Pedestrians head under the Cultural Corridor Trail Pedestrian Bridge as they walk northbound along Las Vegas Boulevard North between Bonanza Road and Washington Avenue, June 5, 2011.
Thursday, June 9, 2011 | 3:18 p.m.
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People wanting to cross from the Las Vegas Natural History Museum to the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum on the other side of Las Vegas Boulevard now have a safer, easier alternative to jaywalking.
Las Vegas officials on Thursday formally dedicated a $1.3 million elevated pedestrian bridge that will connect cultural institutions on both sides of the street.
A light-emitting diode design meant to invoke the city’s iconic neon signs runs the length of the bridge, which is part of the larger Cultural Corridor Trail Project, that will eventually stretch 12 blocks through downtown Las Vegas.
“This is the largest original piece of art that I can think of in our community,” Mayor Oscar Goodman said of the bridge. “It’s right here so that everybody who drives through this historic corridor is going to be able to say that Las Vegas has committed itself to creating cultural icons.”
Although the area is still in a state of flux with the closure of the Reed Whipple Cultural Center and the impending move of the children’s museum to Symphony Park, Goodman is optimistic that new tenants would move into the area. He acknowledged the street, which has no crosswalks or nearby stop lights, had been dangerous to cross.
Natural History Museum Director Marilyn Gillespie said she could recall at least two incidents when pedestrians crossing the street had been hit.
“Moms used to load up their cars and drive across to get to the other side,” she said.
The bridge will help alleviate some of the safety concerns, while also serving as a landmark for downtown.
Mayor Oscar Goodman speaks at the dedication for the Cultural Corridor Pedestrian Bridge located along Las Vegas Boulevard. Goodman described the bridge and its accompanying artwork as the largest original piece of public art in Las Vegas.
“This is art that serves at the gateway of our city,” City Councilman Ricki Barlow said. “Let’s not keep it a secret. We need to continue to tell the story of all the great amenities that exist right here in our community.”
The artwork, dubbed “Vegas Arabesque” by David Griggs, includes swirling designs that imitate a chorus line. Griggs, who is based in Denver, said he drew inspiration from time spent in the nearby Neon Museum.
The new bridge will take some getting used to, as several pedestrians this morning still chose to jaywalk across the street instead of going over it.
The larger cultural corridor trail is under construction, but will eventually run from the Mob Museum on East Stewart Avenue to the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort nearly a mile away.
Banner poles, stamped concrete sidewalk panels and concrete embellishments are planned for the urban trail.
The project, including the pedestrian bridge, is being funded by the sale of public land through the Bureau of Land Management.
Griggs’ artwork was paid for by the Las Vegas cultural affairs office.
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