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The Las Vegas Strip can be a dangerous place for tourists attempting to cross the road. New pedestrian bridges will create safer access.
The streets and sidewalks of the Las Vegas Strip are often filled to capacity, and soon one of the busiest corners will get some relief. . Granite Construction Co. Inc of Watsonville, Calif., is building three pedestrian bridges at Spring Mountain Road and Las Vegas Boulevard South. They should be completed in October.
The busy intersection sees an estimated 150,000 people and 80,000 vehicles pass daily. The $21.5 million project entails construction of three overpass structures, plus six elevators and 12 escalators and stairwells.
"The pedestrian bridges will add to pedestrian safety while at the same time enhancing traffic flow in the area," said Cathy Razor, a senior management analyst with Clark County's Public Works Department.
The steel girder bridges range from 157 to 161 ft. long, connecting Wynn Las Vegas to Fashion Show Mall to the north; Fashion Show Mall to Treasure Island to the west; and Wynn Las Vegas to the Venetian Resort to the east.
The 16-ft.-wide, 24-ft.-tall structures have stainless steel cladding, no-skid concrete decks and handrails with fiber-optic lighting. There are also several brushed steel accents, giving them a sleek modern look.
Bridge walkways are lined with 4- by 8-ft.-tall glass panels for both safety and aesthetic reasons. Las Vegas-based Studio West Architects Inc. is the architect. The Louis Berger Group Inc. of East Orange, N.J., is the structural engineer.
Each bridge also has a distinctive apron area that matches its resort. The Venetian, for example, has an elaborate inlaid marble and travertine stone design. Neighboring resort owners contributed 50 percent of the construction cost, with remaining amount coming from Resort Corridor room taxes.
Erection of the 3-ft.-deep, 101,000-lb. bridge girders required nighttime lifts using 350-ton and 75-ton hydraulic cranes as well as full shutdowns of Las Vegas Boulevard. One crane lifted the girder while the other steadied it into position.
"We had an extensive detouring program that required rerouting traffic 2 mi. in advance," said Shawn Meagher with Parsons of Pasadena, Calif., which is serving as the owner's project representative. "We had one eight-hour shutdown per bridge, which is pretty aggressive to get the girders erected and bolted into place."
Each bridge consists of three girders anchored by a 70-ft.-tall, steel-and-glass elevator tower set atop drilled caissons. There are two 75-ft.-long escalators and stairwells at each platform landing, supported by 3- by 2-ft. steel-beam columns and concrete walls that have been sandblasted to expose the aggregate. MW Erectors of Peoria, Ariz., and Utah Pacific Bridge & Steel Ltd. of Pleasant Grove, Utah, were the structural steel suppliers/erectors.
"The project has required extensive staging in order to accommodate the flow of vehicles and pedestrians," said Phil Conklin, Granite's project manager. "No cars or people were allowed underneath the work areas. Traffic control, as a result, has shifted as construction progresses."
The project also entailed six months of utility relocation - water, electrical and sewer lines - around the surrounding resorts.
Key Players
Owner:
Clark County Public Works
Architect:
Studio West Architects Inc.
Structural Engineer:
The Louis Berger Group Inc.
Steel:
Utah Pacific Bridge & Steel Ltd./MW Erectors
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