Friday, August 26, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Light rail may get MAXed out

RTC panel suggests express buses as regional fixed guideway alternative

A Metropolitan Area Express bus departs the Downtown Transportation Center on Thursday. Officials are considering using the express buses as an alternative to light rail in a proposed rapid transit line that would run from Henderson to North Las Vegas. Photo by Craig L. Moran.

Express buses could replace light rail trains in a proposed rapid transit line from Henderson to North Las Vegas, Regional Transportation Commission steering committee members said Thursday.

The committee, considering a rapid transit system also called a regional fixed guideway, said such a system could mimic the commission's existing Metropolitan Area Express bus line along Las Vegas Boulevard North.

That system, known as MAX, operates like a train without rails in stopping only at "stations," using bus-only lanes to cut travel times, and having the ability to preempt red lights, all at a much cheaper cost than a train system.

"There are fewer stops on the MAX than on the CAT," the existing Citizens Area Transit regular bus route, said Bob Schultz, a committee member representing the Silver Springs Community Association. "You are on and off faster.

"It's cheaper than light rail, primarily due to, obviously, the cost of laying the rail down for a light rail system. It's really quite a system."

The projected cost of a new express bus line is around $300 million. A light rail line's cost has been pegged by proponents at as little as $900 million. Opponents say it could cost as much as $2 billion.

Some opponents of light rail appeared to more warmly regard the express bus proposal. They believe express buses can accomplish the tasks of light rail at a lower cost and with more flexibility, since buses are not tied to rails.

"The thing that impressed me the most is this sleek, beautiful machine costs $1 million apiece. When you compare that with a rail car which costs $3 (million) to $5 million a car, there is no comparison," said Beverly Dix, an anti-rail committee member representing the Quail Ridge Property Owners Association.

The existing express bus line has grown mass transit ridership on Las Vegas Boulevard North. The express bus line carries 4,000 of the 10,000 combined daily riders carried by it and an existing Citizens Area Transit regular bus route.

Prior to the express bus line's launch last year, the regular bus route carried no more than 7,500 riders daily.

"There are additional people who may have been taking a car or some other means of transportation along Las Vegas Boulevard and who are now using the MAX instead," Schultz said.

The express bus line can also go from downtown Las Vegas to Nellis Air Force Base in 28 minutes, compared to 47 minutes for the regular bus line following essentially the same route.

The proposed rapid transit line at first would ply a 33-mile route from near Nevada State College in Henderson along existing Union Pacific Railroad tracks to Frank Sinatra Drive.

The line then would trace Sinatra north to Industrial Road, then to a new transit center planned at Main Street and Bonneville Avenue.

From there, the line would run northeast along Fifth Street, Centennial Parkway and Pecos Road to a North Las Vegas terminal.

If financing is obtained, construction could start as soon as 2010, with an opening no sooner than 2014.

In addition to using express buses, options include the use of electric-powered light rail trains or diesel-powered locomotives that have been discussed in greater detail at earlier meetings; simply upgrading existing mass transit; or scrapping the project altogether.

The committee hopes to make a recommendation on how to proceed in October, before the commission votes on what to do at its Nov. 10 meeting.

The proposed route was of concern to some committee members and some of the roughly 50 members of the public who attended Thursday's meeting.

"I don't think we'll get over the hump if we don't have some sort of a presentation on why this segment is the most effective, from the experts' point of view," said Mark Russell, a committee member representing MGM Mirage.

The committee was empowered only to determine whether the proposed route was feasible, after commission executives unilaterally dismissed as impractical proposed routes along Sunset and Warm Springs roads, or the Las Vegas Beltway and U.S. Highway 95.

Committee members promised a presentation on why those corridors were stillborn at its next regular meeting on Sept. 22.

The committee has also scheduled a quartet of public hearings next month where residents can get information and offer input on the rapid transit plan.

The meetings will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 13 at the commission administration building, 600 S. Grand Central Parkway, Room 108; from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 14 at Green Valley Ranch, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway; from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Henderson Convention Center, 200 Water St.; and from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 21 at the North Las Vegas Justice Center, 2333 Las Vegas Boulevard North.

The commission has set up a Web page outlining its plan at www.rfguideway.com.

Opponents have a Web site detailing their objections at www.srfgh.com.