$5.86 million grant enables high-capacity transit planning in Southern Nevada

Credit: Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC SNV) has announced that it has been awarded a $5.86 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant programme. The grant will be used by RTC SNV to plan for future high-capacity transit along Charleston Boulevard.

The funding will support the completion of various project phases, including planning, alternatives analysis, preliminary engineering and environmental clearance for a 16.9-mile long high-capacity transit line along Charleston Boulevard. Currently, the transit service on this route, known as Route 206, connects Downtown Summerlin to the eastern edge of the City of Las Vegas and is the region’s third highest ridership route.

“This is a significant step forward for our region as we work toward improving mobility infrastructure and the safety of all road users for our community,” said RTC Board Chairman and Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones. “We have our federal delegation to thank for their work in securing this much-needed funding.”

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Charleston Boulevard is a crucial transportation corridor that provides residents with access to employment opportunities, healthcare facilities, social services resources and recreational areas. The proposed project aims to enhance this corridor by introducing dedicated transit travel lanes, bike lanes, wide pavements, improved transit station areas with better lighting and real-time bus arrival information, as well as streetscape improvements and safety/traffic management technology.

To realise this project, RTC SNV will collaborate with Clark County, the City of Las Vegas, as well as the Nevada Department of Transportation. Charleston Boulevard is home to over 231,000 residents living within a three-fourths of a mile radius, with nearly 54,000 residing below the poverty level. The corridor also experiences significant traffic volumes, with average daily traffic exceeding 35,000 west of I-515 and over 50,000 east of I-515.