Pedestrian bridge next to Las Vegas hospital being torn down

An aging pedestrian bridge on Maryland Parkway, which is adjacent to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, is coming down.

The Clark County Commission on Tuesday voted to remove the structure, which was erected nearly a half-century ago.

It was built in the late 1970s to accommodate pedestrians who use public transportation, according to the county. However, those bus stops were relocated in August.

“The use of the bridge for crossing Maryland Parkway has significantly diminished since the relocation of the transit stops,” the county said. The bridge is “in need of major repairs, and has become a nuisance requiring camping cleanups.”

The county in February implemented a camping ban, which is a crackdown on persons who loiter or sleep on public spaces.

“Clark County Department of Public Works is requesting approval to remove the bridge since it is no longer necessary and has become a maintenance issue,” according to the County Commission meeting agenda.

The item was not publicly discussed Tuesday.

It wasn’t immediately clear when the bridge will be taken down, although it’s been in discussion since 2016, according to the county.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.