Veterans Parkway (Washoe County, Nevada)

Veterans Parkway is an approximately nine-mile expressway corridor which links the city Sparks to southeast Reno. The corridor begins at the intersection of Sparks Boulevard/Greg Street in Sparks and extends south to Nevada State Route 341 (Geiger Grade Road) in Reno. Veterans Parkway was conceived as the SouthEast Connector in 1954 and was approved by Washoe County in 1964. The corridor was shelved for several decades until being revisited during 2007-2010. Phase II of the SouthEast Connector opened to traffic during July 2018 which made Veterans Parkway a fully functional arterial highway.

Part 1; the history of Veterans Parkway

Veterans Parkway was a corridor first proposed as the SouthEast Connector for the southeast Reno area during 1954. The propose was to serve as an arterial road from Sparks south to the vicinity of Mount Rose Highway and the Geiger Grade. The corridor was approved during 1964 but was ultimately shelved for several decades.

The SouthEast Connector concept began to regain momentum in 2007 when the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County ordered an alignment study. The Phase I corridor alignments were approved as a partial access control expressway between 2008-2010. The Phase II corridor was approved during 2013.

Phase I of the SouthEast Connector included a bridge over the Truckee River in Sparks and much of the actual road north of the Geiger Grade (now Nevada State Route 341). The final 5.5 miles of Phase II was complete on July 6, 2018. The SouthEast Connector since completion has been rebranded as Veterans Parkway.

Part 2; a drive on Veterans Parkway

The corridor of Veterans Parkway can be accessed from Interstate 80 Exit 20 and turning south onto Sparks Boulevard. Southbound Veterans Parkway formally begins in Sparks at the intersection of Sparks Boulevard and Greg Street. The highway climbs above the 2014 era Truckee River Bridge and enters unincorporated Washoe County.

Veterans Parkway enters the city of Reno at Pembroke Drive.

The populated portions of Veterans Parkway in Reno which were part of Phase I have 35 MPH nighttime speed limits. These speeds are due to the presence of wild horses and pedestrian heavy features which line the roadway. The corridor continues south and terminates at a roundabout located at the Geiger Grade (Nevada State Route 341).

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