LAS VEGAS, Nev. (702 Times, NV Globe) – Within the last week, two separate collisions on Boulder Highway resulted in the deaths of two people. New Year’s Eve marked the most recent.
According to police, Alissa Morena, 33, was hit by a car after she allegedly stepped too close to Galleria Drive. The driver remained at the site and displayed no symptoms of intoxication.
Manuel Esqueda Jr., 50, was struck and killed on the same section of Boulder Highway on Wednesday night. According to police, he was jaywalking. The vehicle drove off, but days later, police detained Carlos Lopez-Orellana, 70, on suspicion of hit-and-run.
There are plans to make Boulder Highway safer despite the fact that it has been dubbed the most dangerous route in Nevada for pedestrians.
“Specifically, at night it is not the safest spot,” contended Zion Wandick who has lived off Boulder near Russell for 17 years. Driving down Boulder Highway at night, it’s not uncommon to see people crossing the road outside of a crosswalk.
“Boulder Highway may be dark at times, and the speed is never checked,” said Wandick. “I also had a close friend who got hit by a car on Boulder Highway.”
The sites of pedestrian fatalities in Clark County since 2017 are marked on a map by dots that create a distinct line along Boulder Highway.
As the Hoover Dam was being built, Boulder Highway was created in 1931 to link Boulder City and Downtown Las Vegas. It was a busy, energetic boulevard packed with hotels, casinos, and other businesses. The US 95 highway extension, however, caused a standstill throughout the corridor in the 1980s. There is now a campaign to give it fresh life. The City of Henderson received roughly $40 million from the US Department of Transportation to improve lighting and drainage along the route as well as vehicle, biker, and pedestrian safety.
With improved street lighting, mid-block crossings, and transit stops running down the middle, the RTC has also published a depiction of what Boulder Highway may look like in the future. New sidewalks on both sides of the Boulder Highway as well as cushioned bike lanes are also planned. A total reconstruction of the route is anticipated to cost $120 million. The Reimagine Boulder Highway project is expected to start early next year, and pre-construction is already under progress.
Credits: Fox 5 Vegas
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