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Author Topic: Reno Spaghetti Bowl  (Read 12764 times)

roadfro

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Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« on: January 13, 2018, 10:43:05 AM »

Thought I had shared this previously... NDOT is in the beginning planning phases of making improvements to the Reno Spaghetti Bowl (I-80 & I-580/US 395 interchange). The project scope will also include associated improvements on I-80 between Virginia Street and Pyramid Way/SR 445 (so may also address limitations on the viaduct over the Nugget casino) and on US 395 from Moana Lane to N. McCarran Blvd.

Two public meetings have already been held, and three initial concepts have been developed. Planning and environmental studies expected to go through 2020.

http://ndotspaghettibowl.com/
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Kniwt

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2018, 06:42:07 PM »

NDOT has released a preliminary video rendering of the project:

Story:
https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2018/10/05/heres-what-reno-new-spaghetti-bowl-xpress-might-look-like/1534852002/

Quote
Plans to improve Reno’s main freeway interchange saw extra mileage this week with the release of an early 3D video rendering of the Spaghetti Bowl Xpress project.

The Nevada Department of Transportation stressed that the bird’s eye view rendering is preliminary and that “no design plans are finalized,”  according to Public Information Officer Meg Ragonese. At the same time, NDOT also wanted to give the public an idea of what the proposed improvements might look like as the agency continues to seek public comment about the project.
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sparker

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2018, 07:11:15 PM »

^^^^^^^
From the information provided by the video, it looks like the project is mainly aimed at improving SB I-580/US 395 traffic flow at and south of the I-80 interchange; the interchange itself, except for the EB>SB ramp, isn't seeing any major alteration (such as replacing the loops with flyovers). Since that interchange is now about 45 years old -- and the region has experienced quite a bit of overall growth -- it seems that a comprehensive interchange revamping -- including flyover construction -- would be appropriate (I've personally witnessed backups at the site, primarily with the NB>WB transition).  Just wondering if any such upgrade plans are being considered for the not-too-distant timeframe?   
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roadfro

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2018, 01:16:24 PM »

From the information provided by the video, it looks like the project is mainly aimed at improving SB I-580/US 395 traffic flow at and south of the I-80 interchange; the interchange itself, except for the EB>SB ramp, isn't seeing any major alteration (such as replacing the loops with flyovers). Since that interchange is now about 45 years old -- and the region has experienced quite a bit of overall growth -- it seems that a comprehensive interchange revamping -- including flyover construction -- would be appropriate (I've personally witnessed backups at the site, primarily with the NB>WB transition).  Just wondering if any such upgrade plans are being considered for the not-too-distant timeframe?   

You might want to take another look at the original post  ;-)

NDOT is studying a comprehensive revamp of the Reno Spaghetti Bowl to include reconstruction of most major movement ramps at the interchange and modification of several service interchanges in all directions around the bowl. Three major alternatives have been presented with varying levels of complexity, with alternative 1 being the most ambitious (maintaining all current movements with a lot of ramp weaving and a greatly increased footprint of the bowl) and the other two alternatives being smaller in scale (with possible elimination of some ramps at surrounding service interchanges). The main project may also address the limitations of the Nugget viaduct on I-80 (mostly depicted in alternative 2). Planning for this project began in 2016, with two public meetings being held during 2017. They're looking at a final NEPA decision and selection of preferred alternative in 2020, with construction possibly being completed in as many as five phases after that point.


The video above is a rendering of the "Spaghetti Bowl Express" project ("SBX"), which is being billed as "phase 1" of the overall project and is to be implemented in the short-term. The SBX project is expected to address some of the most problematic issues in the existing Spaghetti Bowl: the EB I-80 to SB US 395 movement, as well as lane drops and weaving problems on SB US 395 SB between the I-80 overpass and the Mill St interchange. The SBX is expected to go to final design next year and construction in 2020, with a completion date of fall 2021.
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Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

sparker

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2018, 02:38:45 PM »

^^^^^^^^
OK -- hadn't gotten around to slogging through the NDOT "preliminary" PDF's; looks like the ultimate plan -- whenever that occurs -- is a full turbine interchange enhanced by provisions for local access.  The plans look pretty impressive.  Any rough idea about what the possible timeframe is for this interchange revamping?
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bing101

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2018, 08:10:11 PM »



Spaghetti Bowl has been included in one of Interstate Kyle's tour of I-580 from Carson City to Reno.
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roadfro

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2018, 11:23:28 AM »

Last night, I went to a public hearing on this project. The Draft EIS identifies Alternative 2 as the preferred alternative, although there are some slight modifications from the original concepts. Construction would take place over five stages spread out over about 20 (!!) years, with Phase 1 still being the Spaghetti Bowl Express project mentioned previously, which is anticipated to go to construction in 2020.

Alt 2 would install a DDI at Plumb Lane and remove the direct ramps to the airport along I-580. The airport has a compromise proposal that would keep the southbound ramp. NDOT is looking for comment on that as well. (I would prefer to see both ramps kept, and am not so sure on a roundabout proposed at the airport main entrance...)

Probably the biggest impact from a traffic operations perspective is that Alt 2 would eliminate the 4th/Prater and Rock Blvd interchanges and replace them with an interchange at Kietzke Lane (with frontage roads connecting Kietzke to Rock Blvd). It would also connect Nugget Ave to Rock Blvd (which would provide Rock some access to the Pyramid Way interchange as well.

Apparently, NDOT/consultants have used a new style or format for this document that is supposed to be easier for the public to read and comprehend–I haven't looked yet to confirm. Public comment period on the Draft EIS runs through January 15, 2019.

I don't think the revised concepts have been uploaded to the project website yet.
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gonealookin

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2018, 05:49:18 PM »

Alt 2 would install a DDI at Plumb Lane and remove the direct ramps to the airport along I-580. The airport has a compromise proposal that would keep the southbound ramp. NDOT is looking for comment on that as well. (I would prefer to see both ramps kept, and am not so sure on a roundabout proposed at the airport main entrance...)

The Airport Authority has gone so far as to put a Save The Ramp! page on their website:

https://renoairport.com/airport-authority/save-ramp

Most of the traffic into the airport uses that existing flyover ramp from southbound I-580.  My feeling is, if that's removed, several years later they'll think "Why the heck did we do that?" and will start the planning to add it back in.
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SSR_317

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #8 on: December 15, 2018, 12:10:08 PM »

Alt 2 would install a DDI at Plumb Lane and remove the direct ramps to the airport along I-580. The airport has a compromise proposal that would keep the southbound ramp. NDOT is looking for comment on that as well. (I would prefer to see both ramps kept, and am not so sure on a roundabout proposed at the airport main entrance...)

The Airport Authority has gone so far as to put a Save The Ramp! page on their website:

https://renoairport.com/airport-authority/save-ramp

Most of the traffic into the airport uses that existing flyover ramp from southbound I-580.  My feeling is, if that's removed, several years later they'll think "Why the heck did we do that?" and will start the planning to add it back in.
Yes, this NDOT proposal seems to be an insane one. I have used that ramp on several occasions when visiting the area. The planners must either be out-of-state consultants, or don't care because being based in Carson City they always access RNO from the south. Or, perhaps, they're just cost-cutting (penny-wise, pound foolish) to eliminate an expensive to maintain flyover.
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Plutonic Panda

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #9 on: December 30, 2018, 06:10:22 PM »

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gonealookin

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2019, 06:52:03 PM »

Alt 2 would install a DDI at Plumb Lane and remove the direct ramps to the airport along I-580. The airport has a compromise proposal that would keep the southbound ramp. NDOT is looking for comment on that as well. (I would prefer to see both ramps kept, and am not so sure on a roundabout proposed at the airport main entrance...)

The Airport Authority has gone so far as to put a Save The Ramp! page on their website:

https://renoairport.com/airport-authority/save-ramp

Most of the traffic into the airport uses that existing flyover ramp from southbound I-580.  My feeling is, if that's removed, several years later they'll think "Why the heck did we do that?" and will start the planning to add it back in.
Yes, this NDOT proposal seems to be an insane one. I have used that ramp on several occasions when visiting the area. The planners must either be out-of-state consultants, or don't care because being based in Carson City they always access RNO from the south. Or, perhaps, they're just cost-cutting (penny-wise, pound foolish) to eliminate an expensive to maintain flyover.

Looks like NDOT got smacked upside the head hard enough on this that the direct ramp from southbound I-580 into the airport has now been added back in to the project.  The direct ramp exiting the airport onto northbound I-580 is not going to survive though.

https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2019/02/13/spaghetti-bowl-ndot-preferred-plan-retain-southbound-airport-ramp/2860641002/

The video embedded at the top of that article appears to be the same one as shown in Plutonic Panda's post just above; the direct flyover into the airport isn't shown.
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SSR_317

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2019, 03:22:00 PM »


Looks like NDOT got smacked upside the head hard enough on this that the direct ramp from southbound I-580 into the airport has now been added back in to the project.  The direct ramp exiting the airport onto northbound I-580 is not going to survive though.

https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2019/02/13/spaghetti-bowl-ndot-preferred-plan-retain-southbound-airport-ramp/2860641002/

The video embedded at the top of that article appears to be the same one as shown in Plutonic Panda's post just above; the direct flyover into the airport isn't shown.
So it appears that common sense has regained the upper hand. That's good news for the driving public, especially those headed to RNO.
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Kniwt

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Reno Spaghetti Bowl expansion (through 2039) gets federal approval
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2019, 07:56:08 AM »

KOLO-TV reports:
https://www.kolotv.com/content/news/Federal-Highway-Administration-approves-Reno-spaghetti-bowl-improvements-540113561.html

Quote
The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) plan to improve the Interstate 80 / Interstate 580 interchange in Reno has received a key approval from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

The FHWA approval of NDOT's Record of Decision / Final Environmental Impact Statement allows the project to move to the next phase.

The plan for the so-called Spaghetti Bowl redesign calls for:

- construction of higher-speed ramps
- adding additional interstate lanes in certain areas
- reducing merging and weaving at the interchanges
- enhancements to the interstate shoulder, landscape and other aesthetics

NDOT says, with federal approval in hand, the road improvements will be designed and built in phases through 2039 as funding is identified.

Project website: https://ndotspaghettibowl.com/
Quote
The Department received three proposals from the design-build teams in May and spent several weeks evaluating them. Unfortunately, the proposals were either non-responsive or not cost effective. As judicious stewards of taxpayer funds, the Department elected to cancel the design-build procurement and advance the project using traditional design bid build delivery.
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Plutonic Panda

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2019, 11:08:38 AM »

expected completion date 2039!? Sounds like NDOT needs some more funds.
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Sub-Urbanite

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2019, 01:38:54 PM »

expected completion date 2039!? Sounds like NDOT needs some more funds.

Complex projects take a long time? I mean, Project Neon "started" around 2000. It finished this year. So, a 20-year horizon doesn't seem too absurd.
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Plutonic Panda

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2019, 01:48:20 PM »

expected completion date 2039!? Sounds like NDOT needs some more funds.

Complex projects take a long time? I mean, Project Neon "started" around 2000. It finished this year. So, a 20-year horizon doesn't seem too absurd.
Neon started that long ago? I thought it broke ground just 3 years ago!?
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Sub-Urbanite

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2019, 02:11:35 PM »

expected completion date 2039!? Sounds like NDOT needs some more funds.

Complex projects take a long time? I mean, Project Neon "started" around 2000. It finished this year. So, a 20-year horizon doesn't seem too absurd.
Neon started that long ago? I thought it broke ground just 3 years ago!?

I was able to find an environmental / brownfield hazard report dating to 2005, so that sort of analysis had to have started well before that.
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roadfro

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #17 on: August 15, 2019, 10:29:37 AM »

Complex projects take a long time? I mean, Project Neon "started" around 2000. It finished this year. So, a 20-year horizon doesn't seem too absurd.
Neon started that long ago? I thought it broke ground just 3 years ago!?

I was able to find an environmental / brownfield hazard report dating to 2005, so that sort of analysis had to have started well before that.

It's fair to say planning for Project Neon started in the early/mid 2000s, but actual construction activity (ROW clearing, etc.) started 3-4 years ago.

It's also worth noting that Project Neon was ultimately constructed with the design-build method, which sped up delivery. IIRC, NDOT was originally planning to construct it in separate phases using the traditional design-bid-build method, which definitely would have drawn it out over several more years. Apparently the design-build teams that submitted for the Reno Spaghetti Bowl weren't qualified enough for NDOT to move forward with that.
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Henry

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #18 on: August 15, 2019, 03:16:05 PM »

Well, now that Project Neon has been finished, the spotlight is on the Spaghetti Bowl.

NDOT has released a preliminary video rendering of the project:

Story:
https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2018/10/05/heres-what-reno-new-spaghetti-bowl-xpress-might-look-like/1534852002/

Quote
Plans to improve Reno’s main freeway interchange saw extra mileage this week with the release of an early 3D video rendering of the Spaghetti Bowl Xpress project.

The Nevada Department of Transportation stressed that the bird’s eye view rendering is preliminary and that “no design plans are finalized,”  according to Public Information Officer Meg Ragonese. At the same time, NDOT also wanted to give the public an idea of what the proposed improvements might look like as the agency continues to seek public comment about the project.
I like the rendering of the new interchange and its southern approach. Hopefully I can get to drive through it at least once.
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Plutonic Panda

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #19 on: August 15, 2019, 03:25:20 PM »

Complex projects take a long time? I mean, Project Neon "started" around 2000. It finished this year. So, a 20-year horizon doesn't seem too absurd.
Neon started that long ago? I thought it broke ground just 3 years ago!?

I was able to find an environmental / brownfield hazard report dating to 2005, so that sort of analysis had to have started well before that.

It's fair to say planning for Project Neon started in the early/mid 2000s, but actual construction activity (ROW clearing, etc.) started 3-4 years ago.

It's also worth noting that Project Neon was ultimately constructed with the design-build method, which sped up delivery. IIRC, NDOT was originally planning to construct it in separate phases using the traditional design-bid-build method, which definitely would have drawn it out over several more years. Apparently the design-build teams that submitted for the Reno Spaghetti Bowl weren't qualified enough for NDOT to move forward with that.
Planning seems to be finished or close to it for this project?
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roadfro

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #20 on: August 17, 2019, 01:56:30 PM »

Planning seems to be finished or close to it for this project?

Well, the Final EIS has been approved, so that represents a bulk of planning completed. According to a recent article in the local paper, this FHWA on this EIS took 28 months, which is supposedly the fastest EIS process NDOT's ever had for a major project.

NDOT is fast-tracking the first phase (Spaghetti Bowl Express or SBX), which is going to start in 2020. I think NDOT was fairly committed to doing this part no matter what happened with the rest of the project.
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Plutonic Panda

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #21 on: August 17, 2019, 02:35:24 PM »

Planning seems to be finished or close to it for this project?

Well, the Final EIS has been approved, so that represents a bulk of planning completed. According to a recent article in the local paper, this FHWA on this EIS took 28 months, which is supposedly the fastest EIS process NDOT's ever had for a major project.

NDOT is fast-tracking the first phase (Spaghetti Bowl Express or SBX), which is going to start in 2020. I think NDOT was fairly committed to doing this part no matter what happened with the rest of the project.
On a semi-related note: it would be nice if we could get the EIS process to take around 12-16 months tops. Especially for major infrastructure projects of high priority.
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Sub-Urbanite

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #22 on: August 18, 2019, 02:11:53 PM »

On a semi-related note: it would be nice if we could get the EIS process to take around 12-16 months tops. Especially for major infrastructure projects of high priority.

Sure, it'd be nice. But if the primary goal of an EIS is to manage environmental and cultural impacts, the secondary is to avoid lawsuits.

And that takes time, so that potential litigants can have their say and have their claims analyzed so that they don't end up spending years in court — because the data was already looked at and is ready-made for a judge to consider.

So when you're looking at ensuring there's no significant impact to tribal resources, endangered species, Title VI communities — you essentially are doing the prep for the lawsuit before it's filed, in hopes that through the prep the lawsuit never gets filed.

Because in most cases, if you have a project that requires an EIS? Without that kind of analysis you're guaranteed to have someone suing you.
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Kniwt

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #23 on: December 10, 2019, 11:39:12 PM »

The Reno Gazette-Journal reports on a significant setback for this project: The cost of the first phase has risen to $223 million, and federal funding has been lost:
https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2019/12/09/reno-spaghetti-bowl-xpress-project-losing-federal-funding/4354180002/

Quote
The cost of the Reno-Sparks Spaghetti Bowl Project just got higher. Much higher.

The state is looking at a significantly higher price tag as well as the loss of $95 million in federal funds for the first phase of the Spaghetti Bowl reconstruction after it accepted a new unsolicited proposal to move the delayed project forward.

The first phase of the project – dubbed Spaghetti Bowl Xpress – is now expected to cost $223 million, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation and Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County. The original amount that NDOT quoted for the project was $150 million. A recent decision by the Nevada State Transportation Board of Directors to accept a joint unsolicited bid for the project without seeking competing proposals also means that it no longer qualifies for federal funding.
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Rothman

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Re: Reno Spaghetti Bowl
« Reply #24 on: December 11, 2019, 07:09:51 AM »

In NY, that decision to take an unsolicited, noncompetitive bid would be literally illegal (i.e., criminal).
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