RTC plans bus station

City Council expected to green light project Tuesday

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The Henderson City Council is expected to give final approval in its May 2 meeting for a zone change that would allow a bus transit station and service facility to be built at Wagon Wheel and Boulder Highway.

The Regional Transportation Commission's proposal passed the Planning Commission easily on April 13 after RTC representatives answered a few questions about security.

Staffers explained that the RTC has a security program that includes cameras and regular patrols.

. The 18-acre parcel of land alone cost $4.4 million.

The station would include seating areas for people waiting to transfer, as well as a maintenance area for buses.

There also would be 25 parking spaces for those who want to drive to the station and then take the rest of their journey by bus.

"I just want to commend you on the amount of parking that's going to be there to allow people to go and park there and then use public transportation," said Planning Commissioner Gerri Schroder. "Hopefully, this will help with some of the traffic out there."

The RTC owns only one other transit station on the same scale, located on Las Vegas Boulevard, although RTC passengers do utilize a Las Vegas city-owned station downtown, as well.

Planners at the RTC do not yet know what the station would look like.

If the RTC obtains approval from the Henderson City Council, that type of planning would occur over the next year, and construction may begin in 2008.

The Metropolitan Area Express line from Boulder City, expected to be operating by 2009, would stop at the future station for transfers, along with other types of buses.

People will be able to use the Boulder City MAX to get quickly to and from Las Vegas.

RTC spokeswoman Sue Christiansen said RTC staff purchased such a large lot to allow for future expansion if and when it is needed.

"We're always trying to look to the future and be prepared for what comes," said Christiansen.