Fremont Street revamp set to improve pedestrian safety downtown
A stretch of Fremont Street popular for its nightlife offerings is set for a $15 million upgrade.
Work on the 11-month project will begin Monday on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, running from Las Vegas Boulevard — where the Fremont Street Experience ends — to 14th Street, Las Vegas officials announced Tuesday.
Scope of the work includes road repaving, sidewalk widening, removal of taxicab loading turnouts and the center medians, plus architectural and landscaping improvements including relocating the popular neon signs in the area.
“The architectural work includes moving the four large neon signs (slipper, martini glass, etc…) from the center median to the sidewalk area,” said Margaret Kurtz, city spokeswoman. “Also, all new architectural street lighting and approximately 115 new trees will be planted in the sidewalk area.”
The medians in the areas between the Griffin and Evel Pie pizza and between the El Cortez and Backstage Bar and Billiards are being removed, with mid-block crosswalks being added. The medians are being removed to make longer left-turn pockets and eliminate some traffic bottlenecks, Kurtz said.
The project also calls for festoon lighting between Las Vegas Boulevard and 7th Street, which will give the street a similar feel to Main Street in the Arts District with string lights hung above and across the roadway.
Storm drain, sanitary sewer, traffic signal and street lighting work also are included in the project.
Motorists can expect lane restrictions and delays in the area, with the project primarily affecting traffic along Fremont Street between Las Vegas Boulevard and 14th Street from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday until August.
Work will begin on Fremont near Las Vegas Boulevard and near 14th Street, where storm drain installation will begin on the east of the road.
The Fremont Street project is part of the city’s continuing downtown pedestrian safety improvement plan occurring throughout the downtown area and Arts District.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.