Henderson council green-lights $173M Boulder Highway project

The Henderson City Council has green-lighted a project to redesign a dangerous stretch of Boulder Highway.

The council voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve the Reimagine Boulder Highway project, which will focus on improving pedestrian safety. The Boulder Highway corridor has been at the center of 10 crashes over a six-year period, according to city engineer Steven Connor.

The plans include bus stops and bus transit lanes in the center of the road. They also call for two lanes for motor vehicle traffic, new biking lanes, better lighting and wider sidewalks.

The redesign is intended to improve pedestrian safety, accessibility, transit and mobility for wheelchair users and cyclists according to the Regional Transportation Commission. The RTC also claims that it will open opportunities for affordable housing and community spaces.

Councilwoman Carrie Cox noted that her constituents had questions about whether the project would use city funds.

“The city’s general fund is not being used on this project,” Connor responded during the meeting. Funding for the more than $173 million dollar project comes from federal funds, RTC funds and Nevada Department of Transportation grants.

Cox also brought up concerns about whether the planned reduction from three lanes to two would affect traffic.

“The risk of creating bottlenecks and longer commute times is high, potentially turning what is meant to be a revitalization effort into a source of frustration for daily commuters and local businesses,” Henderson resident Michael Markfan said during the meeting.

Connor said that they’ve modeled traffic impacts, predicting for increased development as far out as 2040.

“The modeling still shows the delay times still operate very similar as they do today, as they will in 2040, change or no change,” explained Connor.

At the meeting, Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero said that if the project could save even one life, then the construction and price would be worth it.

“It would improve traffic safety for pedestrians, for bicyclists and for motor vehicles by shortening the distance that pedestrians have to cross from one side to the other,” Romero said in an earlier interview with the Review Journal.

Former Mayor Debra March weighed in during the meeting as well.

“I just wanted to emphasize how important it is that you understand that the community has had extensive input over the last 20 years on this corridor and how important this corridor is to our community.”

RTC CEO M.J. Maynard attested to the project’s importance in an emailed statement to the Review-Journal.

“With improvements including wider sidewalks, enhanced pedestrian crossings, and better lighting, as well as dedicated bike lanes and transit lanes, this project will help protect people who walk, cycle, and ride transit, while creating jobs and encouraging new business growth along the corridor,” Maynard said in the email.

Construction is expected to start later this year, although no definitive date has been set, a Henderson spokesperson said.

Contact Annie Vong at avong@reviewjournal.com.