Clash of solutions: Las Vegas and Henderson take different approaches to Boulder Highway’s deadly problem

Chain-link fence meets bus rapid transit as two jurisdictions pursue conflicting fixes for Nevada’s most dangerous road

Boulder Highway has earned a grim distinction as one of Nevada’s deadliest roads, and now two different government entities are implementing vastly different solutions that are about to collide—literally—near Tulip Falls Drive. While Las Vegas police expand their controversial chain-link fence northward, Henderson pushes forward with its ambitious $173 million Reimagine Boulder Highway project featuring center-running bus lanes. The question residents are asking: Will either approach work, or is there a third option nobody’s considering?

A highway built for a different era

To understand the current crisis, it helps to know Boulder Highway’s history. Constructed in 1931 as part of the Hoover Dam project, the highway was built when the Las Vegas Valley consisted of “sparsely populated pockets of desert land,” according to NDOT spokesperson Tony Illia. What once served as the area’s only freeway—carrying State Routes 5 and later U.S. Routes 93, 95, and 466—now cuts through dense urban development never imagined by its original designers.

The statistics are sobering. Between 2006 and 2019, Boulder Highway saw 52 pedestrian deaths, representing almost 9% of all pedestrian fatalities statewide despite being just one road. The intersection of Sun Valley Drive and Boulder Highway held the dubious honor of being Nevada’s deadliest until a 2018 redesign brought fatalities there to zero.

Solution #1: The fence approach

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s answer to the pedestrian crisis is straightforward, if controversial: physical barriers. The initial 1,500-foot chain-link fence installed between Flamingo Road and Nellis Boulevard in October 2024 cost Clark County $41,285—a relatively modest investment for what Captain Jeff Clark of Metro’s Southeast Area Command hoped would save lives.

“If you run across Boulder Highway you’re not going to get hurt. You’re going to end up losing your life,” Captain Clark said bluntly. “Unfortunately in years past we have led of all the area commands in traffic deaths.”

The fence emerged from Sheriff Kevin McMahill’s ambitious goal to reduce traffic deaths below 120 in 2025. Early results appeared promising, with police reporting pedestrian crashes in the fenced area dropping to zero. Encouraged by these numbers, LVMPD is now expanding the fence from East Harmon Avenue to East Flamingo Road, with plans to eventually reach Desert Inn Road.

Early critiques emerge

Not everyone is convinced the fence represents a long-term solution. Local resident Alexa Hantz expressed skepticism: “I’d hope it was going to work, but people are just finding the main ends where the fence is ending so it’s just causing more of a potential hazard, rather than preventing what they thought it was going to.”

The fence essentially forces pedestrians to walk potentially hundreds of feet out of their way to reach designated crosswalks—a significant detour in Las Vegas heat. Critics argue this Band-Aid approach doesn’t address the fundamental design flaws that make Boulder Highway so dangerous.

Solution #2: Henderson’s complete streets vision

While Las Vegas installs fencing, Henderson has embarked on a far more ambitious—and expensive—transformation. The Reimagine Boulder Highway project represents a complete philosophical shift in how to approach road safety.

The $173 million project will transform a 7.5-mile stretch from Wagon Wheel Drive to Tulip Falls Drive, reducing the current six lanes to four, adding center-running bus rapid transit lanes, elevated bike paths, wider sidewalks, improved lighting, and landscaped medians. Construction began in 2024 with completion expected by 2027.

Nathan Enos, quality control manager with Henderson, explained the logic: “Reducing the number of lanes, we make the crossing time for pedestrians shorter. What that allows us to do is actually shorten up the red times.”

The intersection point

The two approaches are set to meet—awkwardly—near Tulip Falls Drive. Henderson staff acknowledged the challenge in writing: “The bus transition takes place at the signalized intersection of Boulder Highway and Broadbent Boulevard. For the short distance (about 800′) between Tulip Falls and Broadbent, the median will be similar to the existing condition. Our current plans don’t call for a pedestrian barrier.”

This means drivers and pedestrians will experience a jarring transition from Henderson’s complete streets design to Las Vegas’s fence-lined median within less than a quarter mile.

A third option: Learning from the Strip

Paul Caldwell, a Las Vegas resident who frequently crosses Boulder Highway with his daughter Jenmarie, suggests looking at how Clark County solved similar problems on Las Vegas Boulevard decades ago: pedestrian bridges.

“They have pedestrian bridges that actually will solve that equation,” Caldwell said. “A gate going down this way, the only problem is people are going to cut that gate before they can say hello. And the same way with having some kind of a bus lane in the middle, you look at California, most of them have incidents out there too.”

However, Caldwell noted that the existing pedestrian bridge on Boulder Highway suffers from neglect: “For me, that bridge is not really safe. But if you can put other bridges, it would actually solve more.”

The bigger picture

The dueling approaches reflect broader philosophical differences in urban planning. Las Vegas’s fence represents reactive enforcement—physically preventing dangerous behavior. Henderson’s redesign embodies proactive planning—creating an environment where dangerous behavior becomes less likely or necessary.

Erin Breen, director of Road Equity Alliance and a longtime advocate for Boulder Highway improvements, has been pushing for comprehensive changes since 2015. She points to the success at Sun Valley Drive and Boulder Highway as proof that good design works: “After the upgrade and redesign, there have been zero people killed; there have been two critical injuries—both driver error. Good design and a lot of enforcement saved a lot of lives.”

Federal involvement and future phases

The northern 7.5 miles of Boulder Highway, from Gibson Road to Charleston Boulevard, remain in planning stages. The Regional Transportation Commission secured federal grants for environmental review and preliminary engineering, but no construction timeline exists. This stretch falls under multiple jurisdictions—RTC, Clark County, and the city of Las Vegas—complicating coordination efforts.

The Henderson project itself will unfold in phases:

• Phase 1 (2024-2026): Basic infrastructure, lighting, business access lanes
• Complete Streets phase: Widened sidewalks, green buffers, more crossings
• Phase 2 Ultimate (5+ years): Full buildout with center transit lanes and linear parks

Water conservation bonus

An unexpected benefit of Henderson’s approach: water savings. By replacing diseased and nonfunctional landscaping with water-smart desert options, the city expects to save 46 million gallons of water annually—a significant consideration in drought-stricken Southern Nevada.

The human cost continues

While bureaucrats debate solutions, the death toll continues mounting. The April 24, 2025, pedestrian fatality that prompted this latest examination represents just one of three pedestrian deaths on Boulder Highway in 2025 alone. Each death underscores the urgency of finding effective solutions.

For businesses along the corridor, the safety crisis impacts their bottom line. Multiple businesses on either side of the highway struggle to attract customers who fear crossing the dangerous road. The economic impact compounds the human tragedy.

Looking ahead

As these two solutions converge near Tulip Falls Drive, they create an unintentional experiment in traffic safety philosophy. Will the immediate deterrent of physical barriers prove more effective than long-term infrastructure investment? Can the two approaches coexist, or will their intersection create new hazards?

The answer may determine how Southern Nevada approaches road safety for decades to come. With pedestrian deaths continuing to climb statewide—and Boulder Highway maintaining its position among the deadliest corridors—the stakes couldn’t be higher.

For now, pedestrians like Paul Caldwell and his daughter must navigate a highway that’s part obstacle course, part construction zone, and entirely dangerous. Whether fences, bus lanes, or some yet-unconsidered solution will finally tame Boulder Highway remains to be seen. What’s certain is that the status quo—built for a Las Vegas that no longer exists—cannot continue.

Image Sources: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/2-solutions-long-troubled-las-060104335.html

Category: Local News
Subcategory: Transportation & Infrastructure
Date: 08/01/2025