Our View: I-580 completion could lead to valley growth

The long wait for the completion of the Interstate 580 may be over next summer.

According to the Nevada Department of Transportation, the freeway, featuring the Galena Creek Bridge, is very close to completion after eight years and $500 million.

When it's completed the highway will carry 30,000 cars a day. Opening the freeway extension that will eliminate the drive through Pleasant Valley at lower speeds could be an economic boon for Carson City.

We see the potential for new residents, escaping the city, and finding new homes in the capital and its surrounding areas. Coupled with the Carson City bypass, Reno residents seeking a more rural lifestyle will be able to commute to their jobs without stopping or slowing down, either in Pleasant Valley or south Reno.

While we've noted some economic migration from northern Carson City due to the bypass, the south will more than take up the slack, and the building industries in Lyon and Douglas counties, both hard hit by the recession, will welcome something in the way of new growth.

There are a few downsides to the completion of the new highway, including making it easier for Carson residents to shop in Reno, but we believe the balance will be in our favor.

A faster way to travel between Carson and Reno will benefit those of our residents who work in Reno, and may bring new residents seeking to enjoy our slower pace of life.