City, NDOT, and the
Federal Highway Administration can be noted in the additional effort that NDOT is expanding.
However, since Phase I of the Carson City Freeway will not be covered by the Nevada Landscape
and Aesthetics Master Plan, since it was begun before the plans adoption, we need your help to secure the necessary funds before the opportunity to create a visually pleasing landscape along the freeway is delayed or even lost forever.
GROW'S VISION OF A LANDSCAPED FREEWAY
These ideas have been developed by GROW to provide a common conceptual vision concerning the
landscaping of the slopes & gateways of the Carson City Bypass.
The GROW landscape plan is good for Carson City. It will:
- Preserve aesthetic appeal of Carson City
- Provide recreational and educational opportunities for Carson City residents and visitors
- Mediate smog and improve air quality
- Control erosion
- Control noxious weed growth
- Minimize use of toxic chemicals
- Enhance the image of our state capital as a scenic city that values the quality of life of its citizens
The Look
- Similar to the surrounding hillsides with native or naturalized plants
- Use of large boulders, small rock and organic mulches for variety
- Use of drought tolerant flower mixes
- Minimum of concrete on the slopes
- Plants that are almost self-maintaining when mature
- Plants that use a minimum of water when mature
- Use of a variety of trees, shrubs, & flowers, which meet the above criteria
Maintenance
- Develop long term maintenance plan and funding
- Facilities to accommodate automated irrigation systems
- Use of volunteers in private/public partnership
- Establish soil specifications so that plants will thrive
- Use of appropriate plantings that will require minimum maintenance & water
Benefits
- Mediate smog/air quality & environmental pollution
- Erosion control
- Noxious weed control
- Minimize use of toxic chemicals
- Provide recreational & educational opportunities for Carson City residents
- Preserve aesthetic appeal of Carson City
- Enhance Carson City's image as scenic city with regard for the quality of life.
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Present
The Carson City Bypass has been on the maps for over forty years. It is finally
becoming a reality. Presently the largest construction project in the history of Carson
City has no funds budgeted for landscaping. There is a feeling of open space in Carson
City and a view of the mountains from almost everywhere in town.
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Proposed by NDOT - without landscaping
If allowed to continue as planned, the Bypass will be an elevated roadway 20 feet high
topped by a 12-Foot sound barrier wall. It will be a wall of bare dirt, concrete, and
weeds, an eyesore for our community. It will block many views of the mountains.
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Proposed by GROW - with landscaping
The immediate goal is to landscape Phase I of the Bypass with native and naturalized
trees, flowers, and shrubs. Landscaping the Bypass will mediate the impacts of the
freeway on Carson City residents as well as provide community-wide environmental,
aesthetic and economic benefits.
The long-term goal is to ensure the entire length of the Bypass is landscaped and the
multi-purpose path is retained to create a linear park. A landscaped bypass will
maintain the environmental direction of the community, i.e.:
1.) The Open Space Initiative
2.) The landscape ordinances
3.) Downtown beautification
4.) Our designation as a Tree City, USA
The project, a linear park, will benefit both area residents and visitors. |
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Video Describing Landscape Project on Phase I of the Carson City Freeway
is available here.
It is an 80Mb stream, please be patient, or download directly
to you PC. |
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