Bus route would offer monorail users a low-cost ride downtown

Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2004 | 11:10 a.m.

The Regional Transportation Commission is planning a reduced-fare bus route from the north end of the Las Vegas Monorail to downtown Las Vegas.

The bus would cost 50 cents to ride, 75 cents off regular fares, but it would have just three stops -- the monorail station off Sahara Avenue, the Fremont Street Experience and the Downtown Transportation Center.

The RTC board, made up of elected representatives from Clark County and area cities, is scheduled to vote on the proposal Feb. 12.

Ingrid Reisman, RTC spokeswoman, said the bus would offer and accept transfers like any other bus in the Citizens Area Transit system.

If approved by the RTC board, the bus system should begin operation the same day as the monorail, which is expected to start operating in March, Reisman said.

The $650 million, privately funded monorail will run four miles roughly parallel to Las Vegas Boulevard, from the MGM Grand to the Sahara. Fares will be $3. Todd Walker, a spokesman for the operators Las Vegas Monorail Co., said the monorail-to-bus connection is a good idea for a couple of reasons.

"We hope to use the monorail to go downtown in the future," Walker said. "The bus connection is setting a path."

The Regional Transportation Commission in April received federal approval for final design and engineering work on the downtown monorail extension.

The monorail project's second phase would cost about $450 million and be financed with federal money, low-interest loans and bonds. The publicly financed downtown extension is expected to be completed by 2007.

Walker said the bus connection also could help spur downtown redevelopment efforts.