VEGAS INC Magazine - Latest Las Vegas business news, features and commentaries about gaming, tourism, real estate and more
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/127108
IN BUSINESS TRANSPORTATION RTC BOSS SAYS FUEL TAX HIKE NEEDED TO FUND ROAD PROJECTS By Richard N. Velotta senior staff writer Transportation experts say if lawmakers don't approve legislation to increase revenue for street and road projects, they'd have only about $22.4 million a year for new construction — about enough to build one freeway interchange, one mile of road or one beltway segment without bridges. Members of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada received a briefing last month from General Manager Tina Quigley, who made a similar presentation to legislators in March. Quigley said transportation leaders developed a list of unfunded projects needed over the next 10 years costing $4.5 billion. That list was whittled to "critical needs" projects that had a price tag of $807.6 million. Among the projects deemed criti- cal that could be without funding are development of Nevada's portion of the proposed Interstate 11, including the two-phase bypass of Boulder City, improving the Las Vegas Beltway to freeway standards, widening U.S. 95 between Ann Road and Kyle Canyon, and a new Interstate 15 interchange just south of Mesquite. Other projects that could go unfunded are traffic control features, including ramp meters, the timing and coordinating of traffic signals, dynamic message signs and traffic cameras; improvements to Maryland Parkway between downtown and the airport; improvements to Paradise Road in conjunction with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority's convention center improvement project; and a series of "complete streets" improvements that would widen sidewalks, add bicycle lanes, improve street intersections and add landscape and light streets. DOWNTOWN TOGETHER COURTS WORKERS WIN CASE FOR OVERTIME By Cy Ryan staff writer CARSON CITY — A federal appeals court has ruled that warehouse workers in Las Vegas and Fernley should be paid for time they spend going through security checks at the end of their shifts. But the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said the employees were not entitled to be paid for 10 minutes spent walking to and from lunch. Jesse Busk and Laurie Castro sued for themselves and other workers at Integrity Staffing Solutions, which has warehouses in the two cities that fill orders placed by Amazon.com customers. At the end of their shifts, the workers alleged, they had to wait 25 minutes to be searched and pass through metal detectors in an effort by the company to prevent theft. Busk and Castro are hourly workers and maintained they should be compensated for the time spent in security clearance. Federal Judge Roger Hunt of Las Vegas originally ruled against them. But the appeals court, in an opinion by Judge Sidney Thomas, said the security check was done for the benefit of the company and workers "have stated a plausible claim for relief." The court, however, upheld Hunt's ruling that the 10 minutes spent by workers going to and from the lunchroom "is not a work duty." | 6 M AY 2 0 1 3 20130506_VI13_F.indd 13 | "We're proud to be building our new downtown headquarters with the strong financial relationship we have with our banker, Sarah Guindy, and the Bank of Nevada team." Robert Eglet, Senior Partner Eglet Wall Christiansen To read their story, visit bankofnevada.com/eglet 4/13 702.248.4200 Bank of Nevada is an affiliate of Western Alliance Bancorporation 13 5/2/13 2:53:00 PM