LETTER: Where’s the forward-thinking on Las Vegas-area road improvements?
In response to your Thursday story on Boulder Highway improvements:
Had the city of Henderson paid more attention in the past, it would not have the problems we see on Boulder Highway. It allowed development right up to a major artery, which was always going to cause issues with pedestrian traffic. Development should have been pushed back from the road using frontage roads and above- and below-grade intersections. This would have allowed Boulder Highway to be maintained as an alternative to U.S. Highway 95/Interstate 515/Interstate 11 or whatever it is called this week.
Sadly, Henderson is not the only jurisdiction to make this error. North Las Vegas did exactly the same along Cheyenne Avenue between Rancho Boulevard and Interstate 15. When I came to Las Vegas in the late 1990s, I was shocked that this road had not been turned into a parkway to link the east and west sides of the valley, easing traffic on U.S. 95. It seems that strategic transport planning for the valley is something beyond this state at all levels.
I suspect such plans fall to the desire for more property tax dollars in the various cities. Greed over quality of life does not equal good government.
