Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

58
CHAPTER 4 . GETTING TO KNOW LAS VEGAS
Tips
Chopper Tom’s Traffic Tips
“Chopper” Tom Hawley has watched Las Vegas grow since he was a little
kid catching lizards in the desert back in the ’60s. A self-described
“traffic geek,” Tom reports from the helicopter and from the studio
most mornings and afternoons in Las Vegas on KVBC-TV/Channel 3. For
further information on the following projects, tips, and much more,
stop by Channel 3’s website at www.kvbc.com and click “Traffic.”
• Monorail Mania: After decades of abandoned plans and false starts,
a commuter monorail serving the Strip is finally a reality! This 4-mile
system is a larger, faster, and more modern version of the Disney
hand-me-down that used to run between the MGM and Bally’s. The
new Las Vegas Monorail will start life with seven stations sprinkled
from the MGM to the Sahara, and is set to begin passenger service
in early 2004 at a fare of $2.50 per trip.
• People Movers Galore: Las Vegas has a greater variety of independent
people-mover systems than any other city in the world,
and they’re a great way to get around without having to get into
your car. In addition to the people movers at McCarran Airport, a
variety of trains will take you from hotel to hotel. The Doppelmayr
Cable Liner Shuttle whisks you from the Tropicana Walkways to the
Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay hotels. Smaller shuttles operate
between the Mirage and Treasure Island, and between the Circus
Circus Big Top and East Tower. Note: A shuttle between the Bellagio
and Monte Carlo is down for maintenance until 2005.
• Spaghetti Bowl: The “Spaghetti Bowl” is what locals call the mess
where I-15 intersects U.S. 95. The whole thing was reconstructed in
2000, but some studies indicate that it’s already carrying more traffic
than it was designed for, so don’t expect a congestion-free ride.
• U.S. 95 Widening: The west leg of U.S. 95 was designed in the early
’70s, when growth at the turn of the 21st century was expected to
be about one-third of what it actually turned out to be. A massive
widening project is underway with a projected 2006 completion.
For now, this stretch of U.S. 95 (called the Oran K. Gragson Expressway,
after a former Las Vegas mayor) is bulging at the seams. During
rush hours, surface streets like Charleston and Lake Mead
Boulevard are your best alternate routes.
• Keep Your Feet off the Streets: Local engineers have been trying to
improve traffic on the Strip by separating the cars from the pedestrians.
The first overhead pedestrian walkways opened at Tropicana
Avenue in 1995; similar bridges were completed at Flamingo Avenue
by 2000. Another bridge connects The Venetian and Treasure Island,
• Are special promotional rates available? If you see an advertised price in your
local newspaper, be sure to ask for that specific rate; otherwise, you may be
charged the standard cost. Terms change constantly, and reservations agents
are notorious for not mentioning available discounts unless you ask.