LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A new pedestrian bridge is set to provide students near Gunderson Middle School with a safer route to and from school this upcoming school year.
"I cannot even tell you the elation that I have that our bridge is finally open, " said Kari Knofel, who has been advocating for the bridge.
The bridge is located on the Tenaya Paseo trail, which runs north and south between Buffalo Drive and Rainbow Boulevard.
For years, Knofel had been advocating for a pedestrian bridge to be built on the trail and now, the new walkway will be open to the community in time for the first day of school.
“It’s going to be a great thoroughfare. Even if you are not a student commuting, we have residents that walk their pets out here," said Knofel.
As students head back to school, the people tasked with protecting them are trying to bring down the shocking number of kids who were hit by cars last school year. As I reported, Clark County School District data shows 138 students were hit by a vehicle last year.
Earlier this week, I learned what police plan to do to keep school zones safe as kids start the new year:
Fifteen of those kids — about 10% — were students from Gunderson Middle School.
"Last January, one of our students was hit, and it was a really bad accident. Luckily, he is a very strong fighter, and he is back at school, he is excited to start the seventh grade," said Knofel.
Before the bridge's completion, students who lived south of Mountains Edge Parkway would have to cross highly trafficked, dangerous intersections like Buffalo and Cactus Avenue to get to and from Gunderson Middle School.
While the Tenaya Paseo trail would have provided students with a shorter and more secure route to the school, they could not travel through it because of a rush channel that would cut off access.
Knofel is hopeful the new pedestrian bridge will kelp keep students and the community safe.
"This bridge is such a game-changer for so many of our students, because it gives them a protective corridor where they don't have to worry about any cars doing cross traffic," she added.
