Spanish Springs residents press RTC plan for La Posada crossing as two‑lane road draws opposition

Tom Green, a Spanish Springs resident, opened public comment by telling the board he had “deep deep concerns with the RTC and this planned ROAD that they wanna do over the mountain.” He said the immediate priority should have been widening Interstate 80 and characterized the proposed alignment as a two‑lane road that would funnel too much traffic onto local roads not designed for it.

Donnie Olson, who also lives in the area, echoed Green and pressed officials on safety details. “A 2 lane highway with 1 entrance and 1 exit in case of emergencies is ludicrous to me,” Olson said, adding questions about whether the design would allow big rigs, whether emergency egress is adequate, and whether a toll road would be permitted under Nevada law. Both speakers urged exploring other options, including more robust highway widening or rail and park‑and‑ride solutions.

Several residents and CAB members recounted traffic already diverting onto secondary roads (for example, toward Palomino Valley and Nixon) when congestion builds, raising the prospect that a new connector would concentrate traffic on two‑lane local streets. One attendee urged the CAB to press RTC and NDOT for clearer analyses of emergency access and diversion scenarios.

Commissioner Andrea (as recorded in later announcements) encouraged residents to review the RTC materials online, use the QR code or URL provided by RTC to submit written feedback, and noted that the RTC presentation was based on a feasibility study that is still under discussion. She said RTC is considering multiple options, including rail, and urged residents to submit comments so they are on the record.

What happens next: CAB members agreed to encourage residents to use RTC’s public comment channels and the board flagged the issue for future outreach. RTC and NDOT remain the primary agencies responsible for highway design and approvals; the CAB said it would work to ensure residents’ technical questions about ingress/egress and emergency access are directed to those agencies for response.