Officials: LV monorail won’t be invincible

Wednesday, March 24, 2004 | 11:11 a.m.

The March 11 bombings of commuter trains in Madrid reminded some observers of potential vulnerabilities of the Las Vegas monorail, which backers hope will be a centerpiece of mass transit in the city's future.

Analysts said it is nearly impossible to make a mass transit system, including the 3.9-mile, $650 million monorail, invincible.

"That was proven in Spain just a couple of weeks ago," said Walter Vodrazka, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas, professor studying transportation and transit security. "It is one of those situations, if someone is hell-bent and determined to do something, it can be difficult to prevent it."

Mass transit by definition means that thousands of people use the system, making airport-style metal detectors and individual searches difficult or impossible. Even in countries that are used to dealing with terror attacks on mass transit system, such as buses in Israel, officials have found it difficult to overcome the security dilemma.

That doesn't mean, however, that the monorail would make an attractive target for terrorists.

"It doesn't seem like it would be a very intelligent target for terrorism," said Mary Riddel, associate director of UNLV's Center for Business and Economic Research.

Vodrazka said that while the monorail, although slated to carry 20 million people in its first year, is not a critical piece of urban transit infrastructure such as the Madrid commuter train. It is a tourism amenity directed toward Las Vegas' millions of visitors, not the commuters who go to work along the Strip, he said.

"It's more of a convenience," Vodrazka said. "It would be an inconvenience, not bring the town to a halt."

Riddel said terror attacks anywhere in Las Vegas would be a blow to the tourism industry, but other targets might hurt the area more.

"It would be much worse if it targeted a major hotel," she said. "It would shut down one of our biggest revenue producers. ... That would be a direct economic impact.

"Any terror attack -- the sensationalism of it would have the most impact," Riddel said.

State Homeland Security Adviser Jerry Bussell said that he and Gov. Kenny Guinn are aware of the need for security for the monorail.

Bussell said he didn't want to specify what security features would be used, because he did not want to compromise any of them.

"There will be things that you can see, but a lot of the security no one will really notice," he said.

Todd Walker, spokesman for the Las Vegas Monorail Co., said that the monorail's security director has met with Metro Police and other emergency responders.

A system of security cameras will cover the tracks, each monorail station and each monorail car, Walker said. Private security guards will patrol the stations.

"We're working through a lot of options right now," Walker said. "Security and safety are our No. 1 priority. We think riders will view the monorail as an extension of the hotels, and we want the security to stay at the high level already in place at the hotels."

Walker said that there would be no screening of passengers with metal detectors before they get on the monorail, noting that no mass transportation system in the country screens passengers.

One of those who took a particular interest in the monorail security was Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who toured the system while it was still under construction last summer.

"Security is always a top concern, and we must remain alert," Reid said. "While I've heard of no specific threats, I have the utmost confidence in the RTC (Regional Transportation Commission), the Las Vegas Monorail Co. and specially our local first responders."

Once the transit system opens between the MGM Grand and the Sahara, the Las Vegas Monorail Co. said fares for a single ride would be $3. Riders would have a variety of options for ticket purchase, including all-day and three-day passes.

During the introductory period, the monorail is scheduled to operate daily from 8 a.m. to midnight, and after three months operate from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., the company said.