Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Blunder road: Readers speak out on Las Vegas elevated expressway

Traffic on Strip

Ric Anderson

Traffic backs up near a repair project Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, on northbound Las Vegas Boulevard north of Tropicana Avenue.

Editor’s note: On Aug. 11, the Sun noted that Clark County was seeking written statements from local residents about its proposed elevated expressway connecting McCarran International Airport to the Koval Lane/Paradise Road corridor east of the Las Vegas Strip. In an editorial critical of the proposal, we informed readers of how to submit their comments, and we invited them to share them with us. Today, the Sun presents selected comments. Please note: The writer of the lone comment we received in favor of the expressway would not confirm that he or she submitted it.

Today is the last day the county is taking comments. To submit a comment, click here for an online form or email [email protected].

I would like to take this opportunity to state I am against the building of the expressway. It won't solve the problem of too much traffic in the resort corridor. It doesn't take cars off the streets and ease the traffic problems. The concept is antiquated and proven not to work and would be a complete waste of taxpayer money. Not only would taxpayers would have to pay to build the expressway, they would then be constantly paying for upkeep without any revenue being derived by it. And once it is built, that's it. There would be no expansion or altering it to ease problems in the future.

Light rail is obviously the best way to go. It will generate revenue for upkeep and to pay back initial expenses and it can be expanded to serve other areas as Las Vegas continues to grow.

I strongly suspect the only reason the elevated expressway is even being considered is due to the heavy lobbying and campaign contributions by the taxi cartel. The taxi industry's desire to stagnate the future of Las Vegas for their own gain was demonstrated during the last session of the state assembly.

I urge you to do what you know is the right thing and kill this inane idea of an elevated expressway once and for all so you can concentrate on the things that will move the city and county into a prosperous future.

Michael Petersen, Las Vegas

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Building more freeways to ferry tourists to and from the airport is a terrible idea and a terrible use of public funds. We don't need the congestion and extra cars. Every car on the road adds to time in traffic for locals and increases air pollution, which affects the lives and health of Las Vegas residents. Most tourists don't want a car — they want a convenient and accessible public transit option to the airport. We need a monorail extension, ground-level rapid bus transit or light rail, like every other modern and forward-thinking U.S. city!

Joanne Leovy, Las Vegas

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As a 17-year resident of Clark County, I've seen the county grow, grow, grow. And I wonder what the government is doing to accommodate this growth.

Build more highways. Build more expressways. Build more lanes and flyovers. Build parking structures.

Stop. It is like you are addicted to single-occupancy vehicles.

If you have ever been to the airport and tried to take a taxi home, you can stand in line for two hours, outside, in 100-degree heat. Adding another expressway will not help. You need to move 50-100 people per car or bus, or even better hundreds on mass transit. The elderly in this city need to have options when they get too old to drive. The twentysomethings and the thirtysomethings don't want to own cars. There is not enough parking at the new Raiders stadium site. The expressway cannot address these issues.

Extend the monorail to the airport. Or extend the express dedicated center lane from downtown to the airport and the Strip. Or build a light rail to service the airport and the new Raiders stadium. Or do some combination, but do NOT build an elevated expressway to the airport.

Look at other major cities this size, especially tourist destinations: Phoenix, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., Seattle — they all have marvelous mass transit, a reason to visit there, a reason to move there.

Please join the 21st century and invest the money in mass transit.

Denise Signorelli, Ph.D, Las Vegas

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Why WASTE $200 million dollars on something that will NOT decrease car traffic on the Strip? The smart thing to do would be to put that $200 million toward light rail, and at least get us somewhat ahead of funding for that.

Elevated expressways are UGLY. This is Fabulous Las Vegas! We try to do things that are fashionable, hip, snazzy, cool, appealing to the eye.

I'm not sure this will decrease time to the strip, because this option will not decrease traffic on the strip. It'll just bottleneck at the endpoints.

So let's just drop this elevated expressway talk, and the sooner we drop it and get on with REAL transit solutions the better.

Timothy Williams, Las Vegas

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I agree with the viewpoint articulated in the Aug. 13 Las Vegas Sun editorial that this will not solve the problem, which is essentially too many cars on the road. The only real solution — both practically and economically speaking — is to reduce the number of cars on the road with either a light rail system, bus rapid transit or autonomous shuttles.

Patricia Carrell, Henderson

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I feel the only logical way to alleviate traffic for visitors to our fair city would be to extend the Las Vegas monorail to Mandalay Bay, to McCarran and to Fremont Street downtown. You would eliminate a lot of vehicular traffic and make it much simpler for visitors to get around. Why not transfer ownership of the Las Vegas monorail to the Regional Transportation Commission?

Lawrence Carroll, Las Vegas

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Over the years, a great number of elevated expressways that were built in earlier years have been torn down by the municipalities that original built them. Two examples coming to mind are the Embarcadero expressway in San Francisco and (Cypress Viaduct) in Oakland. Both of these and numerous others were considered way outdated technology and eyesores by the communities they were (are) in. It would seem to me that instead all effort should be put into a light rail system between the Strip and downtown Las Vegas rather than wasting money on spending money on something that in all probability will be torn down in the future.

Along the same vein, the proposal for a light rail along Maryland Parkway is a giant mistake. The real need is for a system that goes from the airport on the Strip to downtown. That is where the ridership will be, not Maryland Parkway.

With all of the projected growth here what is desperately needed is a valleywide light rail service as other cities such as Portland, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Denver have built.

Just spending money on short-term patches is a waste of the very scarce funds available.

Richard Clauser, Las Vegas

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It seems the engineering powers have a fascination with flyovers, roundabouts and bicycle lanes. If there is a simple solution to a traffic problem, then let’s make sure we ignore it. A light-rail system seems a better idea to service the area for visitors and locals alike. Please do not quote me statistics; I live in the real world not in the world of manipulative actuaries.

But when this is approved (no doubt), I hope it will be composed of at least 30 percent bike lanes for people to ignore and roundabouts at all intersections — oh yes, and express lanes for any vehicle with a Raiders parking pass.

Jerome (Jerry) Andreoli Jr., Las Vegas

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Common sense dictates that 1950s-'60s infrastructure is NOT the way to go, as evidenced by the cities nationwide tearing down elevated roadways and/or building light rail/monorail systems. Let's not forget the blight and crime that go with covering these areas with a road!

We already have an existing monorail that can be extended to meet the needs for better access to downtown, airport, convention areas and the new stadium.

This should have been done a long time ago. Huge casino corporations get involved in walkway projects; how about using your influence and yes, dare I say it, your financial support, and get the powers that be get off this antiquated expressway talk.

George O. Johnson, Las Vegas

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This email is being sent to you to express my opposition to the proposed elevated expressway to and from McCarran International Airport. Neither this nor the proposed rail line running down Maryland Parkway will do anything to alleviate future traffic congestion between downtown Las Vegas, the Strip, the new stadium and the airport.

The only real solution involves the use, and expansion, of the Las Vegas Monorail, possible light rail and bus transit. Extending the monorail north through the Premium Outlets and on to downtown Las Vegas, and maybe even to the Cashman Center, and south to Mandalay Bay, the new stadium and the airport would do much to relieve traffic pressure all along the Strip and Interstate 15.

While I usually read the Las Vegas Sun to see what nonsense progressives are embracing at the moment, its recent editorial on the expressway actually has it mostly right. When my wife and I go to San Diego for a variety of reasons, we always check to see if events are near the trolley line and, if so, we try to stay close to a trolley stop. In Phoenix, we don’t worry about staying near Sun Devil Stadium because there is a light rail stop at the stadium.

Please drop this outdated approach to moving people around in or near the central corridor. A bit more research on how other relatively new metropolitan areas are handling the problems of getting masses of people to and from congested destinations will show there are much better approaches than a raised expressway.

R. Wayne Headrick, Ph.D., P.E., North Las Vegas

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As a full-time resident and owner at Marie Antoinette Condominiums, I'm adamantly opposed to this project. I feel this project infringes on my quality of life by restricting the use of my second story balcony. If completed, this will obstruct my views and force me to look at the side of a concrete road, along with more traffic noise, pollution, dust, litter and graffiti.

Property values will also decline, so how will Clark County compensate unit owners? Obviously unit owners will want relief on property taxes and compensated for quality of life issues.

As an alternative to this project, I feel the county should explore the following options that I mentioned at the open house that was held on Aug. 3:

1. Flamingo and Koval. Reconfigure this intersection so eastbound Flamingo would have a double right-hand turn onto southbound, and add elevated pedestrian crossings.

2. Flamingo and Paradise. Reconfigure this intersection so eastbound Flamingo would have a double right-hand turn onto southbound Paradise, and add elevated pedestrian crossing.

3. Harmon and Paradise. Reconfigure this intersection so eastbound Harmon would have a double or possibly a triple right-hand turn onto southbound Paradise. Making this a double turn could be done immediately. Add elevated pedestrian crossings.

4. Koval and Tropicana. Reconfigure this intersection so southbound Koval is a triple left turn onto eastbound Tropicana.

5. Howard Hughes Parkway. Extend southbound to Tropicana.

My suggestions if completed, would address the traffic issues on the "inbound" side of this project. The "outbound" side of the project isn't nearly as urgent as traffic isn't a problem until one reaches the gridlock that is caused by traffic and pedestrians on Las Vegas Boulevard

and nearby cross streets. Why would the county design a system that would add more traffic quicker to existing choke points?

With the road improvements needed for the new Raiders stadium, these funds could be used to address those issues.

Andrew Meachum, Las Vegas

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I live at Tropicana and Eastern and work at the Venetian. I also drive for Lyft. I understand the nature of the challenge addressed by the McCarran Elevated Expressway from first-hand experience. But I don’t think it is the right solution.

First, Koval Lane is becoming a secondary entertainment destination. Topgolf has been successful, and Caesars Entertainment has plans to expand in the direction of Koval Lane. There are empty lots that can be developed and older, smaller businesses that lie on valuable real estate that can be repurposed. Any elevated roadway will limit or kill the incentive for this development.

Second, no matter how you dress up a highway, especially an elevated highway, it visually impairs the environment. Those on the ground to the second or third floor of a building will find their view blocked. Residents of apartments and condominiums along the route will see their quality of life decline along with their resale values. Hotels will find it harder to sell rooms at or below road grade. Their profitability will take a hit. Add the louder road noise of a highway, and the picture of degradation is complete.

Third, any highway, but especially an elevated highway, creates an inhospitable effect. As I viewed the artist renditions of what an elevated highway would look like at various sites along the route in comparison to the current view, I felt a sense of alienation. I can’t explain this deep seated reaction, but can only acknowledge it and express it. I would not find living or driving in this environment appealing.

As I stated above, I understand the challenge of traffic on our streets, especially between McCarran and the Strip. To my way of thinking, the solution involves moving people, not vehicles.

There’s been much talk about light rail. I am not familiar with these plans, but I lived in Phoenix for years. The light rail system had just started when I left. The initial light rail track followed an established, heavily patronized bus route giving it a built-in customer base. That doesn’t appear to be the situation in Las Vegas. In addition, light rail takes space on the ground which means eliminating traffic lanes.

I am in favor of extending the monorail to the airport as well as to downtown Las Vegas. It travels above vehicle traffic, is relatively quiet, and can easily adjust its capacity to meet demand. As a private business it is outside the purview of county government. A public-private joint venture could bridge this gap.

The one item among the presented alternatives that intrigued me was the extension of the Howard Hughes Parkway to Tropicana. I am very much in favor of that. It would shift traffic off of Koval Lane, which is congested from 9 am to 1 am. It would give this commuter and Lyft driver an alternative route that gives me the flexibility to navigate around traffic.

I look forward to the next open house and following the planning process to its completion.

Steve Durham, Las Vegas

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I had an even longer email written but shortened it to basically state that this is, by far, the most stupid idea Las Vegas has ever had. Stay with me, it pays off at the end. Also, I am not trying to hurt anyone's feelings and I hope you all have a great sense of humor to read on and please do.

This elevated roadway thing... really? This expressway is even beyond the passing of permits for two Ferris wheels on the Strip, one of which was destined and has since become nothing more than an eyesore and probably will continue to be for years to come. That, was pure brilliance. Not to completely kill a great "Saturday Night Live" Weekend Update sarcasm segment, but... really?

I can even throw in the perpetual building of these cheap, built in less than a month, cookie cutter homes. They even come complete with upgraded appliances, neighbors within hockey stick reach (Go Golden Knights!) and miles from any city center. However, if you're extremely lucky you may get a view of a highway... if you can see over your obligatory six-foot concrete block fence. Really? Hey, maybe build these "quality" homes in the shadows of a beautiful national park? Wait, that's happening? Really?

We have this kind of planning, all while Lake Mead continues to recede. You ever notice that Callville Bay has parking infrastructure built, which if Lake Mead ever does rise, we will have ample parking, with lighting, 40 feet underwater? Let's also not forget that a good percentage of valley housing is vacant. If those vacant houses are lucky enough, they'll have squatters to upkeep them. They're there. Empty. Ready. Build new and sprawl? More cheaply built homes? Really?

I could go on and on, but that all right there is pure and absolute genius. However, this expressway tops that a million times over. I don't know how that would even be possible and there it is... the elevated expressway. We have a monorail that is in view of the airport. It's right there. We can see it! We don't want to extend it to the terminals? Really?

Does anyone want to hit that much ignored "start" button on a public transportation system that will immensely solve traffic issues? Something that should've started when we reached 2 million population. We will near 2.7 shortly. We are going to hit a wall soon and a rail would alleviate that immensely. Less cars. Less taxi medallions too... oops... um... I mean... uh... please don't tell the Taxi Authority... that was a friend that wrote that part.

However, in years to come, it can extend to Fremont. It just takes one person to say "enough already" and hit that start button. That's it. One day it will end at park-and-ride terminals near all those "master" planned communities I mentioned. It can alleviate traffic and unclog the roads. No? Doesn't sound at all appealing does it? Really?

Enough of the sarcasm and SNL stuff. Again, I hope I didn't offend. All joking aside, is there anything I can do to make something happen in order for that "start" button to be pressed? I sincerely mean that. What can I do? I'll sign up. I'll volunteer. It needs to commence and it needs to commence right now. This is the most opportune time to finally put an end to this issue. I don't know one person, and the Taxi Authority is not a person, that would not want a rail system linking the the airport to the Strip, and later, the valley. Each and every one of us do not like our roads clogged with vehicles, spent rubber and dripped oil, and nobody likes being stuck in traffic. We can all agree on that, right?

In all my travels, whether it be San Francisco to Chicago or London to, well, pretty much anywhere in Europe, there has always been a form of rail to get me somewhere. San Francisco amazes me the most. Earthquake country, underwater, and their system goes from SFO to far reaching areas on over 100 miles of track. It all began when someone hit that "start" button. We just need to go another few miles and the airport, tourist and traffic situation is on its way to being solved. A few more miles. What can I do?

Let's shelve the elevated roadway and do something good. I'm in.

Don MacEwan, Las Vegas

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