The federal Interior Department says it'll spend $16.7 million in stimulus funds to improve roads at Lake Mead National Recreation Area in southern Nevada.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced Monday that work will begin this month on Lakeshore Road and Northshore Road under an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 contract with Las Vegas Paving Corp.

The project includes widening, safety repairs and repaving 17.5 miles of road from Redstone to the Overton boundary line.

Salazar says the project will complete improvements to a 60-mile long lakeside corridor four years ahead of schedule.

Nevada Commission on Tourism official Connie Mancillas says future plans call for applying for state scenic byway designation for the route.