LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The Las Vegas City Council voted unanimously to lower speed limits on Centennial Parkway following growing concerns from families about speeding drivers and close calls.
The decision comes days after Metro police caught dozens of drivers racing along Centennial Parkway and doing donuts as crowds watched near Grand Montecito and Centennial.
Centennial Parkway is a major east-west corridor in the northwest area of the city that provides connectivity within the regional roadway network. Dozens of neighborhoods and schools sit along the stretch of road.
Residents report dangerous conditions
David Longa has lived along Centennial Parkway since 2013 and said he has watched the roadway grow more dangerous each year.
“Before the overpass to 215 was completed, this was a pretty quiet street,” Longa said. “However, since the 215 got done, Centennial became, in my opinion, a high-speed raceway.”
Longa’s home sits a block away from Centennial High School. He said cars often ignore the school zone.
“People coming down or going don’t even respect the flashing lights that the bus puts out,” Longa said. “I don’t want any more kids to get hurt. I’ve already seen enough being here.”
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Speed study findings
The Department of Public Works conducted a speed study along Centennial Parkway between Shaumber Road and Grand Montecito Parkway to evaluate existing operating speeds and determine whether they are consistent with the current posted speed limit.
The study found that the 85th percentile speed is approximately 9 mph above the existing posted speed limit of 45 mph.
The segment of Centennial Parkway serves school zones, residential neighborhoods and commercial retail areas.
New speed limits approved
Following the traffic study, the city approved lowering the speed limit on Centennial Parkway from Shaumber Road to Grand Montecito Parkway in support of the city’s Vision Zero Action Plan.
From Shaumber to Hualapai, the segment in front of Centennial High School will go from 45 to 35 mph. From Hualapai to Durango, the limit will drop from 45 to 40 mph. From Durango to Grand Montecito, it will go from 40 to 35 mph.
Lia Grimaldi, engineering project manager with the City of Las Vegas Department of Public Works, said the roadway design contributes to speeding.
“To be honest, it is easy to go fast on that corridor, right? Because you have a lot of undeveloped land uses. And so, it’s a very wide road. And so, people feel the need to speed,” Grimaldi said.
The new speed limits will go into effect early this summer.
Longa said he hopes the changes will help.
“I’m just going to see if the changes will make an improvement,” Longa said.
City officials said they plan to add wider sidewalks, bicycle facilities, and increased pedestrian activity in addition to the speed limit changes. A planned Centennial Parkway improvement project will include sidewalks, curb and gutter, bike lanes, and medians between Alpine Ridge and Durango Drive.
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