Letter to Barbara Boxer, Chairman, and David Vitter, Ranking Member, of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee - Designation for I-11 from Las Vegas to Northern Border
Letter
Chairman Barbara Boxer
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 410
Washington, D.C. 20510-6175
Ranking Member David Vitter
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 456
Washington, D.C. 20510-6176
Dear Chairman Boxer and Ranking Member Vitter:
I write to you today regarding the importance of Interstate 11 (I-11) to the citizens of Nevada and respectfully ask that you include in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) reauthorization a designation for the interstate from Las Vegas to the northern border of Nevada. I appreciate the opportunity to contact you regarding this issue and look forward to working with you to move legislation forward.
As you may know, Nevada welcomed close to 40 million visitors last year which supported 375,000 jobs, making up 46 percent of our workforce. A designation extending I-11 to Nevada's northern border has the potential to open even more markets for tourism and trade, which will create jobs and improve our economy throughout the entire western United States. That is why a project like this will have the regional and the national significance to improve our economy that the Environment and Public Works Committee has looked to move forward under your leadership.
Furthermore, the designation would continue work done in the 2012 MAP-21 bill, which included language that designated I-11 between Las Vegas and Phoenix as part of the "Interstate Highway System." This was an important designation for Las Vegas as it advanced the connection of the only two cities in the nation with populations over 1 million that are not already linked by an interstate. With legislative discussions ongoing regarding the reauthorization of a longer MAP-21 bill, continuing the designation throughout the entire state clearly reflects Nevada's growing needs within the region that cannot afford to wait years until the next reauthorization bill is considered.
Thank you again for the opportunity to share my support for extending I-11 to the northern border of Nevada. The federal government has a strong role to play in these types of transportation projects across the country, and I look forward to working with you on a new Map-21 bill.
Sincerely,
Source