The two barren patches of dirt on the northern corners of Pyramid Way and Victorian Avenue will be getting a little facelift, partially funded by the City of Sparks and partially by the Nevada Department of Transportation. However, commuters getting on and off of Interstate 80 from Pyramid will have to wait for their view to improve. The landscape design should be done in May 2010, according to City of Sparks officials, and the construction should be done by October 2010.

The project took its next step toward reality Monday as the Sparks City Council approved a design services contract with Sparks-based business Odyssey Engineering.

Odyssey will be paid $74,980 for civil engineering services for both of the plots of land.

The total project is estimated to cost $680,360. The department of transportation will be paying for half of that cost with the city taking up the other half.

However, Sparks will also have to cover any costs that might exceed that estimate along with future maintenance, according to the original January contract agreement. Sparks’ share of the funding would not come from the general fund, according to city officials. Rather, the funding would come from enterprise fees, gas and electric and fuel tax revenues.

According to a January presentation on the contract, the landscaping would be designed according to northern Nevada themes, which have yet to be decided on and would not be water intensive.

According to the contract with NDOT, the city of Sparks will be responsible for contracting, constructing, inspecting and making sure the project sees its way to completion.

In a related council item, council approved a $470,000 interlocal agreement with the Regional Transportation Commission for improvements on Victorian Avenue between Pyramid Way and McCarran Boulevard. The RTC is working on a pavement reconstruction project to enhance Victorian between McCarran and Pyramid. The project includes a separated bike path, landscape improvements, new sidewalks, and decorative street lighting. Construction will begin in September and be completed by year's end.

Plans for the project will be on display from 3 to 7 p.m. today at Sparks City Hall. According to RTC spokeswoman Felicia Archer, the public is invited to review and comment on the plan, which includes lane striping changes.

The construction will reduce the road’s width to accommodate a bike path, landscaping, sidewalks, decorative street lighting and parking. Work is set to begin in September and take about three months to complete, Archer said in a release.

The project is the second of two phases. A similar project began earlier from Fourth to 16th streets and is expected to be complete by July 30.