Editorial: Light rail: On the right track

Thursday, Sept. 5, 2002 | 9:06 a.m.

Dozens of cities in Canada, the United States and Mexico are once again developing what has been a transportation standard for generations in Europe and other parts of the world -- light rail. North American cities all but abandoned this efficient and relatively clean method of transportation decades ago in favor of automobiles and superhighways. Lately, however, city planners have begun to realize that rail must again assume a significant role if urban areas are to be rescued from the ever-increasing gridlock and air pollution brought on by cars and trucks. Today, more than 100 North American cities have light-rail systems either in operation, under construction or in the proposal stage. Las Vegas and Henderson may soon join that list.

The Regional Transportation Commission is studying a possible light-rail link between the two cities. So far, planners have envisioned a 10-mile rail system, costing about $60 million, that would allow commuters to move between Henderson and the South Strip Transfer Facility south of McCarran International Airport. The thought is that thousands of people who work on the Strip could leave their cars in Henderson, board a rail car and transfer to a bus. The rail's comparatively cheap cost of about $6 million per mile hinges on being able to use existing Union Pacific Railroad rights-of-way, rather than having to buy residential and commercial property along the route. Much of the cost would be borne by the federal government.

We hope the RTC study evolves into a formal proposal, and that it doesn't end with the Henderson-Strip link. Planners envision the rail ultimately using more UP rights-of-way to extend the rail to downtown Las Vegas and northeast to North Las Vegas. We see the need to also include the valley's northwest in any rail proposal. U.S. 95, which serves northwest commuters, is being widened but that project at best will only boost rush-hour traffic from stop-and-go to a steady crawl. As other cities have done, Las Vegas needs to acknowledge that light rail is the future of efficient mass transportation.