Clark County officials are examining proposals for light rail transit service connecting properties on the Las Vegas Strip, in order to ease pedestrian and car traffic and improve safety.
The Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee recently met to learn about proposals for improving local public transportation, which would be incorporated into a Transportation Investment Business Plan.
The investment plan calls for the building of a light rail system that would connect McCarran International Airport to properties on the Las Vegas Strip, and connect the Strip to the Las Vegas Convention Center and Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas.
County officials estimate a light rail system would cost between $2 billion and $12 billion to build, demonstrating that the county has no set budget for a light rail system. Currently, travel on the Las Vegas Strip and to other locations in the Las Vegas Valley mostly is done via cab or car rental.
A monorail runs from the MGM Grand to the Las Vegas Convention Center, and MGM Resorts International has a separate monorail connecting the Mandalay Bay casino to its other properties on the south side of the Las Vegas Strip.
A local bus route also runs up and down the Las Vegas Strip, but visitors have cited difficulty in getting around Las Vegas, and particularly from the airport to the city’s hotels and casinos, as one of the top complaints when coming to Las Vegas.
Supporters say a light rail system will do much to alleviate transportation concerns and improve safety for motorists and pedestrians alike on the Las Vegas Strip. Critics say the price is too high, and it would be too disruptive to build a rail system, either above or below ground, on the Las Vegas Strip.
Local officials have no timeline for improving transportation along the Las Vegas Strip, and looked at proposals for building additional pedestrian bridges, to lessen the numbers of people crossing the busy Las Vegas Strip on foot.
