EAST WILLIAM STREET PROJECT

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) transferred East William Street to Carson City after the completion of the I-580 Freeway. Prior to the freeway, East William Street was a state highway (US Highway 50) serving as a major roadway to move vehicle traffic quickly through Carson City. The current roadway is wide, with traffic moving at higher speeds, and there are few bicycle or pedestrian amenities. In some sections, there are no sidewalks. While traffic has decreased since the completion of the freeway, crashes have increased. Blocks are long, and intersections with protected pedestrian crossings are infrequent. The result is a vehicle focused corridor with only minimal accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Now under Carson City ownership, City planners and engineers are working to transform the corridor between N. Carson Street and the I-580 interchange from a vehicle dominated thoroughfare to a destination roadway shared by all users including drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians; otherwise known as a Complete Street.

Carson City has officially launched the East William Street Complete Street Project, a comprehensive infrastructure upgrade spanning the corridor from Carson Street to I-580. This major initiative represents the fourth corridor revitalization project funded through the 1/8th cent sales tax approved by voters in 2014, following the successful completion of Downtown Carson, Downtown Curry, and South Carson Street projects.

The East William Street Project encompasses a complete transformation of the corridor infrastructure, beginning with the relocation of overhead utilities underground from Carson Street to Saliman Road. Aging water and sewer systems throughout the corridor will be completely replaced to provide enhanced reliability for properties and businesses in the area. New storm drain infrastructure will be installed to improve drainage and treat stormwater runoff, addressing drainage concerns along the corridor.

Transportation and accessibility improvements will include the replacement of deteriorated sidewalks and driveways, the addition of dedicated bike lanes, and the construction of new sidewalks and multi-use pathways to improve connectivity for all users. Traffic signal upgrades will be implemented throughout the corridor, along with enhanced street lighting and comprehensive landscaping to create a more attractive and functional streetscape.

Construction is expected to continue through mid-summer 2026, with varying levels of traffic and access impacts anticipated as different phases are completed. The construction approach will progress from west to east, with the most significant construction activities concentrated at the western end of the project corridor.

Throughout the construction period, residents and visitors are strongly encouraged to continue supporting local businesses along the East William Street corridor. The construction team is committed to maintaining property and business access throughout all phases of the project while completing this major corridor upgrade that will enhance infrastructure, connectivity, and quality of life for the Carson City community.

Stay Informed

Project Updates: Progress updates will be posted here on our project page.
Traffic Reports: Visit CarsonNow.org every Sunday for the latest Road Report. In addition, an interactive map of current road closures and lane restrictions can be found via the "Carson City Road Report" link at: https://www.carson.org/government/departments-g-z/public-works/transportation

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

Latest Update

Archived Updates

UPDATE – 10/20/2025

**William St./Carson St. Intersection Closures October 20^th through 30^th**

As part of the William Street Project, crews will be completing major underground utility improvements in the intersection of Carson and William Street from October 20^th through October 30th. Please plan ahead for delays and detours in this area. Work will include new sewer and water line installation as well as traffic signal underground infrastructure. Thank you for your patience as we make these important improvements!

🔹 Week of October 20
➡️ Full closure Mon–Fri, 6am–6pm for new waterline installation.
➡️ During non-working hours, one lane in each direction (North/South) will reopen.
➡️ East/West travel will remain closed 24 hours a day.

🔹 Week of October 27
➡️ Full closure begins Sun evening, Oct. 26 at 6pm, continuing 24 hours/day through Thurs afternoon (Oct. 30).

UPDATE – 9/23/2025

Underground Utility Installation Continues and Storm Drainage Improvements Begin

Construction crews are mostly complete with the underground infrastructure that will house the overhead power and communication lines. Next up will be coordinating with Nevada Energy, ATT, and Charter to populate the underground conduit and work on re-supplying service to adjacent properties through the newly installed improvements. Construction of the storm drainage improvements is also underway. Inlets are being added between Carson and Roop so that water no longer needs to run a long distance in the curb before entering the underground storm drainage system. Water and sewer system improvements will be underway soon!

UPDATE – 8/26/2025

Underground Utility Installation Progresses on William Street

Construction crews are currently installing underground conduit to relocate overhead power and communication lines along William Street. The contractor has completed the primary conduit run from Carson to Roop Street and is now extending the system toward Saliman Street. These conduits will accommodate NV Energy power lines as well as Charter and AT&T communication infrastructure.
This undergrounding initiative represents a key step in modernizing the William Street corridor and advancing the city's vision of creating an integrated Complete Streets network. The utility relocation phase is scheduled for completion by mid-October 2025, with Complete Streets improvements beginning concurrently in early September.

UPDATE – 5/29/2025

Construction activities for the East William Street Project are scheduled to begin June, 2025. Carson City will host a pre-construction public meeting regarding construction schedule and activities for the project on Tuesday, June 3^rd, 2025 for the public to meet with City staff and ask questions regarding the project. The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Bonanza Room at the Carson City Community Center located at 851 E William St, Carson City, NV 89701.

During the public meeting, Carson City Public Works will present information on the following:

Project Background and Overview
Construction Process and Schedule
How to Stay Informed as the Project Progresses

A PDF of the pre-construction public meeting presentation slides will be posted to this website after the meeting.

UPDATE - Feb 12, 2025

The East William Street Complete Street Project will be advertised for contractor bids February-March of 2025. Once bids are received, the City will review and award the construction contract. The City is fortunate to receive federal funding for the project and with the funding comes additional steps for advertising, reviewing, and awarding the construction contract. The following is the latest schedule for what to expect in the coming months:

February – March: Project advertised for contractor bids
March – April: Receive bids, review, and submit for approval to award
April – May: Award construction contract
June: Hold pre-construction public meeting
Summer 2025: Begin construction!
Additional information will be provided on the construction public meeting and schedule as it is available.

Schedule

Public Outreach

BACKGROUND

East William Street Neighborhood Improvement District

Information on maintenance standards and NID assessments for the City’s two existing Improvement Districts can be found at the planning-division.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors enacted a one-eighth-percent sales tax in 2014 to help fund improvements to the City’s primary commercial corridors, including the East William Street project. The approved Plan of Expenditure for the sales tax included a provision that an assessment district would be formed as part of each corridor project to contribute funding annually to the city to provide for routine maintenance required for the corridors such as cleaning sidewalks, maintaining landscaping, servicing trash receptacles, etc. Such a district was formed for the maintenance of the Downtown Carson, Curry Streetscape, and South Carson Projects constructed in 2016, 2018, and 2020. All three were funded by Neighborhood Improvement Districts (NIDs).

The formation of a NID can provide the following benefits:
• Increase in property values
• Attract new businesses and visitors to the corridor
• Sustainable and dedicated funding to ensure quality maintenance and preservation of infrastructure and roadway beatification improvements

All the planned street corridor projects are designed to improve each corridor segment by: (1) enhancing business access; (2) increasing safety through lighting and roadway improvements; (3) improving pedestrian access and connectivity; (4) adding bike lanes; and (5) enhancing aesthetics through parkway landscaping and streetscape improvements. All such improvements have been proposed in an effort to make the corridors more inviting to the public and thereby increase the attractiveness of the local businesses located along the corridors, which will increase the City’s economic vitality.

The East William Street Project is designed with the intent to meet all the strategic objectives listed above. The project’s purpose is to convert the East William Street corridor into more productive uses that facilitate comfortable, convenient, and safe travel for pedestrians and cyclists; improve access to abutting businesses; spur private investment in this important and vibrant commercial corridor; increase driver safety; as well as create a more aesthetically pleasing and inviting gateway into our City. The overall project will include complete streets improvements from Carson Street to the I-580 Freeway, as well as significant upgrades and expansion to critical utility infrastructure along the corridor.

FAQS

FAQ: EAST WILLIAMS COMPLETE STREETS PROJECT

The first step to the complete street transformation of East William Street is the completion of a Feasibility Study to determine what improvements can be made. The Feasibility Study will examine features including safety, beautification, traffic operations, and bicycle and pedestrian enhancements. The Feasibility Study limits begin at North Carson Street and continue east to the interchange of I-580, approximately 1.5 miles. During the Feasibility Study, the engineering team will also evaluate utility and stormwater improvement needs throughout the corridor to accomplish a “dig once” approach.

Environmental Review

1. Programmatic Categorical Exclusion and Checklist

2. 4(f) De Minimis Determination

3. Purpose and Need

Exhibit A East William St ROW TM FINAL

Exhibit B East William Street Architectural Inventory Final Report

Exhibit C East William St Enviro - Aquatic Resources Final

Exhibit D Floodplain Maps

Exhibit E East William St Enviro - Biological Resources Final

Exhibit F East William St Enviro - Section 4f 6f Final

Exhibit G Farmland Map

Exhibit H Coastal Zone Map

Exhibit I East William St Enviro - Hazards Final - Compiled

Exhibit J Dust & Noise Control

Exhibit K EJ Update Memo Final

Exhibit L East William St Enviro - Title VI Memo Final

CAMPO - East William Complete Streets Feasibility Study

campo

CAMPO- East William Complete Streets Feasibility Study

Media

Meetings

2023 MEETINGS

East William Street 60 Percent QA

E William Street 60 Percent Summary of Questionnaire

E William Street 60 Percent Design Boards

2022 Meetings

Carson City is embarking on its’ third Complete Streets Project following the successful Downtown and South Carson corridor transformations. Carson City Public Works hosted a public meeting on May 3, 2022 at the Sherriff’s Office to discuss the East William Complete Streets Project feasibility, funding, and to present the preferred alternative for improvements to each corridor segment. The preferred alternative for East William Complete Streets Corridor has been separated into four segments: