Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 | 5:44 p.m.
The pedestrian bridges at Tropicana Avenue and the Las Vegas Strip, which have been under construction since May 2016 in a $34 million project, will open on Thursday.
The Nevada Department of Transportation said it made multiple enhancements to 23-year-old structures, including adding 16 new escalators (four at each corner), new tempered glass wind screens and new lighted hand rails.
In the release, NDOT spokesman Tony Illia said the changes will “improve the safety and efficiency of pedestrian traffic flows at one of the most active pedestrian corners in the state.”
The bridges are one of the busiest crossings in the state with 130,000 pedestrians using them each day, according to NDOT.
The upgrades were scheduled to be finished next year but the department fast-tracked the project. Upgrades to the elevators, however, including new electronics, tempered glass and air conditioning units won’t be finished until spring.
The bridges are made of concrete and steel are 16 feet wide and 165 feet long and have 17-foot clearance heights.
