RTC transportation planners take a look at Henderson
Depending on public feedback, downtown Henderson could have a new look in the next few years.
The city of Henderson and the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada are conducting the Downtown Henderson Pedestrian Study to look at the Water Street District’s access to walking and bicycle areas.
A public meeting, which 20 people attended, was held April 3 to gather input from residents and businesses.
“We are still really early in the process,” said Michael Gainor, a transportation planner for the Regional Transportation Commission. “We are looking at a variety of options.”
Dan Andersen, a transportation planner for the commission, said all designs will address safety, connectivity and comfort in downtown Henderson.
“Comfort is a huge thing,” Andersen said.
He added that part of comfort would look at if there is enough shade when people are walking or riding their bicycles
“We want to make this into a place where people want to walk,” Gainor said.
Since January, the commission and the city of Henderson have been brainstorming and gathering suggestions on ways the area could be transformed.
Andersen said suggestions presented at the meeting came either from ideas heard from business owners in the area or from the commission’s Complete Streets, an initiative that promotes all transportation modes to make Southern Nevada more sustainable and encourage people to use transportation other than a car.
“We have also looked at ideas that have been successful in similar parts of the country,” Gainor said.
At the April meeting, renderings of what streets and intersections in the area currently look like versus what they could look like were posted side by side.
Ideas ranged from adding striped bicycle lanes on Water Street and widening or adding sidewalks on some streets to changing angular parking to parallel parking on Pacific Avenue.
“The way angular parking is now (on Pacific Avenue), people are backing up into traffic, creating conflict,” Andersen said. “We know businesses need parking up front.”
Other renderings showed streets in the area without sidewalks and what it could look like with a sidewalk and trees, which would add to all three goals of safety, comfort and connectivity.
The suggestions would try to remedy the issues.
People who attended were asked to make comments on the possible improvements.
“If they liked the idea, we are asking them to put a green dot by it,” he said. “If they don’t, they can put an orange dot.”
The city and the commission are planning to take residents’ input and draft a master plan. Andersen said they are aiming to hold another public meeting in August to get input on the master plan.
Depending on further feedback, they may submit ideas of improvements to the City Council.
Questions or comments can be submitted to Aileen Pastor at the commission at pastora@rtcsnv.com or by phone at 702-676-1606. Submissions are also accepted in person or by mail at the commission’s administration building: Regional Transportation Commission, 600 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, 89106. Address comments to Attention: Henderson Downtown Pedestrian Circulation Study. For more information, visit rtcsnv.com.
Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 702-387-5201.