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Southwest Energy Efficiency Project Southwest Energy Efficiency Project

Nevada Transportation Blueprint

This report identifies transportation sector strategies that the state of Nevada could implement that would add billions of dollars to the state economy, reduce its dependence on imported oil, save consumers money and create local jobs by improving the efficiency of the transportation system.

The Blueprint demonstrates that implementation of these strategies would save the state between $38 and $57 billion between 2012 and 2050 which will contribute to the creation of thousands of new jobs in the state.  The average household could be expected to save up to $900 in 2020 and $1,500 in 2050 by adoption of these strategies.

Adoption of these strategies would also result in significant environmental and public health benefits from the reduction of tailpipe air pollution and CO2 emissions from vehicles.

These benefits would be accomplished by:

  1. Reducing the growth in vehicle miles traveled through mixed use development.  This will provide convenient access to a broad array of destinations by expanded and improved transit systems and enhanced infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists.
  2. Adjusting transportation prices (road tolls, parking fees and auto insurance) to require drivers to pay a greater share of the cost of maintaining and operating the system.  This will create incentives to reduce the use of single occupancy vehicles.
  3. Eliminating and minimizing demand for gasoline and diesel by promoting conversion of automobile and truck fleets to highly efficient vehicles and to vehicles that operate on electricity rather than petroleum products.
  4. Requiring efficiency improvements for existing vehicles and improving vehicle operating conditions, e.g., more efficient tires, aerodynamic improvements on trucks, lower legal speeds and encouraging more fuel efficient driving and vehicle maintenance behaviors.

Publications


Nevada Transportation Blueprint