New projects designed for pedestrians

Southern Nevada transit authorities are planning several projects aimed at improving pedestrian safety over the next several years.

Designs are underway for two more pedestrian bridges along the Strip, estimated at $18 million each, Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin said. Construction is expected to start next year on a span linking MGM Grand to Monte Carlo, followed by a bridge connecting Paris Las Vegas and Bellagio in 2019.

A $1.9 million pedestrian bridge is already under construction along the East Beltway Trail in the southwest valley, Kulin said.

A new pedestrian crossing signal is scheduled to open by early December at Maryland Parkway and Del Mar Street near UNLV, while another signal will be installed next year at Eastern and Maule avenues near Sunset Park.

The Nevada Transportation Department is planning a $2.4 million upgrade for a mile-long stretch of Charleston Boulevard in the east valley, a $17.3 million upgrade along 4.6 miles of Las Vegas Boulevard in North Las Vegas and a $6.5 million project along Lake Mead Boulevard from Civic Center Drive to Pecos Road in North Las Vegas.

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada is helping to fund several projects, including $342,000 this year for pedestrian flashers in Henderson and another $490,000 for improvements in Las Vegas.

The commission is also part of a larger alliance that tests how vehicle technology can deliver information to drivers about other road users, including pedestrians, spokeswoman Angela Castro said.