Bike to school: New bridge makes Las Vegas students’ commute safer

Rayan Kim was riding his electric bike to sixth grade when he was hit by a truck.

“I was riding, and he was just like, bang, hit me. And I got ran over,” the 12-year-old told the Review-Journal.

Rayan has undergone many surgeries since the Jan. 30 accident, including brain surgery and fat removal, the scar on his leg for which he showed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Continued surgeries and focus issues from the trauma have prevented him from returning to Gunderson Middle School since.

With the completion of the Rush Channel Bridge in Mountain’s Edge, Clark County officials hope no more students will go through what Rayan did.

The newly finished pedestrian and bike bridge connects one of the few paths in the area not linked to a roadway, making it easier for students who walk and bike to Gunderson Middle School, according to Director of Traffic Safety Andrew Bennett.

“There’s a lot of kids who, before, didn’t feel safe riding their bikes,” Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones said. “So I think now, if you live in this community right here, if you’re a parent, I’m gonna feel safe with my kid riding across here and going right up to school, whereas before it didn’t feel safe.”

Before the bridge, students had to bike on the roadway with cars. Rayan’s accident was on West Cactus Avenue and Cliff Lake Street, just minutes from the school.

Rayan is one of the 138 CCSD students hit by vehicles on their way to or from school last year, Lt. Bryan Zink said in a community police meeting Tuesday. The number is double that of the previous year.

“That number is 138 too many,” Zink said.

The bridge cost $1.3 million, according to Jimmy Floyd, the manager of construction for Clark County Public Works. After some design hiccups along the way, Jones is relieved the yearslong project has been completed before kids go back to school Monday.

“I used to ride my bike when I was a kid to school, and being able to have that freedom when you get out of school to ride your skateboard, ride your bike to school, and not have your mom or dad embarrass you by dropping you off I think is great for kids,” Jones said.

Rayan, with bandages on his face, cut the ribbon for the bridge at its official opening Friday morning. He got to keep the ribbon afterwards, and he told the Review-Journal he was excited about the new bridge.

“I just want more kids to be safe,” he said.

In addition to the bridge, the Clark County School District Police Department joined forces with participating law enforcement agencies for a pedestrian safety initiative. As school starts up again, Bennett reminded drivers to be careful.

“We’re asking folks to take their time, slow down, watch out for kids and have a little more patience and kindness in their hearts these next few weeks,” he told the Review-Journal.

Contact Katie Futterman at kfutterman@reviewjournal.com.