LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A new bridge will be opening to provide safe passage for students crossing the road to and from school in the Mountain's Edge community.
Students, parents, advocates, and more members of the community will be convening at Tenaya Paseo Bridge on Friday, Aug. 9, at 10 a.m. to discuss this safer travel path for pedestrians and students this upcoming school year.
This new travel path will be located between Cactus Avenue and Mountain's Edge Parkway on the already-existing Tenaya Paseo Trail.
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Public officials said last school year, more than 100 Clark County School District students were struck by vehicles — a number corroborated further by the Road Equity Alliance advocacy group at UNLV.
"During the 2023-2024 school year, students in the Clark County School District were struck by vehicles on their way to or from school an amazing 140 times, close to a 100 percent increase over the previous year," the group said in a relase.
"By age, the highest number of students struck attended middle school, and the school with the highest number in the district was Gunderson, where 14 children were struck, 12 on bikes, one pedestrian and one scooter rider."
They noted that an issue at Gunderson was the accessibility to the school and construction on Buffalo Drive, just west of the school — but with the bridge opening, students will no longer need to walk along Buffalo.
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Instead, they said students can travel from the south side of Mountain's Edge Parkway across Tenaya Paseo between Rainbow Boulevard and Buffalo Drive on a path designed for pedestrians and cyclists. From there they can turn west on Mountain's Edge Parkway and travel to Gunderson on detached sidewalks aided by crossing guards at crosswalks.
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