Project would clear path into downtown Las Vegas for bicyclists and walkers

Bicyclists and pedestrians may soon have their own path into downtown Las Vegas, without having to compete with vehicles zipping along local streets.

Plans are underway to convert a narrow swath of vacant land between Katie Avenue and Charleston Boulevard from a utility corridor into a wide road reserved for bicycles and walkers traveling between UNLV and the edge of downtown.

“I never knew this corridor was there,” Las Vegas City Councilman Bob Beers said after Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada officials presented the plan last week to the council.

For now, power lines run along the property owned by NV Energy, meandering behind businesses and homes along a route that largely follows Spencer Street, about a half-mile east of Maryland Parkway.

Although the RTC has not set a construction timeline, the project is estimated at $2 million to $5 million without changes to utility infrastructure. The cost would increase if overhead power lines are consolidated or moved underground, RTC officials said.

RTC officials held several community meetings and surveyed roughly 1,000 people over the past year to gather input for the project, known as the Spencer Greenway Trail and UNLV Campus Bike Plan.

About 90 percent of the survey’s respondents agreed that the neighborhood would benefit from the proposed path, which would be lined with artwork, colorful signs, bicycle racks and children’s play areas, Hess said.

NV Energy still needs to complete an engineering study for the property, while the RTC must negotiate an agreement with the power company to determine who would ultimately own and maintain the property.

“We’re excited to see what comes up,” Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Ross said.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Recreational marijuana was approved by Nevada voters in November, but the drug’s medicinal use has a slightly longer history here.

Medical marijuana was legalized in 2000 in Nevada, but the state Legislature approved a bill in 2013 that allowed dispensaries to operate to make the drug more accessible to patients with cancer and other serious ailments.

Bill from Henderson wanted to know who has access to personal information about people who obtain medical marijuana cards from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

It turns out the DMV stopped issuing medical marijuana cards last August, DMV spokesman Kevin Malone said. The state’s Division of Public and Behavioral Health now processes and approves applications for the cards, then sends electronic notifications to the DMV.

“Only a limited number of DMV staff members can access the record, and only for purposes related to issuing the card,” Malone said.

HACIENDA SPEED

Frank from the Spring Valley area noted that Hacienda Avenue was reconfigured fairly recently with four lanes, a center turn lane and sidewalks running between Rainbow Boulevard and Durango Drive. Despite the improvements, the busy street’s posted speed limit remains at 35 mph.

“Why wasn’t the speed limit raised to 45 mph?” Frank asked in an email sent to the Road Warrior. “Many drivers ignore the 35 mph limit, and 45 seems to be a more reasonable speed.”

Clark County officials appear to disagree with you, Frank. Hacienda is a collector street with residential driveways and serves as a route for three schools in the area, county spokesman Dan Kulin said.

“We have determined the appropriate speed is 35 mph,” Kulin said.

EASTERN AND MARYLAND

A couple of readers recently wanted to know whether county officials planned to resurface a couple major north-south corridors for the region.

Eastern Avenue and Maryland Parkway are “in serious need of repair” between Desert Inn Road and McCarran International Airport, Becky from Las Vegas said.

Chris, also from Las Vegas, said the streets are “terribly deteriorated.”

By fall, county crews will start repairing Maryland between Russell Road and Twain Avenue, while similar work will begin on Eastern south of Sunset Road, Kulin said. Repairs are expected to start in Fall 2018 on a larger section of Eastern between Sunset and Desert Inn.

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