Editorial: Crossed up on crosswalks

Thursday, Jan. 5, 2006 | 7:31 a.m.

Faded crosswalks are a problem in the Las Vegas Valley for both drivers who cannot see them and pedestrians who must use them and risk getting hit. This newspaper has long written about, and editorialized on, the valley's national reputation for pedestrian dangers and the need to address them.

On Dec. 30 we again wrote about the issue, focusing on a crosswalk at Decatur Boulevard and Pennwood Avenue. A school crossing guard had been trying for years to get either Las Vegas or Clark County to paint the crosswalk, which is used by children attending Elaine Wynn Elementary School.

His efforts failed, however, as neither the city nor the county could ever decide which of them had jurisdiction over the crosswalk. The issue became a bureaucratic stalemate.

Two days after the Sun's article, however, the crosswalk was painted. Jorge Cervantes, assistant traffic engineer for the city, said the article prompted him to begin working on a crosswalk agreement among his staff and the traffic staffs of North Las Vegas and Clark County. Already, North Las Vegas has signed on and Clark County has the agreement in hand. The agreement would clarify once and for all which of the three local governments is responsible for crosswalks that often start in one jurisdiction and end in another.

We wish the crossing guard had been listened to years ago, but at least the right thing has been done now. A little paint and some time coming up with an agreement is certainly worth making our valley safer for children and all pedestrians.