Nevada, Arizona lawmakers tout Interstate 11

WASHINGTON - Nevada and Arizona lawmakers are pressing Congress to designate an interstate highway link between Las Vegas and Phoenix.

The cities, which have been among the fastest growing over the past decade, are the only major metropolitan areas not connected by an interstate, the lawmakers said in a letter endorsing an Interstate 11.

The project would complete a highway corridor stretching from Mexico to Canada, a priority of business interests and a key to economic growth in the U.S. mountain states, they said.

The letter, signed by Nevada's three U.S. House members and seven from Arizona, was sent to House leaders preparing to convene a conference committee with the Senate next week on highway legislation.

The Senate bill contains a provision by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., making the U.S. Highway 93 corridor between Las Vegas and Phoenix eligible for federal funding to upgrade to expressway standards.

"We request the conference committee agreement include the Senate-passed language," the lawmakers said in the letter sent Friday to Rep. John Mica, R-Fla..

He is chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rep. Nick Rahall of West Virginia is the panel's lead Democrat.

Those signing the letter included Reps. Joe Heck and Mark Amodei, both R-Nev., and Shelley Berkley, D-Nev.

Signers from Arizona were Republican Reps. Trent Franks, Ben Quayle, Paul Gosar, Jeff Flake and David Schweikert and Democrats Ed Pastor and Raul Grijalva.

Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760. Follow him on Twitter @STetreaultDC.