Las Vegas commits $30 million to overhaul aging Rancho Drive infrastructure

The City of Las Vegas has allocated $30 million to a comprehensive reconstruction of Rancho Drive that will continue through November of next year. The project targets a one-mile segment between Sahara Avenue and Charleston Boulevard. Construction crews began work on the site in February of this year.

Drivers currently face single-lane traffic restrictions along the corridor. Engineers anticipate these conditions will persist for at least another year. The duration of the project is driven by the volume of work required beneath the street surface.

Nicole Melton, the engineering program manager for the City of Las Vegas, explained that the site contains waterlines installed in the 1960s. The city entered into a betterment agreement with the local water district to replace this aging infrastructure. Melton noted that the timing allowed for the waterline replacement to coincide with the roadway project.

City officials aim to complete all utility upgrades simultaneously to prevent future excavation. Melton stated that the goal is to avoid cutting up newly finished asphalt later in the road's life. This approach involves coordinating with utility companies and other jurisdictions to bundle the work.

The reconstruction includes a wide range of physical improvements for both vehicles and pedestrians. The city will install fresh pavement, new signage, and restriped lanes. New sidewalks will feature ADA-accessible ramps, and medians will be landscaped with approximately 20 new trees.

Additional upgrades include dedicated bus turnouts, upgraded flood control storm drains, and modern street lighting. NV Energy will move its power lines underground, and the city will install new fiber optic cables to improve traffic signal management. New manhole covers will also be placed throughout the project area.

Melton described the initiative as a measure to bring the road to current standards. She emphasized that the stretch had not received major work in a long time. The project is scheduled for completion in November 2027.