Sahara Bus Rapid Transit Project

RTC is now operating the new Sahara Express rapid transit service

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) and the Federal Transit Administration, together with the Nevada Department of Transportation, City of Las Vegas and Clark County, partnered in developing the new Sahara Express rapid transit service, which began operations on May 20, 2012. The Sahara Express is part of RTC’s larger network of rapid transit and express services that directly connect residential areas to employment and other high activity centers.

About the Project

The Sahara Express project included infrastructure improvements along a 12-mile corridor between Hualapai Way and Boulder Highway and was primarily funded with $34.4 million in federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The project helped support local economic activity by creating or sustaining private-sector jobs for nearly 600 individuals and improving mobility along one of the valley’s most important corridors.
Elements of the project included implementation of new dedicated transit lanes and upgrades of the existing traffic signals that together will improve travel times for transit customers and motorists alike. More importantly, the upgrades were made without any additional right of way and the new pavement, sidewalks and landscaping will provide smooth travel.

Some of the specific project features include:

Solar-powered passenger shelters with LED lighting and more shading
Raised station platforms for easier boarding
Ticket vending machines for customers to buy their passes ahead of time
Wider sidewalks, upgraded ramps and curbside trees for improved pedestrian access
Conversion of existing paved shoulders to dedicated bus-only lanes
New pavement along the majority of the corridor will minimize future disruptions from construction
Expanded Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) communications for better traffic signal control
Transit signal priority to help buses move along the corridor faster
New traffic signal at 15th Street to facilitate safer pedestrian crossings
Extension of premium transit service to outlying areas with elimination of transfers and faster travel time
Landscaping to help beautify the corridor and enhance the experience of all users