A major proposal could shape the future of transit in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Monorail is working to expand south to the Mandalay Bay Hotel-Casino. The project goes before the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee Thursday, but not everyone thinks this is the best way to reduce traffic on the Strip.
With more than 65 million riders since opening in 2004, the Las Vegas Monorail is looking to expand, but some want to see a different plan.
“It gets you there. It does its purpose, but it doesn’t do it very well, and it’s an old approach to doing this,” said Las Vegas Monorail critic David Friedman.
He says he has researched the latest technology. He wants other ideas to be considered to help travelers navigate the Strip.
“What I propose is doing an above ground, along the center line, moving walkway under an air conditioned tube,” he said.
8 News NOW asked visitors for their input.
“I just want to get in a piece of transportation and get to where I’m going,” visitor Walter Simmons said.
Simmons and his wife say they had no idea there was a monorail, but like the idea of expansion.
“That would be awesome, because it would save the pedestrians a lot of money,” he said.
Frequent Las Vegas visitor Dean Murdoch says he already takes advantage of the monorail. He says he hopes the expansion gets more riders on board.
“I don’t think a lot of people know about it,” he said. “It’s not very well advertised, and I think a lot of people who come to Las Vegas don’t know about it.”
As for Friedman, he plans to introduce his vision for expansion to the Tourism Infrastructure Committee Thursday morning.
The Las Vegas Monorail is not asking the committee for money, just its support for the project.
