Las Vegas pedestrian bridge across south Strip to reopen Saturday

The pedestrian bridge linking the Excalibur and Tropicana at the Strip’s south end will reopen at 6 a.m. Saturday after a makeover, the Nevada Department of Transportation said.

The refurbished 165-foot-long concrete-and-steel span features new escalators, tempered-glass panes, aluminum panels and lighted handrails, NDOT spokesman Tony Illia said. The elevators were also fitted with new air-conditioning units.

The renovated bridge is part of a $30 million project that calls for upgrading all four pedestrian bridges set 17 feet above Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard, which are used by about 130,000 people daily.

Next, crews will start working Jan. 3 to upgrade the east pedestrian bridge connecting the Tropicana and MGM Grand, Illia said. The construction is being done in phases to avoid disruptions during major events, shows and conventions.

The entire project should finish by mid-2018.

Contact Art Marroquin at amarroquin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0336. Find @AMarroquin_LV on Twitter.