Monorail projects lead transit panel discussion

The need for a better quality of life for Las Vegas residents was the consensus among members at North Las Vegas City Hall during a public meeting Monday of the Regional Transportation Subcommittee on the Fixed Guideway Mass Transit.

Monday marked another milestone in the process of detailing problems and solutions regarding new transportation projects soon to surface in Las Vegas, with many concerns among the members.

One thing was certain to Las Vegas City Councilman David Wood representing Ward 4: the impact of the transportation projects on Las Vegas residents and visitors.

"We have to provide people with alternate transportation because we will never be able to build enough roads," he said. "Most important is an increase in air quality and quality of life for people living in the valley."

Wood, a Las Vegas resident since 1953, has seen many changes in Las Vegas.

"The change (since 1953) is not better, not worse, just different. Times are different and there are lots of changes."

Because of these changes, especially in traffic, the process of alleviating congestion continues.

Commissioners voiced their concerns on two major projects about to transform Las Vegas, specifically whether the proposed "fixed guideway monorail system" will be able to complement the MGM Grand-Bally's-Las Vegas Hilton hotel-casinos monorail system.

Currently, a private and a county monorail system are each in the works, with the concern about compatibility and connectivity.

The proposed MGM-Bally's-Hilton monorail would extend to the Hilton, with at least six stations, hopefully breaking ground in 1999. The fixed guideway system would include 18 miles of elevated track, 25 stations, running from Cashman Field to an area near Russell Road, hopefully operating by 2003.

"This will be more productive if the two projects work together," Geoffrey S. Yarema, attorney for the MGM-Bally's-Hilton Monorail project. "Our economic motivation is to see your project succeed," he assured Boulder City Councilman Bryan Nix.

The council members also agreed there should be an emphasis on increasing public awareness of these projects.

"We need to put out information on what the mass transit benefits are. With $155 million (allocated by Congress), which is a lot of funds, the necessity and benefits need to be explained to them," North Las Vegas City Councilman John Rhode said.

Wood was not dismayed at the lack of consensus among the committee members.

"Whatever solution comes out, we have to address all the issues for total building in the valley. The only way to move forward is with a consensus, raised and addressed. A total solution is our end result."

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