Two pedestrian bridges open in western valley

By Aida Ahmed

Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011 | 12:28 p.m.

Two pedestrian bridges have opened in Las Vegas as part of a $4.7 million trail improvement project. The new bridges, funded by the Bureau of Land Management and Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act, are located across Lake Mead Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue east of Buffalo Drive.

“These bridges help connect our city’s trail system,” Las Vegas City Manager Betsy Fretwell said at the bridges’ grand opening this morning. “We now have more than 50 miles of trails for walking and biking.”

Las Vegas Mayor Pro Tem Stavros Anthony and Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian, whose wards house the bridges, said the project will provide a walking- and biking-friendly environment where people can cross major streets safely.

“It’s going to be safe,” Anthony said. “There’s going to be lights along quite a bit of the trail system.”

Tarkanian, who works with the Look Out Kids About coalition, said students who walk to and from school will find it easier to cross major intersections.

The improvement project includes the cultural corridor pedestrian bridge that opened in downtown Las Vegas in June. The city also approved an agreement with the Outside Las Vegas Foundation to develop an adopt-a-trail program in which sponsors can adopt trails for $500 to $2,500.

The city’s trails feature rest areas, benches, lighting, trash cans and pet-waste stations. Fretwell said volunteers will help maintain the trails, some that run a mile long.