Lots of projects going on. A really big one is happening between downtown and the strip which is a bitch to get through and avoid at all costs if possible. But it will be lovely once completed.
New pedestrian bridge at Sahara finally approved!
https://news3lv.com/news/local/new-pedestrian-bridge-on-las-vegas-boulevard-gets-green-light
(https://news3lv.com/resources/media/9edbd1eb-6463-4b67-8f98-45b8e5f71cfe-medium16x9_saharalasvegasboulevardwalkwaydesign.jfif?1637249726559)
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
I'm really surprised there aren't more direct entrances to the casinos from the upper levels of these street crossings. There a couple that I know of but then there are some that baffle my mind thinking there should be a pedestrian bridge going straight into the hotel.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 05:58:02 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
I'm really surprised there aren't more direct entrances to the casinos from the upper levels of these street crossings. There a couple that I know of but then there are some that baffle my mind thinking there should be a pedestrian bridge going straight into the hotel.
What I don't really care for is that the overpasses tend to be spaced pretty far apart and might not have movements for all directions of travel. If you want to get to a casino in the middle of a block it often requires a significant amount of backtracking. The overpasses are also kind of pushed back from the intersections so turning lanes could be put in. But yes, it feels kind of like a missed opportunity not to have more overpass casino entrances.
Interestingly I noticed the landscaping in the median and shoulders of Las Vegas Boulevard is designed to deter jaywalking. I recall it being a big issue when people would run right out into the middle of Las Vegas Boulevard to cut across inconvenient pedestrian crossings.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 06:05:28 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 05:58:02 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
I'm really surprised there aren't more direct entrances to the casinos from the upper levels of these street crossings. There a couple that I know of but then there are some that baffle my mind thinking there should be a pedestrian bridge going straight into the hotel.
What I don't really care for is that the overpasses tend to be spaced pretty far apart and might not have movements for all directions of travel. If you want to get to a casino in the middle of a block it often requires a significant amount of backtracking. The overpasses are also kind of pushed back from the intersections so turning lanes could be put in. But yes, it feels kind of like a missed opportunity not to have more overpass casino entrances.
Interestingly I noticed the landscaping in the median and shoulders of Las Vegas Boulevard is designed to deter jaywalking. I recall it being a big issue when people would run right out into the middle of Las Vegas Boulevard to cut across inconvenient pedestrian crossings.
I figured this was done due to ROW constraints. Seems like it could be solved, albeit more expensively, with using multiple elevators and no escalators. So build them each right up against the intersections. Or build tunnels with lots of security.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
It's either this, or $50B to bury Las Vegas Boulevard underground. <shrugs>
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 19, 2021, 06:58:56 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
It's either this, or $50B to bury Las Vegas Boulevard underground. <shrugs>
I know, it's just nice to reminisce when I was a lot more active around the area.
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 19, 2021, 06:58:56 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
It's either this, or $50B to bury Las Vegas Boulevard underground. <shrugs>
They need to get on the ball with building a subterranean heavy rail system under the boulevard from the airport to downtown with several stops in between.
That's even cooler than Smith and Bell in Houston.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 05:35:30 PM
Lots of projects going on. A really big one is happening between downtown and the strip which is a bitch to get through and avoid at all costs if possible. But it will be lovely once completed.
New pedestrian bridge at Sahara finally approved!
https://news3lv.com/news/local/new-pedestrian-bridge-on-las-vegas-boulevard-gets-green-light
(https://news3lv.com/resources/media/9edbd1eb-6463-4b67-8f98-45b8e5f71cfe-medium16x9_saharalasvegasboulevardwalkwaydesign.jfif?1637249726559)
Historically, there hasn't been nearly as much pedestrian traffic at this end of the Strip, as opposed to at the intersections of Tropicana (the first bridges constructed) or Flamingo (the second), since there's been a bit of gap in the newer and popular attractions at this end. I imagine the fairly recent establishment of the 'Las Vegas Festival Grounds' on the southwest corner and has generated much more foot traffic in the area–and Resorts World's opening just south of there might be adding to it. The bridge over the north leg of the intersection might also provide some photo opportunities with that new City of Las Vegas arch sign the city put in just north of the intersection.
This is a unique bridge design concept. I imagine this fully-connected circle design was imagined because the Sahara hotel is right on the corner, so there's little ROW for the more conventional bridge concepts used elsewhere.
There was a good blog piece on this over at the Vital Vegas blog: New Pedestrian Bridge Will Finally Deliver Visitors to Bonanza Gift Shop's Doorstep (https://vitalvegas.com/new-pedestrian-bridge-will-finally-deliver-visitors-to-bonanza-gift-shops-doorstep/). The point of the blog was that foot traffic at that end of the Strip doesn't really justify the ovecrossing: you have the Gift Shop, a pot dispensary, the Sahara, and the El Rancho Vegas Festival Grounds (sorry, I'm also a student of Vegas history). The supposition is that the bridge is there for when the Oakland As buy the land of the Festival Grounds and build a ballpark (as current rumors are pointing that direction) -- then it provides easy access for those parking at the Sahara and Westgate.
As for the other overpasses: They are there, not always well maintained. I recently did a timeshare exchange to the Jockey Club, and was using the overpass from the Cosmopolitan to the Aladdin Planet Hollywood all the time. They make it much safer to walk, but you have to walk a lot more. But they do save you from the demons of paid parking. The strip is not what it once was.
As I can't write anything without a "Ready, Set, Discuss", here's the blog I wrote about how the Vegas of old isn't there anymore: https://cahighways.org/wordpress/?p=16143 . It does talk a bit about trying to find Old 91 and Old 95.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 06:05:28 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 05:58:02 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
I'm really surprised there aren't more direct entrances to the casinos from the upper levels of these street crossings. There a couple that I know of but then there are some that baffle my mind thinking there should be a pedestrian bridge going straight into the hotel.
What I don't really care for is that the overpasses tend to be spaced pretty far apart and might not have movements for all directions of travel. If you want to get to a casino in the middle of a block it often requires a significant amount of backtracking. The overpasses are also kind of pushed back from the intersections so turning lanes could be put in. But yes, it feels kind of like a missed opportunity not to have more overpass casino entrances.
I think you can thank the casinos on some of these points. Note that in some cases, especially as you move north, the casino was well established before the bridges came along. You either had older properties like Caesar's Palace where they were originally established well back from the Strip (making a direct casino entrance connection to the ped bridge impractical) or right abutting the Strip (meaning the bridge had to be shoehorned into the right of way however it could fit).
For the first bridge set at Las Vegas Blvd & Tropicana Ave, I believe the casinos (particularly MGM and New York New York) wanted those bridges located further away from the intersection to not disrupt the views at the corners of their property (the MGM lion and Statue of Liberty, respectively). Also note, likely as a concession by NDOT to get these built, the bridges abutting the MGM and NYNY properties actually do lead to second floor entrances to each properties–the bridges were actually constructed about a year or two before NYNY, and their second-level access was likely designed with the existing bridges in mind. On the southwest corner, Excalibur was set too far back from the corner to connect directly, but they later ended up building out connections between each bridge and an existing pedestrian walkway that came up from the corner (which also connects to their tram station to the Luxor and now Mandalay Bay). On the southeast corner, while there is not a direct connection entrance to the Tropicana hotel, the stairs to the walkways are angled towards the main entrance of the resort instead of parallel to the road.
The second bridge set at Flamingo Road, the two bridges connecting the southeast corner were built simultaneously with the Bellagio (that might have been a condition of approval for the Bellagio), and as a result those two bridges lead directly to Bellagio's second floor shops with no direct stair/escalator access to the street. The other bridges at this intersection were built later by the county.
You can still cross LVB on foot at most (if not all) signalized intersections where a bridge does not exist, which *I think long term they do want to put in a few more bridges to help reduce these crossings.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 06:05:28 PM
Interestingly I noticed the landscaping in the median and shoulders of Las Vegas Boulevard is designed to deter jaywalking. I recall it being a big issue when people would run right out into the middle of Las Vegas Boulevard to cut across inconvenient pedestrian crossings.
Yes, I think the county put in significant effort for median beautification in the early 1990s...that's when most of the Strip's palm trees were planted and the decorative median fencing went in along with it. Additionally, many of the sidewalks now feature barriers as well, with newer/redesigned properties now often having the sidewalks pushed back from the street when possible to increase the separation. Jaywalking is now pretty uncommon. So the biggest issues nowadays are pedestrians not obeying the pedestrian signals.
EDIT: Added the words after the asterisk, because I later realized I didn't complete that sentence in my initial post.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 07:19:14 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 19, 2021, 06:58:56 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
It's either this, or $50B to bury Las Vegas Boulevard underground. <shrugs>
They need to get on the ball with building a subterranean heavy rail system under the boulevard from the airport to downtown with several stops in between.
The soil in the Vegas area is incredibly hard (lots of caliche) and does not lend itself nicely to tunneling out to build something like a subway.
However, The Boring Company, coming off of the relative success of their Convention Center Loop, has grand plans to build a "Vegas Loop" project. This would basically be an underground network of tunnels dedicated to moving people around between various properties along the Strip corridor and Downtown, Allegiant Stadium, and the airport using Tesla vehicles.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/clark-county/ride-underneath-the-strip-borings-vegas-loop-ready-for-next-step-2459509/
https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/traffic/underground-travel-in-strip-stadium-areas-moves-closer-to-reality-2463119/
Quote from: roadfro on November 20, 2021, 01:49:41 PM
I think you can thank the casinos on some of these points. Note that in some cases, especially as you move north, the casino was well established before the bridges came along. You either had older properties like Caesar's Palace where they were originally established well back from the Strip (making a direct casino entrance connection to the ped bridge impractical) or right abutting the Strip (meaning the bridge had to be shoehorned into the right of way however it could fit).
Well, that really depends on the "when". Most of the original casinos were originally well set back with parking in the front; the Sands was the rare exception as it built around a property near the front. But El Rancho Vegas, the Last Frontier, Desert Inn, Sahara, Thunderbird, Riviera and Royal Vegas were all back a bit, as was the Trop. But as things kept remodeling, most grew closer and closer to LV Blvd. Caesars was perhaps the notable exception from that era. Note that originally properties had a lot more empty space between them as well, so walking was a bit less practical.
Quote
You can still cross LVB on foot at most (if not all) signalized intersections where a bridge does not exist, which
There are just a few crosswalks left. I seem to recall one in front of Harrahs, and I think there's another over where the Riv. used to be. But there aren't many left.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 07:19:14 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 19, 2021, 06:58:56 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
It's either this, or $50B to bury Las Vegas Boulevard underground. <shrugs>
They need to get on the ball with building a subterranean heavy rail system under the boulevard from the airport to downtown with several stops in between.
Las Vegas Boulevard is wide enough that underground rail is not necessary. Elevated trains can be built instead.
Quote from: SeriesE on November 20, 2021, 11:42:34 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 07:19:14 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 19, 2021, 06:58:56 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
It's either this, or $50B to bury Las Vegas Boulevard underground. <shrugs>
They need to get on the ball with building a subterranean heavy rail system under the boulevard from the airport to downtown with several stops in between.
Las Vegas Boulevard is wide enough that underground rail is not necessary. Elevated trains can be built instead.
Not with those pedestrian overpasses. Interestingly some of the casinos do have tram lines connecting them.
Quote from: roadfro on November 20, 2021, 02:13:41 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 07:19:14 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 19, 2021, 06:58:56 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
It's either this, or $50B to bury Las Vegas Boulevard underground. <shrugs>
They need to get on the ball with building a subterranean heavy rail system under the boulevard from the airport to downtown with several stops in between.
The soil in the Vegas area is incredibly hard (lots of caliche) and does not lend itself nicely to tunneling out to build something like a subway.
However, The Boring Company, coming off of the relative success of their Convention Center Loop, has grand plans to build a "Vegas Loop" project. This would basically be an underground network of tunnels dedicated to moving people around between various properties along the Strip corridor and Downtown, Allegiant Stadium, and the airport using Tesla vehicles.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/clark-county/ride-underneath-the-strip-borings-vegas-loop-ready-for-next-step-2459509/
https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/traffic/underground-travel-in-strip-stadium-areas-moves-closer-to-reality-2463119/
I'm just really skeptical about the whole boring tunnel plan. I guess the long-term goal is to create a network of tunnels see you like places in LA where you could drive your Tesla at a portal in Hollywood or downtown and then an elevator would lower your car to the tunnel which she would then put on auto pilot and it would take you to the airport or some other destination further away.
These proposals in Vegas just seems like gimmicks and carnival rides. I see the demand for actual real mass transit. I'm fairly certain it is possible for a twin bore tunnel underneath the boulevard. I bet you it would be one of the most successful lines in the country definitely hitting the pockets of the cab companies and rideshare.
An elevator would be a heckuva choke point.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 21, 2021, 12:15:51 AM
Quote from: SeriesE on November 20, 2021, 11:42:34 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 07:19:14 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 19, 2021, 06:58:56 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
It's either this, or $50B to bury Las Vegas Boulevard underground. <shrugs>
They need to get on the ball with building a subterranean heavy rail system under the boulevard from the airport to downtown with several stops in between.
Las Vegas Boulevard is wide enough that underground rail is not necessary. Elevated trains can be built instead.
Not with those pedestrian overpasses. Interestingly some of the casinos do have tram lines connecting them.
On the west side of the Strip, there's a few monorails that connect 2 or 3 casinos each, but no connectivity.
On the east side is a monorail from MGM up to the convention center. That was supposed to be a monorail all the way to the airport, but the taxi union, which is very powerful in Vegas, fought hard against that. It's location in the rear of the casinos limits its overall usage as people enjoy seeing the sights from the Strip.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 21, 2021, 02:34:45 AM
Quote from: roadfro on November 20, 2021, 02:13:41 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 07:19:14 PM
They need to get on the ball with building a subterranean heavy rail system under the boulevard from the airport to downtown with several stops in between.
The soil in the Vegas area is incredibly hard (lots of caliche) and does not lend itself nicely to tunneling out to build something like a subway.
However, The Boring Company, coming off of the relative success of their Convention Center Loop, has grand plans to build a "Vegas Loop" project. This would basically be an underground network of tunnels dedicated to moving people around between various properties along the Strip corridor and Downtown, Allegiant Stadium, and the airport using Tesla vehicles.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/clark-county/ride-underneath-the-strip-borings-vegas-loop-ready-for-next-step-2459509/
https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/traffic/underground-travel-in-strip-stadium-areas-moves-closer-to-reality-2463119/
I'm just really skeptical about the whole boring tunnel plan. I guess the long-term goal is to create a network of tunnels see you like places in LA where you could drive your Tesla at a portal in Hollywood or downtown and then an elevator would lower your car to the tunnel which she would then put on auto pilot and it would take you to the airport or some other destination further away.
These proposals in Vegas just seems like gimmicks and carnival rides. I see the demand for actual real mass transit. I'm fairly certain it is possible for a twin bore tunnel underneath the boulevard. I bet you it would be one of the most successful lines in the country definitely hitting the pockets of the cab companies and rideshare.
The Convention Center Loop was borne out of necessity to move people around during conventions that use the entire Convention Center complex. With their new expansion, it's over a mile walk from the south hall to the new west hall. Yes, using this technology was a bit of a gimmick, but it was borne out of an actual need–and ultimately ended up being a proof of concept for The Boring Company.
The Vegas Loop would be similar in a larger, self-contained system as a new form of mass transit. There would be dedicated stations and dedicated tunnels for the system, and people would hail a vehicle to take them directly from one station to another within the tunnels and without the need for stops at other stations in between. People wouldn't drive their own vehicles in the tunnel network.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 21, 2021, 08:42:27 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 21, 2021, 12:15:51 AM
Quote from: SeriesE on November 20, 2021, 11:42:34 PM
Las Vegas Boulevard is wide enough that underground rail is not necessary. Elevated trains can be built instead.
Not with those pedestrian overpasses. Interestingly some of the casinos do have tram lines connecting them.
On the west side of the Strip, there's a few monorails that connect 2 or 3 casinos each, but no connectivity.
On the east side is a monorail from MGM up to the convention center. That was supposed to be a monorail all the way to the airport, but the taxi union, which is very powerful in Vegas, fought hard against that. It's location in the rear of the casinos limits its overall usage as people enjoy seeing the sights from the Strip.
The few trams on the west side of the strip exist to connect adjacent casino-resort properties that are (or were) owned by the same companies: TI—Mirage (now separate owners), Excalibur—Luxor—Mandalay Bay, and Bellagio—City Center (Aria & the Crystals mall)—Park MGM. As such, they were never really envisioned as a mass transit option for the Strip as a whole.
The Las Vegas Monorail actually goes further north than the Convention Center, making it all the way up to the Sahara hotel/casino. And actually, I believe an original concept for the monorail would have had it going right down Las Vegas Blvd. IIRC, it was actually the casinos that didn't want it in the middle of the Strip, concerned with elevated rail and stations detracting from the views of their properties.
Once there was finally a plan to run the monorail on the east side of the Strip, the system was built out according to plan, with provisions to accommodate both an extension to the airport and a northern extension towards Downtown. However, ridership has always been lower than projected and the Las Vegas Monorail Company (a private company that owned the monorail) has filed for bankruptcy at least twice, so the concept of such extensions has never really gotten off the ground due to lack of money to make it happen. Although it is safe to say the taxi lobby has always been vehemently opposed to a monorail extension to the airport whenever that particular concept was gaining traction.
More recently, the Las Vegas Monorail Company floated an idea to extend the monorail southwest towards Mandalay Bay and also add a station near the Sands Expo Center (which is also near where the MSG Sphere is being constructed). This would have had the effect of linking the three biggest convention centers in town, getting a monorail station constructed semi-close to Allegiant Stadium, and could have set the stage for extending the monorail along the west side of the Strip. However, since the LV Convention & Visitors Authority bought the monorail out of bankruptcy earlier this year, that idea has been a bit of a non-starter. The LVCVA purchasing the monorail also gains access to LVMC's mass transit non-complete clause, which has helped lay the foundation for The Boring Company to move forward with their plans for their Vegas Loop project.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 21, 2021, 12:15:51 AM
Quote from: SeriesE on November 20, 2021, 11:42:34 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 07:19:14 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 19, 2021, 06:58:56 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
It's either this, or $50B to bury Las Vegas Boulevard underground. <shrugs>
They need to get on the ball with building a subterranean heavy rail system under the boulevard from the airport to downtown with several stops in between.
Las Vegas Boulevard is wide enough that underground rail is not necessary. Elevated trains can be built instead.
Not with those pedestrian overpasses. Interestingly some of the casinos do have tram lines connecting them.
Those overpasses can be replaced by well designed station exits. Many stations offer a public (free) walkway that allows people to cross roads without paying.
Quote from: SeriesE on November 21, 2021, 04:28:31 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 21, 2021, 12:15:51 AM
Quote from: SeriesE on November 20, 2021, 11:42:34 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 07:19:14 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 19, 2021, 06:58:56 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
It's either this, or $50B to bury Las Vegas Boulevard underground. <shrugs>
They need to get on the ball with building a subterranean heavy rail system under the boulevard from the airport to downtown with several stops in between.
Las Vegas Boulevard is wide enough that underground rail is not necessary. Elevated trains can be built instead.
Not with those pedestrian overpasses. Interestingly some of the casinos do have tram lines connecting them.
Those overpasses can be replaced by well designed station exits. Many stations offer a public (free) walkway that allows people to cross roads without paying.
Considering how much money went into those overpasses they going anywhere any time soon. If I recall correctly some of the overpasses are even maintained as part of the fragmented NV 604.
Quote from: cahwyguy on November 20, 2021, 02:22:19 PM
Quote from: roadfro on November 20, 2021, 01:49:41 PM
I think you can thank the casinos on some of these points. Note that in some cases, especially as you move north, the casino was well established before the bridges came along. You either had older properties like Caesar's Palace where they were originally established well back from the Strip (making a direct casino entrance connection to the ped bridge impractical) or right abutting the Strip (meaning the bridge had to be shoehorned into the right of way however it could fit).
Well, that really depends on the "when". Most of the original casinos were originally well set back with parking in the front; the Sands was the rare exception as it built around a property near the front. But El Rancho Vegas, the Last Frontier, Desert Inn, Sahara, Thunderbird, Riviera and Royal Vegas were all back a bit, as was the Trop. But as things kept remodeling, most grew closer and closer to LV Blvd. Caesars was perhaps the notable exception from that era. Note that originally properties had a lot more empty space between them as well, so walking was a bit less practical.
Quote
You can still cross LVB on foot at most (if not all) signalized intersections where a bridge does not exist, which
There are just a few crosswalks left. I seem to recall one in front of Harrahs, and I think there's another over where the Riv. used to be. But there aren't many left.
There are several crosswalks in the Venetian and Mirage areas.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 21, 2021, 04:46:24 PM
Considering how much money went into those overpasses they going anywhere any time soon. If I recall correctly some of the overpasses are even maintained as part of the fragmented NV 604.
The first overpasses at Tropicana were built by NDOT, back when that section of Tropicana was still SR 593 and much of Las Vegas Blvd was still SR 604. All other overpasses were built by Clark County or the individual resort properties.
The Tropicana overpasses being built and maintained by NDOT I believe is actually the reason why when much of the southern end of Las Vegas Blvd was turned over to Clark County in the late 1990s/early 2000s, NDOT kept a small section of SR 604 about 300 feet on either side of Tropicana Avenue on the books as SR 604 disjointed from rest of the route (which has since been truncated to north of downtown). NDOT recently wrapped up a roughly year-long project to refurbish the Tropicana overpasses, updating them to a more contemporary look (the originals were very utilitarian) and rehab the escalators. At the conclusion of this, they turned the overpasses over to the county, and the small portion of SR 604 near Tropicana no longer appears in the 2021 version of the NDOT State Maintained Highways book.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 21, 2021, 08:42:27 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 21, 2021, 12:15:51 AM
Quote from: SeriesE on November 20, 2021, 11:42:34 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 19, 2021, 07:19:14 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 19, 2021, 06:58:56 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
It's either this, or $50B to bury Las Vegas Boulevard underground. <shrugs>
They need to get on the ball with building a subterranean heavy rail system under the boulevard from the airport to downtown with several stops in between.
Las Vegas Boulevard is wide enough that underground rail is not necessary. Elevated trains can be built instead.
Not with those pedestrian overpasses. Interestingly some of the casinos do have tram lines connecting them.
On the west side of the Strip, there's a few monorails that connect 2 or 3 casinos each, but no connectivity.
On the east side is a monorail from MGM up to the convention center. That was supposed to be a monorail all the way to the airport, but the taxi union, which is very powerful in Vegas, fought hard against that. It's location in the rear of the casinos limits its overall usage as people enjoy seeing the sights from the Strip.
Others on the thread have explained some of the history, but a monorail along LV Blvd would have been more successful than a monorail built on the backside of the casinos. Obviouisly, good transit would extend to Downtown, the airport, service any future high speed train service and some suburban park and rides.
An inital line would start at Blue Diamond / I-15 to be served by a big park and ride, then Warm Springs, Sunset, and then stops at all of the major resorts. The line would then leave the strip on Sands to serve the Convention Center, but rejoin the strip north of Sahara to serve Downtown, with a last stop at Bonanza. Future extensions could include a spur along Tropicana to serve the Airport and the line to the north of Bonanza could be split into two directions (northwest and northeast) to serve the suburbs in those direction.
Driving down the Strip is something people come to Vegas from all over the world to do. Watching the bright lights flash past your windshield is a mesmerizing experience, one that can't be replicated at walking speeds. Turning Las Vegas Boulevard into a tunnel would ruin that.
I think they should instead grade separate the intersections with cross streets passing underneath the Strip.
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 02:56:17 PM
Driving down the Strip is something people come to Vegas from all over the world to do. Watching the bright lights flash past your windshield is a mesmerizing experience, one that can't be replicated at walking speeds. Turning Las Vegas Boulevard into a tunnel would ruin that.
I think they should instead grade separate the intersections with cross streets passing underneath the Strip.
You haven't actually driven the Strip at night, have you? Those cars aren't going very fast at all.
No one is saying that Las Vegas Blvd. should be tunneled. Not sure how that idea came to be.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 27, 2021, 07:12:15 PM
No one is saying that Las Vegas Blvd. should be tunneled. Not sure how that idea came to be.
<raises hand> I
kind of did, but more as a way to point out just how expensive something like that would be.
Perhaps more reasonable would be to convert the Strip to a pedestrian mall from Tropicana to Desert Inn, with deliveries and guest reception via Koval and Dean Martin. The money attraction for this (and any change will undoubtedly be because someone can make more money) would be to add copious amounts of retail down the center of the pedestrian concourse. For city traffic flow, you'd probably have to overpass/underpass Flamingo and Spring Mountain.
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 27, 2021, 08:26:35 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 27, 2021, 07:12:15 PM
No one is saying that Las Vegas Blvd. should be tunneled. Not sure how that idea came to be.
<raises hand> I kind of did, but more as a way to point out just how expensive something like that would be.
Perhaps more reasonable would be to convert the Strip to a pedestrian mall from Tropicana to Desert Inn, with deliveries and guest reception via Koval and Dean Martin. The money attraction for this (and any change will undoubtedly be because someone can make more money) would be to add copious amounts of retail down the center of the pedestrian concourse. For city traffic flow, you'd probably have to overpass/underpass Flamingo and Spring Mountain.
No, this would not be reasonable. As I said before, people like driving on the strip. The Strip is not remotely human scaled and it would make for an unpleasant pedestrian environment with the desert sun beating down on a 100 foot wide, 2 mile long windswept plaza.
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 08:46:48 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 27, 2021, 08:26:35 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 27, 2021, 07:12:15 PM
No one is saying that Las Vegas Blvd. should be tunneled. Not sure how that idea came to be.
<raises hand> I kind of did, but more as a way to point out just how expensive something like that would be.
Perhaps more reasonable would be to convert the Strip to a pedestrian mall from Tropicana to Desert Inn, with deliveries and guest reception via Koval and Dean Martin. The money attraction for this (and any change will undoubtedly be because someone can make more money) would be to add copious amounts of retail down the center of the pedestrian concourse. For city traffic flow, you'd probably have to overpass/underpass Flamingo and Spring Mountain.
No, this would not be reasonable. As I said before, people like driving on the strip. The Strip is not remotely human scaled and it would make for an unpleasant pedestrian environment with the desert sun beating down on a 100 foot wide, 2 mile long windswept plaza.
Bad time to mention I used to run much of the strip through Paradise to downtown Las Vegas when I overnighted in the area for work?
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 27, 2021, 08:26:35 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 27, 2021, 07:12:15 PM
No one is saying that Las Vegas Blvd. should be tunneled. Not sure how that idea came to be.
<raises hand> I kind of did, but more as a way to point out just how expensive something like that would be.
Perhaps more reasonable would be to convert the Strip to a pedestrian mall from Tropicana to Desert Inn, with deliveries and guest reception via Koval and Dean Martin. The money attraction for this (and any change will undoubtedly be because someone can make more money) would be to add copious amounts of retail down the center of the pedestrian concourse. For city traffic flow, you'd probably have to overpass/underpass Flamingo and Spring Mountain.
Yeah count me as someone against that idea. I'm not sure what traffic counts are on the strip but I'm sure they have to be up there there is so much traffic on there all times of the day.
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 02:56:17 PM
Driving down the Strip is something people come to Vegas from all over the world to do. Watching the bright lights flash past your windshield is a mesmerizing experience, one that can't be replicated at walking speeds. Turning Las Vegas Boulevard into a tunnel would ruin that.
I think they should instead grade separate the intersections with cross streets passing underneath the Strip.
Which is why I suggested an elevated metro train/people mover system. It preserves the magic of the strip while solving the traffic problem.
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 08:46:48 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 27, 2021, 08:26:35 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 27, 2021, 07:12:15 PM
No one is saying that Las Vegas Blvd. should be tunneled. Not sure how that idea came to be.
<raises hand> I kind of did, but more as a way to point out just how expensive something like that would be.
Perhaps more reasonable would be to convert the Strip to a pedestrian mall from Tropicana to Desert Inn, with deliveries and guest reception via Koval and Dean Martin. The money attraction for this (and any change will undoubtedly be because someone can make more money) would be to add copious amounts of retail down the center of the pedestrian concourse. For city traffic flow, you'd probably have to overpass/underpass Flamingo and Spring Mountain.
No, this would not be reasonable. As I said before, people like driving on the strip. The Strip is not remotely human scaled and it would make for an unpleasant pedestrian environment with the desert sun beating down on a 100 foot wide, 2 mile long windswept plaza.
Fremont Street: "Hold my beer."
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 28, 2021, 10:39:20 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 08:46:48 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 27, 2021, 08:26:35 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 27, 2021, 07:12:15 PM
No one is saying that Las Vegas Blvd. should be tunneled. Not sure how that idea came to be.
<raises hand> I kind of did, but more as a way to point out just how expensive something like that would be.
Perhaps more reasonable would be to convert the Strip to a pedestrian mall from Tropicana to Desert Inn, with deliveries and guest reception via Koval and Dean Martin. The money attraction for this (and any change will undoubtedly be because someone can make more money) would be to add copious amounts of retail down the center of the pedestrian concourse. For city traffic flow, you'd probably have to overpass/underpass Flamingo and Spring Mountain.
No, this would not be reasonable. As I said before, people like driving on the strip. The Strip is not remotely human scaled and it would make for an unpleasant pedestrian environment with the desert sun beating down on a 100 foot wide, 2 mile long windswept plaza.
Fremont Street: "Hold my beer."
Fremont I'd argue is the more interesting street to walk/run/pedestrian on given it's in an older part of Las Vegas and tends to display more of the local nuttiness.
Quote from: SeriesE on November 28, 2021, 01:50:42 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 02:56:17 PM
Driving down the Strip is something people come to Vegas from all over the world to do. Watching the bright lights flash past your windshield is a mesmerizing experience, one that can't be replicated at walking speeds. Turning Las Vegas Boulevard into a tunnel would ruin that.
I think they should instead grade separate the intersections with cross streets passing underneath the Strip.
Which is why I suggested an elevated metro train/people mover system. It preserves the magic of the strip while solving the traffic problem.
They already tried a monorail. It was really more of a Shelbyville idea.
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 28, 2021, 10:39:20 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 08:46:48 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 27, 2021, 08:26:35 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 27, 2021, 07:12:15 PM
No one is saying that Las Vegas Blvd. should be tunneled. Not sure how that idea came to be.
<raises hand> I kind of did, but more as a way to point out just how expensive something like that would be.
Perhaps more reasonable would be to convert the Strip to a pedestrian mall from Tropicana to Desert Inn, with deliveries and guest reception via Koval and Dean Martin. The money attraction for this (and any change will undoubtedly be because someone can make more money) would be to add copious amounts of retail down the center of the pedestrian concourse. For city traffic flow, you'd probably have to overpass/underpass Flamingo and Spring Mountain.
No, this would not be reasonable. As I said before, people like driving on the strip. The Strip is not remotely human scaled and it would make for an unpleasant pedestrian environment with the desert sun beating down on a 100 foot wide, 2 mile long windswept plaza.
Fremont Street: "Hold my beer."
Fremont Street is a lot narrower.
Quote from: kernals12 on November 28, 2021, 12:10:39 PM
Quote from: SeriesE on November 28, 2021, 01:50:42 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 02:56:17 PM
Driving down the Strip is something people come to Vegas from all over the world to do. Watching the bright lights flash past your windshield is a mesmerizing experience, one that can't be replicated at walking speeds. Turning Las Vegas Boulevard into a tunnel would ruin that.
I think they should instead grade separate the intersections with cross streets passing underneath the Strip.
Which is why I suggested an elevated metro train/people mover system. It preserves the magic of the strip while solving the traffic problem.
They already tried a monorail. It was really more of a Shelbyville idea.
Posting out of obligation:
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 28, 2021, 12:25:21 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 28, 2021, 12:10:39 PM
Quote from: SeriesE on November 28, 2021, 01:50:42 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 02:56:17 PM
Driving down the Strip is something people come to Vegas from all over the world to do. Watching the bright lights flash past your windshield is a mesmerizing experience, one that can't be replicated at walking speeds. Turning Las Vegas Boulevard into a tunnel would ruin that.
I think they should instead grade separate the intersections with cross streets passing underneath the Strip.
Which is why I suggested an elevated metro train/people mover system. It preserves the magic of the strip while solving the traffic problem.
They already tried a monorail. It was really more of a Shelbyville idea.
Posting out of obligation:
I call the big one bitey
Quote from: SeriesE on November 28, 2021, 01:50:42 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 02:56:17 PM
Driving down the Strip is something people come to Vegas from all over the world to do. Watching the bright lights flash past your windshield is a mesmerizing experience, one that can't be replicated at walking speeds. Turning Las Vegas Boulevard into a tunnel would ruin that.
I think they should instead grade separate the intersections with cross streets passing underneath the Strip.
Which is why I suggested an elevated metro train/people mover system. It preserves the magic of the strip while solving the traffic problem.
lmk when a people mover solves freeway-level ADT problems
Quote from: Alps on November 28, 2021, 02:55:46 PM
Quote from: SeriesE on November 28, 2021, 01:50:42 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 02:56:17 PM
Driving down the Strip is something people come to Vegas from all over the world to do. Watching the bright lights flash past your windshield is a mesmerizing experience, one that can't be replicated at walking speeds. Turning Las Vegas Boulevard into a tunnel would ruin that.
I think they should instead grade separate the intersections with cross streets passing underneath the Strip.
Which is why I suggested an elevated metro train/people mover system. It preserves the magic of the strip while solving the traffic problem.
lmk when a people mover solves freeway-level ADT problems
Vancouver's SkyTrain, Tokyo's Yurikamome and Taipei's Wenhu Line uses rolling stock similar to people movers (driverless and rubber tires) and latter two have daily average ridership of over 200,000. That's about the same as I-15's AADT of that area.
Or, and just hear me out, we could do what other major cities have done you know a proven concept like the noble subway. It doesn't affect the street above(still allows for the same amount of lanes), provides greater mobility, doesn't force people to rely on cabs and Uber saving people money, and potentially reduces ADT counts on the road. At the same time expand the elevated monorail as well to make it more useful to move people between hotels without having to travel below. It isn't like the money isn't there. Vegas is flush with cash.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 28, 2021, 04:27:04 PM
Or, and just hear me out, we could do what other major cities have done you know a proven concept like the noble subway. It doesn't affect the street above(still allows for the same amount of lanes), provides greater mobility, doesn't force people to rely on cabs and Uber saving people money, and potentially reduces ADT counts on the road. At the same time expand the elevated monorail as well to make it more useful to move people between hotels without having to travel below. It isn't like the money isn't there. Vegas is flush with cash.
The area you're referring to isn't in Las Vegas. I doubt the city is going to give their money to the county for use elsewhere.
Also, I always wonder why people think an area is "flush with money". Are their financials showing a multi-hundred million dollar surplus? Why wouldn't they use the money now to reduce congestion, build more overhead crosswalks, etc.?
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 28, 2021, 05:22:26 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 28, 2021, 04:27:04 PM
Or, and just hear me out, we could do what other major cities have done you know a proven concept like the noble subway. It doesn't affect the street above(still allows for the same amount of lanes), provides greater mobility, doesn't force people to rely on cabs and Uber saving people money, and potentially reduces ADT counts on the road. At the same time expand the elevated monorail as well to make it more useful to move people between hotels without having to travel below. It isn't like the money isn't there. Vegas is flush with cash.
The area you're referring to isn't in Las Vegas. I doubt the city is going to give their money to the county for use elsewhere.
Also, I always wonder why people think an area is "flush with money". Are their financials showing a multi-hundred million dollar surplus? Why wouldn't they use the money now to reduce congestion, build more overhead crosswalks, etc.?
Yeah that's true it's not Las Vegas city limits per se. I guess it's unincorporated county I'm not sure exactly doesn't mean it can't be done. I guess people think the areas flush with cash given the reality of how much money is invested in the area which is evident when you drive through it. There's apparently enough money to build a private monorail and $1 billion movie theater I'm sure they can handle building a five to $10 billion subway.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 28, 2021, 05:34:03 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 28, 2021, 05:22:26 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 28, 2021, 04:27:04 PM
Or, and just hear me out, we could do what other major cities have done you know a proven concept like the noble subway. It doesn't affect the street above(still allows for the same amount of lanes), provides greater mobility, doesn't force people to rely on cabs and Uber saving people money, and potentially reduces ADT counts on the road. At the same time expand the elevated monorail as well to make it more useful to move people between hotels without having to travel below. It isn't like the money isn't there. Vegas is flush with cash.
The area you're referring to isn't in Las Vegas. I doubt the city is going to give their money to the county for use elsewhere.
Also, I always wonder why people think an area is "flush with money". Are their financials showing a multi-hundred million dollar surplus? Why wouldn't they use the money now to reduce congestion, build more overhead crosswalks, etc.?
Yeah that's true it's not Las Vegas city limits per se. I guess it's unincorporated county I'm not sure exactly doesn't mean it can't be done. I guess people think the areas flush with cash given the reality of how much money is invested in the area which is evident when you drive through it. There's apparently enough money to build a private monorail and $1 billion movie theater I'm sure they can handle building a five to $10 billion subway.
The county didn't build it. It was a private tram between two casinos, expanded by a private firm, which eventually went belly-up, and the county took over operations of the monorail.
If a private company has the money to build a people mover, no doubt they'll do it. Not sure where they're get revenues to offset those expenses though. Many casinos had free exhibits outside their casinos, but reduced or eliminated them over the years because people on the sidewalk isn't drawing them into the casinos. The Mirage's volcano and Ballegio's fountains are the only significant free exhibits left viewable from the Strip, and Wynn has said in the past he realized it was a mistake to build the Fountains in the manner he did
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 28, 2021, 05:49:05 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 28, 2021, 05:34:03 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 28, 2021, 05:22:26 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 28, 2021, 04:27:04 PM
Or, and just hear me out, we could do what other major cities have done you know a proven concept like the noble subway. It doesn't affect the street above(still allows for the same amount of lanes), provides greater mobility, doesn't force people to rely on cabs and Uber saving people money, and potentially reduces ADT counts on the road. At the same time expand the elevated monorail as well to make it more useful to move people between hotels without having to travel below. It isn't like the money isn't there. Vegas is flush with cash.
The area you're referring to isn't in Las Vegas. I doubt the city is going to give their money to the county for use elsewhere.
Also, I always wonder why people think an area is "flush with money". Are their financials showing a multi-hundred million dollar surplus? Why wouldn't they use the money now to reduce congestion, build more overhead crosswalks, etc.?
Yeah that's true it's not Las Vegas city limits per se. I guess it's unincorporated county I'm not sure exactly doesn't mean it can't be done. I guess people think the areas flush with cash given the reality of how much money is invested in the area which is evident when you drive through it. There's apparently enough money to build a private monorail and $1 billion movie theater I'm sure they can handle building a five to $10 billion subway.
The county didn't build it. It was a private tram between two casinos, expanded by a private firm, which eventually went belly-up, and the county took over operations of the monorail.
If a private company has the money to build a people mover, no doubt they'll do it. Not sure where they're get revenues to offset those expenses though. Many casinos had free exhibits outside their casinos, but reduced or eliminated them over the years because people on the sidewalk isn't drawing them into the casinos. The Mirage's volcano and Ballegio's fountains are the only significant free exhibits left viewable from the Strip, and Wynn has said in the past he realized it was a mistake to build the Fountains in the manner he did
I said private monorail. The point was that the money exists. I gave multiple examples of how much investment happens on the strip. Money for a subway is there.
What is that billion dollar theater you're referring to anyway?
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 28, 2021, 06:30:41 PM
What is that billion dollar theater you're referring to anyway?
Sorry I was wrong about that, it's actually 1.8 billion dollars:
https://youtu.be/ydOn8qwLJzA
Quote from: kernals12 on November 28, 2021, 12:13:09 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 28, 2021, 10:39:20 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on November 27, 2021, 08:46:48 PM
Quote from: DenverBrian on November 27, 2021, 08:26:35 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 27, 2021, 07:12:15 PM
No one is saying that Las Vegas Blvd. should be tunneled. Not sure how that idea came to be.
<raises hand> I kind of did, but more as a way to point out just how expensive something like that would be.
Perhaps more reasonable would be to convert the Strip to a pedestrian mall from Tropicana to Desert Inn, with deliveries and guest reception via Koval and Dean Martin. The money attraction for this (and any change will undoubtedly be because someone can make more money) would be to add copious amounts of retail down the center of the pedestrian concourse. For city traffic flow, you'd probably have to overpass/underpass Flamingo and Spring Mountain.
No, this would not be reasonable. As I said before, people like driving on the strip. The Strip is not remotely human scaled and it would make for an unpleasant pedestrian environment with the desert sun beating down on a 100 foot wide, 2 mile long windswept plaza.
Fremont Street: "Hold my beer."
Fremont Street is a lot narrower.
Which is why lots of retail, restaurants, etc. down the middle of the Strip would work - lots more land.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 28, 2021, 06:40:15 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 28, 2021, 06:30:41 PM
What is that billion dollar theater you're referring to anyway?
Sorry I was wrong about that, it's actually 1.8 billion dollars:
https://youtu.be/ydOn8qwLJzA
Interesting. Hadn't heard of that project before.
That said, I still don't see the relationship between a private company buiding an expensive project, and a county or city having lots of money to build a pipe-dream project. There's more tax money as a result of the extra infrastructure, but that tax money isn't going to do much more than help with basic utilities, help pave some roads or hire an extra employee.
While many tend to focus on the Strip, the area is just like any other metro area - the taxes that roll in for this project will be used throughout the county.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 28, 2021, 05:22:26 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 28, 2021, 04:27:04 PM
Or, and just hear me out, we could do what other major cities have done you know a proven concept like the noble subway. It doesn't affect the street above(still allows for the same amount of lanes), provides greater mobility, doesn't force people to rely on cabs and Uber saving people money, and potentially reduces ADT counts on the road. At the same time expand the elevated monorail as well to make it more useful to move people between hotels without having to travel below. It isn't like the money isn't there. Vegas is flush with cash.
The area you're referring to isn't in Las Vegas. I doubt the city is going to give their money to the county for use elsewhere.
Yep, seems unprecedented. (https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/1998/may/13/nevada-to-contribute-10-million-to-widen-i-15-in-c/)
Quote from: Occidental Tourist on November 28, 2021, 10:53:18 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 28, 2021, 05:22:26 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 28, 2021, 04:27:04 PM
Or, and just hear me out, we could do what other major cities have done you know a proven concept like the noble subway. It doesn't affect the street above(still allows for the same amount of lanes), provides greater mobility, doesn't force people to rely on cabs and Uber saving people money, and potentially reduces ADT counts on the road. At the same time expand the elevated monorail as well to make it more useful to move people between hotels without having to travel below. It isn't like the money isn't there. Vegas is flush with cash.
The area you're referring to isn't in Las Vegas. I doubt the city is going to give their money to the county for use elsewhere.
Yep, seems unprecedented. (https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/1998/may/13/nevada-to-contribute-10-million-to-widen-i-15-in-c/)
Clark County and the City of Las Vegas kinda/sorta often act as a consolidated county. A big example is Las Vegas Metro acting as a single law enforcement entity since 1973.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
Might have been fun for you, but was hellish to drive across, especially when tourists would just continue to amble across an 8-lane Flamingo or Tropicana long after the red hand started flashing and block the green for E-W movement.
Quote from: Sub-Urbanite on December 28, 2021, 12:18:42 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
Might have been fun for you, but was hellish to drive across, especially when tourists would just continue to amble across an 8-lane Flamingo or Tropicana long after the red hand started flashing and block the green for E-W movement.
Which is part of the reason I used to stay at the chain hotels on Paradise Road. It was way easier to walk over to Las Vegas Boulevard at night than try to drive to a destination on it. I know one person already said "inhuman scale" referencing a two mile walk, but it never seemed like that big of a deal to me.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 28, 2021, 12:27:38 PM
Quote from: Sub-Urbanite on December 28, 2021, 12:18:42 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
It used to be fun to walk around Las Vegas Boulevard before all these pedestrian safety measures went in. I understand why they are being built and they no doubt have improved the traffic flow of Las Vegas Boulevard. Some of the overpasses aren't very convenient to use and making getting from one casino to the next take longer.
Might have been fun for you, but was hellish to drive across, especially when tourists would just continue to amble across an 8-lane Flamingo or Tropicana long after the red hand started flashing and block the green for E-W movement.
Which is part of the reason I used to stay at the chain hotels on Paradise Road. It was way easier to walk over to Las Vegas Boulevard at night than try to drive to a destination on it. I know one person already said "inhuman scale" referencing a two mile walk, but it never seemed like that big of a deal to me.
I stayed on Paradise the first time I went to LV alone, but I drove over to one of the strip casinos and took advantage of their free parking ramp. The length of the walk wasn't an issue - I walked from Treasure Island to Mandalay Bay and back - but I wasn't keen on the sidewalks along Flamingo at the time.